How much it costs to start your child at a top private school in South Africa – BusinessTech

While President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced increased efforts to improve South Africa’s public basic education system, the cost of private education has risen in 2026, with some schools charging over R350,000 per year.

These costs are not only hitting parents at the top, but also in pre-school and Grade R, where prices can reach R130,000 a year.

In South Africa, Grade R (0) is part of pre-primary education for children turning six.

At the State of the Nation Address in February, the president announced that Grade R is now compulsory and that subsidies for early childhood development are expected to increase in 2026.

Most of the top private schools in the country provide boarding facilities, primarily for high school students, and occasionally for primary school students, but it is seldom available for pre-primary children.

To start a student at a top private school for Grade R in 2026, yearly tuition can exceed R100,000, while additional fees such as Development Levies can add over R9,000 to annual costs.

Many of the schools, however, provide “discounted” school fee rates for scholars who have siblings who attend the same school.

For Example, Crawford College La Lucia offers a 5% discount on the second sibling’s school fees when two siblings are registered within the same school brand concurrently, a 10% discount on the third sibling’s school fees, and a 15% discount on the fourth (onwards) sibling.

Grade R tuition at some of the country’s most expensive schools

The most expensive private school on the BusinessTech list is St Stithians College in Johannesburg, charging R132,270 per year for Grade R learners.

St John’s College in Johannesburg is also one of the most expensive private schools in South Africa, charging R128,462 per year in 2026 for Grade R scholars.

This comes to R44,146 per term, and excludes services such as aftercare (R8,975 per term), bus services (R4,724 per term), hot lunch (R5,767 per term), and morning tea (R4,335 per term).

A deposit equivalent to one term’s tuition is required upon acceptance into the school.

The school fees for Grade R cover the curriculum, which includes Afrikaans, Art, Drama, isiZulu, Music, Physical Education, Computer Studies (ICT) and Technology. 

Roedean School for Girls in Johannesburg charges R121,638 per year for Grade R learners, with additional Building Levies of R8,340 per year and a compulsory R195 insurance fee.

Roedean offers an optional school lunch package for Grade R learners at R3,472 per term.

Enrolling a child at St Mary’s Waverley for Grade R will cost R118,730 per year, or R40,800 per term, with additional fees including a R40,800 deposit and a R9,300 Development Levy.

In addition, the school noted on its website that a non-refundable registration application fee, as specified in the application form, is payable when the application is made to the school.

The curriculum for Grade R learners at St Mary’s Waverley includes exposure to subjects such as Mathematics, Languages, Life Skills, Art, Music, Information Technology and Physical Education.

To send a child to Crawford College Sandton for Grade R will cost R117,200 per year, excluding an application fee of R800 and an enrolment fee of R12,000.

Crawford College is part of the greater Crawford International Group, which comprises 19 schools owned by the JSE-listed ADvTECH Group.

Grade R students at Crawford College Sandton are exposed to a curriculum that includes music and drama lessons taught by a “specialist teacher.”

“Grade 0 (R) students attend one physical development lesson and one Gymnastics lesson a week. They also attend an additional tennis and ball skills lesson,” said Crawford College.

“This sports programme introduces them to the basics of the sporting codes of cricket, soccer, athletics, and hockey.”

Under the R100,000 annual tuition mark for Grade R is Bishops College in Cape Town, which charges R97,200 per year, or R24,300 per term.

The school is amongst the most expensive in the country, with fees of R225,900 per year for Grade 12s, excluding boarding costs.

There are 24 Grade R Bishops College students in a class, and the curriculum (up to Grade 3) includes subjects such as basic literacy and numeracy, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Life Skills.

Below is a list of yearly tuition fees for Grade R at some of the most expensive private schools in South Africa.

These yearly fees cover day school tuition and do not include additional fees such as deposits or enrolment fees.

Note: This list is not comprehensive and features only some of the most expensive private schools in South Africa.