Paying for your children's schooling in South Africa
In South Africa, low-income families can send their children to a no-fee school or apply for a fee exemption, while parents at fee-paying public or private schools often spread the year's cost through monthly debit orders or an education loan.
No-fee schools in quintiles 1 to 3
Public schools ranked in the three poorest quintiles charge no school fees at all. They teach the majority of the country's learners and receive higher state funding per learner to make up for the fees they do not collect.
Fee exemptions at fee-paying schools
At a fee-paying public school, a parent whose income is low compared with the annual fees can apply to the school governing body for a full or partial exemption, using a formula laid down in the national school regulations.
No exclusion for unpaid fees
The South African Schools Act prohibits excluding a learner, withholding their report or refusing admission because the parents have not paid. The school can, however, take steps to recover the fees from parents who are not exempted.
Public schools in formerly advantaged suburbs
Well-known public schools in Johannesburg North, Cape Town or Pretoria charge high annual fees, set at a meeting of parents. They often allow monthly payment by debit order spread over ten or eleven months of the year.
Private schools: Curro, ADvTECH and independents
The listed groups Curro and ADvTECH have opened many private campuses at different price points, from Midrand to Durbanville. Their fees usually rise every January, and some schools also ask for a non-refundable registration deposit.
Fundi education loans
Fundi finances school fees, uniforms and stationery, paying the school directly with monthly repayments in rand. The borrower must pass the National Credit Act affordability assessment, as with any other unsecured credit granted to an individual.
Uniforms and stationery in January
Uniforms sold by approved suppliers, often dearer than in the big retail chains, weigh heavily on budgets in January. Competition rules require schools not to impose a single supplier without a valid justification for doing so.
Paying school fees by credit card
Paying the annual fees by card in January can earn a discount for early payment, as long as the balance is settled within the interest-free period. Our guide to credit cards in South Africa walks through that calculation.
NSNP meals and school minibuses
The National School Nutrition Programme provides a meal to learners at participating schools. Transport by private minibus, however, remains the family's responsibility and is often paid monthly in cash or by bank transfer.
After matric, NSFAS takes over
After matric the rules change: NSFAS bursaries, corporate bursaries and bank loans take over from school fees. Our guide to student loans in South Africa explains the NSFAS bursary and the missing middle loan.
Education savings and tax-free accounts
A tax-free savings account lets parents build up money gradually for future fees, within the annual limit set by SARS. These savings reduce the need for credit when a child moves up to high school.
Fees in rand compared with fees in Zambian kwacha
Families living near the northern border sometimes compare schools in both countries and their calendars. Our guide to school fee loans in Zambia describes the fees and financing available to parents of Zambian learners.
Planning how to pay for the South African school year
- Check the school's quintile and, for a fee-paying school, the fee schedule voted by parents.
- Apply to the school governing body for an exemption if household income is low.
- Negotiate a monthly debit order schedule rather than a single payment in January.
- Compare a Fundi education loan with your available savings and the early payment discount.
- Keep all receipts and the exemption decision in case the school follows up.
School costs and ways to pay in rand
| Expense | Usual solution | What changes the amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fees at a fee-paying public school | Monthly payment or exemption | Parents' meeting, household income |
| Private school fees | Debit order or education loan | Group, grade, campus |
| Registration deposit | One-off payment | School policy |
| Uniforms and stationery | Card, savings or Fundi loan | Approved supplier, number of children |
| School transport | Monthly payment to the operator | Distance, city |
Documents for a fee exemption or school loan
- Child's birth certificate and parents' identity documents
- Proof of income for both parents
- Annual invoice from the school
- Three months of bank statements for an education loan
- Completed fee exemption form
Parents' mistakes with school fees
- Not applying for an exemption out of embarrassment, even though the law provides for it and it avoids a debt to the school.
- Accepting that a child is sent home or denied a report over unpaid fees, a practice the Schools Act prohibits.
- Paying for back-to-school costs with a microloan at 5% a month instead of a payment plan offered by the school.
- Paying a registration deposit to a fake private school found on social media without checking its provincial registration.
Lenders to contact
- Standard Bank South Africa: Major South African commercial bank providing borrowing solutions to individuals, notably vehicle finance through instalment sale agreements and personal loans.
- Land Bank (Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa): South African agricultural development bank providing finance and loans to farmers and agribusinesses across the country's farming and food sector.
- Capitec Bank: South African retail bank providing credit solutions to individuals, including personal loans and credit cards, through its personal banking offer.
- FNB Islamic Banking: Islamic window of First National Bank offering, among other things, an Islamic business account, repeatedly awarded best Islamic banking window in South Africa.
School fees in South Africa: answers
Can a public school turn my child away over unpaid fees?
No, the South African Schools Act prohibits refusing admission to or excluding a learner because the parents do not pay. The school can nevertheless start a recovery process if the parents have no exemption.
How can I tell whether a school charges no fees?
The provincial education department publishes the list of no-fee schools and their quintiles. The school can also confirm this in writing at registration, which rules out any request for a compulsory contribution.
Is an education loan covered by the National Credit Act?
Yes, a school loan from a provider such as Fundi is unsecured credit subject to the rate caps, the regulated fees and the affordability assessment required by the Act.
Can school fees be deducted from income tax?
No, primary and secondary school fees do not give parents any tax deduction. Only savings held in a tax-free account benefit from a tax advantage on interest and capital gains.