Listed: SA’s cheapest private schools

While some elite colleges are nudging $30,000 for year 12, at least 40 private schools in SA have fees less than $8000 — with some fees as low as $2000. Find out which ones.

The burden of school fees is yet another cost-of-living pressure for South Australian families, but there are still options for as little as $1700, even for year 12.

While the highest-profile colleges are nudging $30,000 in compulsory charges for year 12, a survey by The Advertiser has found at least 40 private schools with fees less than $8000.

Six are under the $3500 mark, with three Islamic schools the least expensive – Australian Islamic College at West Croydon at $1700, IQRA College at O’Halloran Hill $2000 and Garden College at Parafield Gardens $2055.

Horizon Christian School at Balaklava and non-denominational Harvest Christian College at Kadina were also among the most affordable, both under $3500.

Thomas More College at Salisbury Downs is among the cheapest Catholic options at $4100.

IQRA College principal Hani Abul Khair said affordability was the “main factor” in deciding its fees.

At Thomas More, which has had an almost 50 per cent rise in enrolments in the past five years, principal Corey Tavella said “strategic planning and targeted and effective spending” allowed it to remain affordable.

Eva Mellor, 13, is going into year 8 at Kildaire College, she is pictured on the Holden Hill campus with her little Lilli, 10, who will be attending the school in 2024. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

“Through careful financial management and budgeting, which has at its core the best educational outcomes for our students, we are able to plan and keep these costs as minimal as possible,” he said.

“Primarily though, government funding is indexed to socio-economic status which essentially allows us to keep our fees low and affordable.”

Catholic Education SA director Dr Neil McGoran said private schools operated with both parent fees and government funding – with the amount of the latter depending on a concept known as families’ “capacity to contribute”.

“Non-government schools with students who come from more affluent families receive less government funding,” he said.

Holden Hill’s Kildare College is charging the same amount, $5100, for every year level from year 8 to 12.

Principal Tina Neate said the college chose to keep the same low fee to “ensure that it is affordable and inclusive”.

Ms Neate said the college had not increased its fees in the past five years thanks to “careful financial planning”.

Christina Fulham, mum to year 8 Kildare student Eva, said “one of the biggest draw cards” had been the school’s low and stable fee structure.

“The lower end of the (school fee) scale, I didn’t realise how good that would be,” she said.

The Association of Independent Schools of SA declined to comment.