Listed: South Australia’s cheapest private schools in 2024

SA’s cheapest private schools are charging less than $2000, but parents at other traditionally affordable schools are facing shock fee hikes. See the full list.

Parents at one of Adelaide’s most affordable private schools face a shock fee hike of almost $1000 to put a child through Year 12 this year.

At the other end of the spectrum is a Year 12 campus now offering the state’s lowest fee for private Year 12 tuition.

Analysis of 36 independent and Catholic schools charging $8000 or less for the final year of secondary education has revealed some surprising increases.

At independent Christadelphian school Heritage College, in Oakden, the cost of Year 12 tuition has surged 18.8 per cent, from $5072 last year to $6027 in 2024.

Parents at IQRA Islamic College, in O’Halloran Hill, are paying 22.6 per cent more this year – $2600 up from $2120.

Heritage College principal Justin Robinson was unavailable to comment on the school’s fees.

IQRA College principal Hani Abul Khair said the fee increase “coincides with the rise in the costs of living and business expenses across Australia”.

“Many of our families are new arrivals to Australia or recent migrants or from working-class backgrounds across Adelaide,” Dr Khair said.

“We engage with our families and try to find the suitable point to provide the services at a price point they can afford.”

Dr Khair said there had been “almost no reaction” from parents to the fee increase “as our fees are already low”.

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Year 12 at IQRA College, Nusaiba with mum Zaytoon Ebrahim. Picture: The Advertiser/ Morgan Sette

Mother of three Zaytoon Ebrahim enrolled her children at IQRA College in late 2022 after previously homeschooling them.

Mrs Ebrahim, 44, had “the idea that private schools were going to be an exorbitant cost” but had been pleasantly surprised by the fees.

When she received the tuition bill for 17-year-old Nusaiba, in Year 12 this year, 14-year-old Mustafa in Year 9 and 11-year-old Maryam in Year 7, she did notice the cumulative fee increase, but said the school offered options such as paying in instalments.

“You don’t have to pay that great big amount all at once,” she said, adding that the investment was “worthwhile”.

“I was impressed with the calibre of the teachers … understanding the children’s personalities and how they learn,” Mrs Ebrahim, who is originally from South Africa, said.

“It wasn’t just about teaching them … it was addressing their whole person.”

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IQRA Islamic College in O'Halloran Hill. Picture: Russell Millard

Horizon Christian School principal Mike Clisby. Picture: Tait Schmaal

The cheapest fee among the schools surveyed was at Horizon Christian School’s Clare campus ($1665), which is offering Year 12 classes for the first time in 2024.

Horizon Christian School principal Mike Clisby said the stability of the established Balaklava campus, which also hosts Year 12s, meant the school could keep costs low for families at the Clare site.

Fees at the Clare campus would remain low – about half the $3240 charged for Year 12 at the Balaklava campus – “for the foreseeable future”, he said

Fees at the Balaklava campus have also been kept stable in 2024 “in recognition of financial difficulties of families”, Mr Clisby said.

“The thing that makes a real difference is the relationships of teachers and school staff with students, rather than expensive infrastructure,” he said.

Only one other school charged less than $2000.

Australian Islamic College Adelaide’s fee of $1890 was $40 (2.1 per cent) more than the $1850 it charged in 2023, when the West Croydon institution was ranked Adelaide’s most affordable private school.

Garden College, an Islamic school in Parafield Gardens, has charged families 2.2 per cent more in 2024 ($2100).

In total 13 schools set fees at less than $5000 in 2024, including Harvest Christian College ($3299), Pinnacle College ($3515) and Caritas College ($4585).

At St Paul’s College the price of Year 12 tuition edged up 2.7 per cent to $8010, from $7800 last year.

In December The Advertiser revealed that SA’s most expensive schools were charging more than $31,000 for Year 12.

A majority of Catholic schools froze fees for the third year in a row, including 59 primary schools, 22 secondary schools or combined colleges, two special schools and special assistance school Compass Catholic Community, which remains fee free.

Many independent schools imposed increases of four or five per cent.

Association of Independent Schools of SA chief executive Anne Dunstan said schools “must make careful and strategic decisions” to balance education offerings with fees.

“Independent schools consider very carefully the capacity of families to manage school fees and associated costs,” Ms Dunstan said.