School fees in Kigali: what families really pay in 2026/27

School fees in Kigali vary more than most families expect. Two schools a few kilometres apart can differ by several times in price, and the currency can change your real cost during the year. This guide sets out published 2026/27 fees at schools that make them public, explains the extras that sit on top of tuition, and gives a simple method to budget. All figures are indicative, as of October 2026, and come from the schools' own published schedules or public profiles. Always confirm with the school before you commit.

If a school does not publish its fees, we say so. In that case, contact us for a current quote and we will ask on your behalf.

Published tuition for 2026/27

School	Curriculum	Annual tuition 2026/27	Currency
Green Hills Academy	IB	RWF 3,820,000 to RWF 7,680,000	RWF
EFASE (Ecole Francophone Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)	French	RWF 3,934,861 to RWF 8,096,959	RWF
International School of Kigali	American, AP	USD 8,098 to USD 26,435	USD
Kigali International Community School	American	Contact us for a current quote	USD (application fees)
Cambridge schools (Acorns, BAIS, Wellspring)	Cambridge	Contact us for a current quote	Not published

Sources: ISK website, EFASE 2026/27 tariff schedule, and doris.school profiles for Green Hills Academy and KICS. Our curriculum pages explain each programme: IB schools, American curriculum schools and French schools.

School by school: what the published fees include

International School of Kigali (USD)

Grade level	Annual tuition	Annual capital levy	Total per year
Pre-Kindergarten	USD 8,098	USD 500	USD 8,598
Kindergarten	USD 16,604	USD 1,000	USD 17,604
Grades 1 to 5	USD 22,837	USD 1,000	USD 23,837
Grades 6 to 8	USD 23,453	USD 2,000	USD 25,453
Grades 9 to 12	USD 26,435	USD 2,000	USD 28,435

New students also pay a USD 175 non-refundable application fee and a USD 3,000 enrolment fee per student, capped at USD 5,000 per family. A USD 1,000 admission deposit per student is applied to tuition. Returning students pay a USD 2,000 deposit by 1 May to hold their place, also applied to tuition.

Green Hills Academy (RWF)

Annual tuition for 2026/27 runs from RWF 3,820,000 (half-day early years at the Rwandan student rate) to RWF 7,680,000. The application fee is RWF 200,000, paid once. Annual tuition can be split into three equal instalments. The school publishes separate rates for Rwandan students, non-Rwandan students and students sponsored by organisations, so check which rate applies to your family.

EFASE, the French school (RWF)

Level	French and Rwandan nationals	Other nationalities
Maternelle	RWF 3,934,861	RWF 5,114,484
Elémentaire	RWF 4,153,743	RWF 5,400,200
Collège and lycée	RWF 6,228,944	RWF 8,096,959

On top of tuition: first registration RWF 500,000, file fee RWF 50,000, supplies RWF 100,000 to RWF 200,000 a year, lunch at RWF 2,900 to RWF 3,200 per meal, a RWF 150,000 subscription to the CSK sports facilities for PE from Grande Section, and exam fees for the Brevet (about EUR 100) and Baccalauréat (about USD 1,000 in Première and USD 1,500 in Terminale).

The extras that change your total

Tuition is the headline, but the first year usually costs much more. Use this checklist when comparing schools:

• Application fee: usually non-refundable, paid per child.
• Enrolment, registration or capital fee: often a large one-time charge for new students.
• Deposit: sometimes applied to tuition, sometimes refundable only under conditions.
• Annual levy or development fee: charged every year at some schools.
• Lunch: per meal or per term.
• School bus or transport: ask how the fee is calculated and whether your area is served.
• Uniforms and sports kit.
• Books, supplies and devices: some schools require a laptop or tablet.
• Trips and residential visits.
• After-school activities: some free, some charged per term.
• Exam fees: IGCSE, A Level, IB, AP, Brevet or Baccalauréat entries are often billed separately.
• Learning support: ask whether additional support has its own fee.

