Fee setting is one decision that affects every parent and every budget. This calculator helps you model an increase before you take it to council, and sanity-check the numbers in the way you will present them.
The calculator
Or leave this blank and enter a target fee below to work backwards.
Results
Assumes fees are billed in equal amounts per term. Independent schools in South Africa commonly split fees over 3 terms; your school may use a different billing calendar.
How to use it
- Forward: type the current annual fee and the proposed increase, and the calculator shows the new fee per year, per term and per month.
- Backwards: to land on a specific figure, type a target fee and leave the increase blank. The calculator returns the exact percentage you need.
- Present it: the per-month figure is what parents actually feel. Lead with that in any communication about an increase.
How it works
The new fee is the current fee multiplied by (1 + increase/100), rounded to the nearest cent. The per-term amount divides the new fee across three terms, and the per-month amount divides it across the school year (ten months) - the basis most independent schools use for monthly payment plans.
A note on setting increases
An increase should cover cost growth plus a margin for the level of collection you actually achieve, not the level you bill. If your collection rate is 92%, a 6% increase nets you roughly 5.5% of real income. Run the collection rate calculator first if you do not know your number.