About this calculator
The Private School Fees Calculator UK estimates the long-term cost of independent school fees, including VAT-era fee levels, annual increases, extras, bursaries or scholarships, multiple children, monthly equivalent cost, and opportunity cost. It is for parents, guardians, and grandparents who need a realistic affordability view before applying, accepting a place, or committing to several years of fees.
Private school fee projection method
The calculator projects each year separately. It starts with the annual fee, applies fee support where entered, adds extras, applies annual fee growth to future years, and totals the result across the selected school years and children.
- net tuition = annual fee - bursary or scholarship support
- year cost = net tuition + annual extras
- future year fee = current fee x (1 + annual increase)^year
- total cost = sum of yearly costs across children and years
- monthly equivalent = total cost / months in plan
How to use the private school fees calculator
- Enter the current annual school fee.
- Use the fee you expect to pay, including VAT if the quote is VAT-inclusive.
- Enter bursary, scholarship, or sibling support if applicable.
- Add realistic extras such as uniform, lunches, transport, trips, clubs, boarding, and exams.
- Set the number of children and years to model.
- Choose annual fee increase and opportunity-cost assumptions.
- Run base, high-cost, and reduced-support scenarios before relying on one figure.
Worked examples
Secondary school cost
Input: GBP 22,000 fee, GBP 3,000 extras, seven years, 5% annual increase
Calculation: Each future year fee is increased before extras are added
Result: The total is materially higher than seven times the first-year cost.
Bursary scenario
Input: GBP 24,000 annual fee, 30% bursary, GBP 2,500 annual extras
Calculation: Tuition is reduced first, then uncovered extras are added
Result: The family still needs to budget for extras and future fee increases.
VAT-era fee planning
Private school fee planning changed after VAT was applied to many private school education and boarding services from 1 January 2025. Families should enter the fee they actually expect to pay, because schools may quote VAT-inclusive figures, absorb part of the change, or adjust fees in different ways.
Costs to include
| Cost | Why it matters | Planning tip |
|---|
| Tuition | Main annual cost | Use the current quote and test annual increases |
| Extras | Often not covered by bursaries | Include trips, lunches, uniform, transport, clubs |
| Bursary or scholarship | Can change affordability | Stress test if support is reviewed yearly |
| Multiple children | Creates overlap pressure | Model overlap years separately |
Scenario planning
A single total can hide risk. Run at least three scenarios: current quote, higher annual increases, and lower support. This gives a better sense of whether the plan still works if fees rise faster than expected or support changes.
Common mistakes and edge cases
- Do not assume a bursary covers extras unless the school confirms it.
- Do not multiply the first-year fee by the number of years without applying fee increases.
- Check whether VAT is already included in the quoted fee.
- Overlap years for siblings can create the biggest cash-flow pressure.
- Opportunity cost is an estimate, not an investment forecast.
Limitations and cautions
This calculator is for general financial planning only and is not financial, tax, or education advice. School fees, VAT handling, bursaries, scholarships, and extras vary by school and can change.
- Check the school fee schedule and bursary terms.
- Run multiple scenarios rather than relying on one projection.
- Consider qualified advice for major family financial decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Does the calculator include VAT?
It uses the fee you enter. If your school quote includes VAT, enter that figure.
Can I include a bursary?
Yes, enter the expected support, but remember bursaries may be reviewed and may not cover extras.
What extras should I include?
Include lunches, uniform, transport, trips, music, sport, clubs, boarding, exam fees, and equipment where relevant.
Why include opportunity cost?
It shows what the money might otherwise have grown to if invested, using your chosen assumption.
Can this compare two schools?
Run the calculator once for each school using each school quote and extras.
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Private school fees calculator - how to use this tool
Enter your child's current age, the annual fee, and expected fee increases to see the total cost of private education from now until age 18. The calculator includes the VAT added in January 2025 and shows the opportunity cost of fees versus investing the same amount.
How much are private school fees in the UK 2025/26?
Average day school fees in the UK are now £18,000 to £22,000 per year after VAT. Full boarding schools charge £40,000 to £55,000 per year. London day schools typically charge more, with many exceeding £25,000 per year. Fees have risen faster than general inflation for decades, typically increasing by 4% to 6% per year.
The January 2025 introduction of 20% VAT on private school fees added approximately £3,000 to £5,000 to average annual costs. Some schools absorbed part of this increase but most passed it on in full or in part.
What is the true total cost of private school?
The headline fee is only part of the cost. Additional expenses typically include: school uniform (£500 to £2,000 to start), extracurricular activities (£1,000 to £3,000 per year), school trips (£500 to £2,000 per year), examination fees, music or sports coaching, and before and after school care. These extras can add £3,000 to £8,000 to the annual cost beyond the headline fee.
For a child starting at a day school at age 11 and leaving at 18, the total cost including extras and fee inflation is typically £180,000 to £250,000 at current prices. For full boarding, the total often exceeds £400,000.
Can I get a bursary for private school fees?
Most independent schools offer means-tested bursaries that can reduce fees by 10% to 100% for qualifying families. Bursaries are assessed on household income, savings, property equity, and other assets. Many top schools have bursary funds that allow families earning less than £30,000 to £50,000 per year to attend for free or near-free.
Scholarships are separate from bursaries. Scholarships are awarded for academic, artistic, or sporting excellence and typically reduce fees by 5% to 15%. They are rarely means-tested. A child can hold both a scholarship and a bursary simultaneously.
To apply for a bursary, contact each school's bursar directly. Most schools want to see at least two to three years of accounts or tax returns and full details of assets and liabilities. Apply early - bursary funds are finite and oversubscribed at most schools.
Are private school fees tax deductible?
No. Private school fees are not tax deductible for individuals in the UK. They are paid from post-tax income. There is no equivalent of the US 529 education savings plan that provides tax relief on money saved for education.
Some grandparents pay school fees directly as a way of reducing their estate for Inheritance Tax purposes. Payments made from regular income as part of normal expenditure can qualify for IHT exemption. Seek advice from a tax adviser before relying on this strategy.
How to plan and budget for private school fees
Start planning early. The earlier you begin saving and investing, the more compound growth works in your favour. Options families use include: regular savings plans started at birth, grandparent contributions, overpaying a mortgage and releasing equity later, and using ISA allowances (£20,000 per year per adult) to grow investments tax-free.
Some families use a school fee loan or finance plan offered by the school or a specialist lender. These spread costs monthly but add interest. Schools sometimes offer a discount for fees paid annually or termly in advance - ask the bursar about advance payment discounts before each academic year.
Independent school fees calculator - frequently asked questions
How accurate is this calculator?The calculator uses your entered fee, annual fee increase rate, and your child's current age to project total costs. The opportunity cost calculation assumes the fees could instead be invested at your chosen return rate. Actual fees will vary by school and year.
Does it include VAT? Yes. From January 2025, private school fees in England are subject to 20% VAT. The calculator applies VAT to the fee you enter - enter the fee as quoted by the school, which will already include VAT if quoted after January 2025.
What fee inflation rate should I use? Historically, private school fees have risen by 4% to 6% per year on average. Using 5% is a reasonable central estimate. Use a higher rate for a more conservative projection.