Private schools on the Rwandan curriculum

Many Kigali families, including returning Rwandans, choose private schools that follow the national curriculum in English. Fees here are usually far lower than at international schools, but extras matter even more. In August 2026, KT Press reviewed the term requirement lists (known as babyeyi) of 25 schools. Term fees ranged from RWF 60,000 at a school in Huye to RWF 900,000 at a Kigali nursery. Lunch ranged from RWF 35,000 to RWF 150,000, transport from RWF 45,000 to RWF 150,000, insurance from RWF 1,200 to RWF 3,000 a term and registration from RWF 5,000 to RWF 50,000.

These lists also include uniforms, books and supplies, which can add up quickly with several children. Ask for the full list before you accept a place.

Currency, payment and timing

Currency: if your salary is in dollars, a dollar fee is predictable. If you earn in francs, a franc fee is easier to plan. Exchange rate moves between the start of the year and the third term can change what you pay.

Payment schedule: ISK fees cover the full academic year; Green Hills Academy allows three equal instalments; EFASE fees are payable before each term. Ask whether paying the full year in advance carries any discount.

Mid-year starts: ISK prorates fees for mid-year enrolment. Ask other schools how they charge if your child starts after the first term.

Refunds: ask about refunds if your posting ends early. Application and registration fees are usually non-refundable.

Exam years: budget separately for the years when external exams fall. At EFASE, for example, the Baccalauréat costs about USD 1,000 in Première and about USD 1,500 in Terminale on top of tuition, and the Brevet about EUR 100. IGCSE, A Level, IB and AP entries at other schools are usually charged per subject or per exam, so ask for the current list of exam fees before your child chooses subjects.

A simple way to budget

1. Pick two or three schools that fit your child's curriculum and age. Our international schools guide helps here.
2. For each school, write down tuition for every year your child will attend, not just the first one. Fees rise at higher grades.
3. Add one-time fees for the first year.
4. Add lunch, transport, uniforms, supplies and exam fees.
5. Convert everything into one currency so you can compare.
6. Check what your employer's education allowance covers.

Example: a child joining ISK in Grade 6 in 2026/27 faces USD 23,453 tuition, a USD 2,000 capital levy, a USD 175 application fee and a USD 3,000 enrolment fee: USD 28,628 in the first year before lunch, transport and uniforms. The USD 1,000 admission deposit is applied to tuition rather than added.

Worked example: two children at the French school

Take a family of a nationality other than French or Rwandan, joining EFASE in 2026/27 with one child in élémentaire and one in collège. Using the school's published schedule:

Item	Amount
Tuition, élémentaire (other nationalities)	RWF 5,400,200
Tuition, collège (other nationalities)	RWF 8,096,959
First registration fees (2 x RWF 500,000)	RWF 1,000,000
File fees (2 x RWF 50,000)	RWF 100,000
Supplies (RWF 150,000 + RWF 200,000)	RWF 350,000
CSK sports subscription for PE (2 x RWF 150,000)	RWF 300,000
First-year total before lunch and transport	RWF 15,247,159

Lunch is billed per meal: every 100 lunches cost RWF 305,000 at élémentaire level and RWF 320,000 at secondary level. In the second year, the registration and file fees fall away and a RWF 200,000 re-registration fee per child applies instead.

Questions to ask the school's finance office

• Which fees are refundable, and under what conditions?
• Do fees change during the year, or are they fixed once published?
• Is there a discount for paying the full year in advance, or for siblings?
• Can my employer be invoiced directly?
• In which currency must I pay, and which bank charges do I cover?

Nursery and early years fees

Early years fees vary widely. At EFASE, maternelle costs RWF 3,934,861 or RWF 5,114,484 a year depending on nationality. At ISK, Pre-K costs USD 8,098 plus a USD 500 levy. Private nurseries and daycare centres are often cheaper, but compare hours, meals and holiday cover. See our nursery schools guide.

Get a costed shortlist

Use the form on this page to tell us your children's ages, preferred curriculum and budget per year. We will send a shortlist of suitable schools with their current published fees, the extras to expect, and what to ask before you pay any deposit. For timelines and documents, see our admissions guide.