The South African private school that offers one of the best educations in the world for R417,000 a year

Michaelhouse is one of South Africa’s oldest, most expensive, and highly regarded schools, often ranking among the best in the country.

Michaelhouse has also gained international recognition, named as one of the top schools in the world in the latest Carfax Education Schools Index for 2025/26.

This highly ranked education comes with a hefty price tag, with Michaelhouse’s annual tuition and board fees totalling R417,000.

Founded 130 years ago by James Cameron Todd, Michaelhouse is one of South Africa’s oldest schools and was originally established as a private venture.

The school started out in 1896 with only fifteen boys, who were educated from two small houses in Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg.

It grew rapidly, and within a few years, Michaelhouse had become the Diocesan College of Natal, and was governed by a permanent trust deed and administered by a board of governors.

In 1901, Michaelhouse was relocated to the Balgowan Valley in KwaZulu-Natal’s Midlands, where it remains today.

At that point, the school had grown to 77 students, all of whom lived on the property. 

There was no electricity or running water in their boarding houses for many years, a far cry from the top-notch facilities available at the school today.

Some of the school’s first buildings, built in 1900, were its administration block, vestry, gallery of the now-extended chapel, and Founders House.

All of these buildings remain standing today, though some have been upgraded and modernised, and Michaelhouse has also retained its history as a boarding school.

Today, all 642 of its students are boarders, living in some of the same buildings that housed its students in the 1900s. Much of the school’s academic staff also resides on the premises.

When the school was established, its founder set out a clear vision for what he wanted the institution to become: a place that raised men of understanding, thought, and culture.

Over a century later, Michaelhouse remains true to this vision, ranking among the best schools not only in South Africa but also globally.

Michaelhouse today

Michaelhouse is the only private school in South Africa listed among the world’s best schools by two indices. The school has been ranked in the Carfax Education Schools Index and the Spear’s Schools Index.

Carfax’s list is the leading international guide for parents seeking the best learning environment for their children. It selects 150 of the top schools in the world, a list that is curated by independent international experts.

The Spear’s Index, launched in 2020, provides a guide to the world’s top 100 private schools and has become a trusted reference point for parents seeking top schools worldwide.

Unlike Carfax, Spear’s list weighs academic results alongside other factors, including reputation, school culture, networks, and pastoral care.

These factors are likely what set Michaelhouse apart from many other top local schools, with its facilities considered world-class.

The school boasts ten boarding houses, a chapel, the Schlesinger Theatre, an indoor centre, and a huge library.

Its sporting facilities are also top-notch, featuring rugby fields, six turf cricket pitches, two artificial astroturf hockey surfaces, and a heated swimming pool.

There are also eight tennis courts, a weight training facility, a six-court squash complex, a golf driving range and putting green, and an indoor sports centre.

More recently, the school also expanded and upgraded its chapel, added a new modern boarding facility, and remodelled its Farfield House.

While its facilities set Michaelhouse apart, this is not to say that the school is not also strong academically.

It has maintained a 100% pass rate for the past 30 consecutive years. In the latest academic year, the school boasted an average of 2.8 distinctions per learner.

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Michaelhouse photos

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