International School Fees in Cape Town
How much do international schools in Cape Town cost?
International school tuition in Cape Town runs from ZAR 78,440 to ZAR 310,949 a year across the 6 schools listed here. The lowest published annual tuition is ZAR 78,440 at Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard; the highest is ZAR 310,949 at American International School of Cape Town.
Every figure on this page is an annual tuition figure in ZAR, taken from each school's own published fee schedule. Fees vary by school and by year group — the lower end of each school's range is normally early years and the upper end the final secondary years — so a family's actual bill depends on the year group a child enters.
Tuition is not the total cost of a place. Application and registration charges, capital or building levies, transport, meals, uniform, examination entry and boarding where offered are charged separately by most schools. Confirm the current schedule with the school before applying.
Cape Town international school fees at a glance
- Lowest published annual tuition: ZAR 78,440 (Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard)
- Highest published annual tuition: ZAR 310,949 (American International School of Cape Town)
- Schools compared: 6
- Currency of all figures: ZAR / ZAR
School-by-school fee comparison
| School | Curriculum | Ages | Minimum annual tuition | Maximum annual tuition | Currency | Official fee source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard | IEB | 1-18 | ZAR 78,440 | ZAR 186,470 | ZAR | Source verification pending |
| American International School of Cape Town | American | 2-18 | ZAR 80,861 | ZAR 310,949 | ZAR | Official fees page |
| Herschel Girls' School | IEB | 3-18 | ZAR 83,730 | ZAR 171,450 | ZAR | Source verification pending |
| German International School Cape Town | German Curriculum South African Curriculum International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma) | 3-18 | ZAR 97,200 | ZAR 97,200 | ZAR | Source verification pending |
| Bishops Diocesan College | British | 6-18 | ZAR 97,635 | ZAR 306,990 | ZAR | Source verification pending |
| International School of Cape Town | Cambridge International | 3-18 | ZAR 100,000 | ZAR 228,000 | ZAR | Source verification pending |
Understanding Cape Town international school fees
Tuition versus additional school charges
The figures in the table are annual tuition only. Most international schools in Cape Town publish a separate schedule of compulsory and optional charges that sit on top of tuition, so the first-year cost of a place is usually higher than the tuition figure alone.
Application and registration fees
A non-refundable application or assessment fee is typically payable when a family applies, with a further registration or enrolment fee payable once a place is offered and accepted.
Capital levies, debentures and deposits
Some schools charge an annual capital or building levy towards facilities, and some ask for a debenture, nomination right or refundable deposit before a place is confirmed. Whether such a charge is refundable, and when, differs by school and is set out in that school's own fee schedule.
Transport, meals and uniform
School bus routes, lunches and uniform are normally billed separately from tuition and vary with distance, year group and how much a family opts into.
Boarding
Where a school offers boarding, boarding charges are additional to tuition and are published as a separate line in the fee schedule.
Why fees differ so much between schools
The spread between ZAR 78,440 and ZAR 310,949 reflects differences in curriculum and accreditation, campus and facilities, teacher recruitment, class sizes and year group. Fees also rise through the school, so a secondary place at a given school costs materially more than an early years place at the same school.
How to compare international school fees
- Compare the year group your child will actually enter, not the headline starting fee — ranges widen considerably between early years and sixth form.
- Check which additional charges are compulsory rather than optional, and add them to tuition before comparing two schools.
- Check whether any capital levy, debenture or deposit is refundable, and on what terms.
- Distinguish tuition from the total first-year cost, which usually includes one-off application, registration and deposit charges.
- Ask about sibling discounts, corporate arrangements and instalment payment schedules where they apply.
- Verify the latest official fee schedule with the school before applying — the source links in the table go to each school's own published fees page.
Cape Town school fees: frequently asked questions
How much do international schools cost in Cape Town?
Annual tuition across the 6 international schools listed here runs from ZAR 78,440 to ZAR 310,949 in ZAR. These are tuition figures only; application, registration, capital, transport, meal, uniform and boarding charges are additional.
What is the cheapest international school in Cape Town in this dataset?
Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard has the lowest published annual tuition in this dataset at ZAR 78,440. This is a comparison of published tuition, not a ranking of schools by quality.
What is the most expensive international school in Cape Town in this dataset?
American International School of Cape Town has the highest published annual tuition in this dataset, reaching ZAR 310,949 at its upper year groups.
Are Cape Town international school fees paid annually?
The figures here are annual tuition figures. Schools commonly allow the annual amount to be paid in termly or monthly instalments, and payment schedules are set out in each school's own fee documentation.
Are international school fees in Cape Town inclusive of all costs?
No. Tuition is normally quoted separately from application and registration fees, capital or building levies, deposits, transport, meals, uniform, examination entry and boarding where offered.
Do international schools in Cape Town charge application or capital fees?
Many do. Application or assessment fees, enrolment fees and annual capital or building levies are common in the sector, and some schools also operate debenture or nomination-right schemes. The exact charges, and whether any part is refundable, are published by each school individually.
Are boarding fees included in tuition?
No. Where a school offers boarding, boarding is charged in addition to tuition and published as a separate item in that school's fee schedule.
Where do these fee figures come from?
Each figure is the school's own published annual tuition, with a link to the official fee page for 1 of the 6 schools. Source verification is pending for Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard, Herschel Girls' School, German International School Cape Town, Bishops Diocesan College, International School of Cape Town, so no official fee link is shown for those schools.