When will SA’s most expensive school reveal its 2027 fees?

It will be a matter of weeks rather than months before Hilton College in KwaZulu-Natal confirms its 2027 school fees.

Hilton College, founded on 29 January 1872, is an independent all-boys, all-boarding school in the town of Hilton between Howick and Pietermaritzburg.

Most expensive

The school has consistently topped the lists when it comes to ‘Most expensive school in South Africa’ – and there’s little chance that won’t continue to be the case next year.

The school’s published annual tuition and boarding fee for 2026 is R441 766.

That fee covers tuition, food and board, games, minor medical attention, the use of the sanatorium, library and laundry. 

Extra fees apply to sports like golf, rowing, and canoeing to cover transport.

Fees for locally resident parents are payable annually or monthly, over 10 months, in advance by debit order. That’s R44 176.60 every month for 10 months of the year. There are discounts for paying the entire year’s fees upfront.

Local Hilton College parents also pay a non-refundable entrance fee of R110 441.50 upon acceptance. The fee is equivalent to one term’s fees.

The school also charges a consolidated fee of R594.25 per term for extras. This covers items like some dry cleaning, laundry bags, minor duplicating costs, newspapers, minor sanatorium requisites, sunscreen, certain school plays and school socials.

More expensive for foreign-based families

Boys whose families live outside of South Africa are required to pay a Foreign Pupil’s Deposit of one and a half term’s fees of around R165 662.25.

This deposit is intended to cover the costs of repatriation, should such a situation arise, and is refundable.

Projected 2027 fees

Fees are expected to rise to between R463 000 and R477 000 per annum in 2027, based on projected independent-school fee increases of 5% to 8%.

The actual fees will be confirmed by the school – and The South African website – in the coming weeks ahead of the 2027 school year which starts around 13 January.

Famous Hiltonians

Hilton College has produced a number of notable old boys.

There have been eight Springbok players including two captains (Gary Teichmann and Bobby Skinstad) as well as Ebbo Bastard, Brian Pfaff, Paul Johnstone, Clive Ulyate, Hentie Martins and Wayne Fyvie.

Hilton also educated well-known sports journalist Robert Marawa and Proteas bowler Lungi Ngidi.

South Africa’s second-most expensive school, Michaelhouse, is also situated in KwaZulu-Natal, as is the fifth-most costly, Kearsney College.

Parents: HOW much are you paying for your children’s school fees this year – and next?