What Top Ugandan Schools Are Charging S1 Students

As the first term of the 2025 academic year commences, parents should prepare for higher tuition fees for students admitted to Senior One in both leading government and private secondary schools.

The cost of enrollment at prestigious institutions such as King’s College Budo in Wakiso and Nabisunsa Girls’ Secondary School in Kampala is expected to approach UGX 4 million, inclusive of tuition and other school requirements.

Senior One student at King’s College Budo will be required to pay UGX 2.7 million in tuition alone, while Nabisunsa Girls’ Secondary School has set its tuition fees at UGX 2.4 million.

Similarly, Gombe Secondary School in Butambala charges UGX 2.1 million in tuition fees.

In Kampala, both Kawempe Muslim Secondary School and Kibuli Secondary School have set their tuition fees at UGX 1.9 million.

Other schools such as Ntare School in Mbarara City, Ndejje Secondary School in Luwero, and St. Mark’s College Namagoma in Wakiso will require UGX 1.7 million in tuition fees.

Meanwhile, Senior One students enrolling at Mengo Senior School in Kampala and Immaculate Heart Girls’ School in Rukungiri will pay UGX 1.5 million.

For students admitted to Kigezi High School in Kabale, tuition fees have been set at UGX 980,000. Additionally, students enrolling at Jinja College,

Dabani Girls’ School in Busia, and St. Joseph’s College Ombaci will each be required to pay UGX 900,000 in tuition.

The most affordable option among the listed institutions is Kitante Hill School in Kampala, which has set tuition fees at UGX 740,000.

Godfrey Atwiine, Deputy Headteacher in charge of academics at King’s College Budo, commented that the school’s fees remain affordable. Similarly, Danson Bank Nagaba, Deputy Headteacher of Kitante Hill School in Kampala, emphasized that the institution caters to a diverse demographic and consults parents regularly to determine appropriate fees.

In alignment with the commencement of the first term, the Ministry of Education has authorized the disbursement of capitation grants to schools operating under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs.

According to the ministry’s latest guidelines, the allocation of capitation grants will vary among schools. In a letter addressed to district accounting officers on January 24, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, clarified that the distribution is guided by three key principles: verification of student enrollment, correction of errors, and adherence to approved budgets.

The revised budgets were formulated based on data submitted in August and September 2024 and verified through the Education Management Information System as of May 9, 2024.

Currently, the government provides UGX 20,000 per pupil annually under UPE, with an increased allocation of UGX 22,000 for pupils with special needs, such as the visually impaired.

Under the USE program, each Ordinary Level (O-Level) student receives UGX 58,300 per term, while Advanced Level (A-Level) students receive UGX 90,000 per term.

For students with special needs enrolled in inclusive schools under USE, the capitation grant is UGX 92,500 per learner per year.

Additionally, exclusive special needs secondary schools receive UGX 1.23 million per learner annually.

Under the Universal Post Ordinary Level Education and Training (UPOLET) initiative, the government provides UGX 270,000 per student per year as capitation funding.

As schools implement these revised fee structures and capitation grant allocations, parents and guardians must prepare accordingly to meet the financial demands of the 2025 academic year.

The government’s continued support through capitation grants remains a crucial aspect of ensuring accessibility to education across various socio-economic backgrounds.

Here is the list of the fees structure