Last reviewed: 18 October 2026
Private school fees in Kenya vary more than almost anything else in education. Some private schools cost less than a public boarding school, while others charge more per term than many families earn in a year. Most fee tables online come from unofficial sites, so we took a different approach. This guide uses only fee structures published by the schools themselves, each linked below, to show the real range for CBC junior and senior school in 2026. Seven schools are not the whole market, so treat these as examples, not averages. Accurate as of October 2026.
On this page
Junior School (Grades 7–9): Published 2026 Fees
| School (county) | Published fee | Per year (our arithmetic) | What the fee covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blessed Assurance Academy, Syokimau (Machakos) | KSh 46,411 per term; boarding +KSh 19,100 per term | KSh 139,233 day; KSh 196,533 with boarding | Tuition, with French included; project, textbook, coding and other charges extra |
| Riara Junior School (Nairobi) | Grade 7 KSh 151,600; Grade 8 KSh 158,600; Grade 9 KSh 161,100 per term | KSh 454,800–483,300 | Tuition, lunch, textbooks, exercise books, French, computer, sports, swimming, coding & robotics |
| Light Academy Nairobi (Nairobi) | Grade 7–8: tuition 132,090 / 132,090 / 92,820 plus lunch, online subscriptions and clubs; Grade 9 billed over two terms | KSh 525,000 (Grade 7–8 and Grade 9, day) | Tuition; lunch compulsory for day students; textbooks and stationery KSh 25,000 a year extra |
Sources: Blessed Assurance, published 19 June 2026; Riara Junior School, dated October 2025; Light Academy Nairobi 2026.
For comparison, a public junior school charges no fees. It is funded by government capitation (see JSS fees and capitation).
Senior School (Grade 10): Published 2026 Fees
| School (county) | Published Grade 10 fee | Per year (our arithmetic) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mambrui Secondary School, Malindi (Kilifi) | KSh 35,000 / 28,000 / 15,000 | KSh 78,000 | Includes boarding (KSh 12,000 per term) and a one-off admission fee of KSh 3,000. The school is run by an education trust. |
| Nyahururu Elite School (Laikipia) | KSh 97,500 per term | KSh 292,500 + KSh 15,000 CBC projects | Admission KSh 10,000 and caution KSh 10,000 for new students |
| Lukenya Boys, Athi River (Machakos) | KSh 127,500 per term (tuition and boarding) | KSh 382,500 + extras | Admission KSh 20,000; laptop KSh 30,000; activity KSh 10,000 a year |
| Riara Springs Girls’ Boarding Senior School (Nairobi) | KSh 245,000 per term, inclusive of boarding | KSh 735,000 | Uniform KSh 23,000; caution KSh 20,000 |
| Light Academy Nairobi (Nairobi) | Tuition 163,170 / 163,170 / 114,660; boarding 209,790 / 209,790 / 147,420 | about KSh 1,038,000 boarding; about KSh 648,000 day | Includes online subscriptions and club fees; admission KSh 40,000; caution KSh 30,000 (+KSh 30,000 boarding caution) |
Sources: Mambrui fee structure 2026; Nyahururu Elite Grade 10 2026; Lukenya Boys 2026; Riara Springs Girls’ 2026; Light Academy as above.
For comparison, the gazetted maximum for a public boarding senior school is KSh 53,554 a year, or KSh 40,535 for schools on the lower ceiling, and public day schools charge nothing (senior school fees 2026).
What the Numbers Tell Us
- The range is very wide. Among these examples, a year of Grade 10 runs from KSh 78,000 to roughly KSh 1 million, a difference of more than 13 times.
- “Per term” means different things. Riara Springs quotes one inclusive figure. Light Academy splits tuition, boarding, lunch, subscriptions and clubs, and charges Term 3 at a lower rate. Grade 9 at Light Academy is billed over two terms only. Mambrui front-loads its fees into Term 1. Always convert to a yearly total before you compare.
- Once-off charges add up. Light Academy’s admission, caution, boarding caution, career test and ID card come to KSh 105,500 for a new boarder before the first term’s fees.
- Discounts and penalties matter. Lukenya gives 5% off tuition and boarding for early full payment and charges 5% a month on balances over 30 days. Riara charges 3% a month after 30 days. Blessed Assurance gives 2% for paying a term upfront, 6% for a full year, and 10% for the second and third child.
How to Compare Private Schools Properly
- Get the official fee structure from the school’s website or office, not from a blog.
- Build a yearly total: termly fees × 3 (or as billed), plus annual charges, plus once-off charges spread over the years your child will attend.
- List what is included, such as lunch, textbooks, swimming or a laptop, and price the extras at the other schools.
- Add transport. Riara Junior’s routes run from KSh 17,700 to KSh 57,300 per term, and Blessed Assurance’s zones from KSh 8,800 to KSh 14,000.
- Read the terms: refunds, notice to withdraw, late penalties and fee reviews. Several schools reserve the right to change fees during the year.
Our fees hub lists individual school fee articles by county, each written from the school’s own document. Business Radar also publishes school fee structure guides. For general budgeting beyond fees, see hidden CBC costs.
Sources
- All seven schools’ fee structures linked above, downloaded October 2026. Yearly totals are our arithmetic from the published termly figures.
- Kenya Gazette Notice No. 1449 of 2026 (public senior school fees).