Hong Kong School Fees Compared: Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary & International

Hong Kong school fees range from completely free to hundreds of thousands a year, depending mainly on the school type. Understanding the fee structure is key to budgeting and choosing. For the type differences, see Government vs DSS vs private vs international.

Fees by stage

Kindergarten

• In the free scheme (local half-day): essentially free.
• Full-day / long full-day: may charge a top-up after subsidy.
• Non-scheme / private / international kindergartens, and PN/N-class: self-financed, with a wide range.

See the PN / N-class guide.

Primary & secondary

• Government & aided: free education, no tuition.
• DSS: charge tuition, from modest to fairly high.
• Private: run on fees, usually pricier than DSS.
• International: the highest fees, some with a debenture or capital levy on top (see Debentures and capital levies, explained).

Don't forget the "hidden" costs

Even where tuition is free, there can be:

• Books and learning materials
• Uniform and sportswear
• Meals and school bus
• Extra-curriculars, interest classes, study trips
• Miscellaneous or air-conditioning fees at some schools
• Application fees, debentures and capital levies at international/private schools

Budget for the extras and several years of commitment, not just headline tuition.

Is there fee help?

• Government & aided: the Government provides 12 years of free education, covering Primary 1 through Secondary 6 (including the senior-secondary DSE years). No "tong fai" (subscription) is charged from P1 to S3; a small, capped tong fai (up to about HK$320 a year) may apply at S4–S6.
• DSS: every DSS school must run a fee remission / scholarship scheme, assessed on family finances with benchmarks no less favourable than government assistance, setting aside at least 10% of its fee income.
• Kindergarten: scheme kindergartens are subsidised by the voucher; lower-income families can also apply for the Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme (KCFRS).

How to check actual fees

Fees are published yearly and vary widely, so don't rely on ballpark figures. The accurate approach:

1. Check the school's latest official announcement.
2. Browse our kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and international schools — many profiles already list fee figures with a source and last-updated date.

Knowing the fee structure is what lets you pick a school that's both affordable and right for your child.