ENTRY FEE

In terms of Board policy, parents of boys entering Hilton College are required to pay an entry fee. This is a non-refundable payment and its value has been set at the equivalent of a term’s fees at the current rate.

Like all educational institutions, Hilton College needs funding to provide for strategic development as well as operating costs. The annual fees paid by parents cover operating costs and do not provide for larger development projects, whether capital or other. In recent years, significant capital development has taken place at the College, affecting materially the quality of the all-round education experienced by our boys. This has included, inter alia, the Crews Fitness Centre, the Beckingham astroturf hockey pitch and adjacent facilities, the Centre for Innovation and the most recent extensions to the chapel. All of these came at no cost to parents, having been most generously funded by benefactors.

The very recent construction of a new kitchen and servery, and the new art facility, were, by contrast, funded from the entry fee income. While so much at Hilton College has been funded through the generosity of benefactors, it is the Board of Governors’ conviction that it would be irresponsible and unrealistic to expect all future development to be funded in the same way. The dynamics of the current South African climate suggest that raising funds for Hilton College will become increasingly difficult, yet the need to meet the challenge of providing what is perceived to be necessary for a world class education, remains and grows.

Rather than attempting to manage the demands of development on an ad hoc basis, the Board is determined to place this on a responsibly-managed, planned footing. The collection of an entry fee allows for this in a manner considered preferable to other options such as development levies imposed on fees, appeals and other financial mechanisms. The advantage of the entry fee is that parents contribute once, and know the extent of their commitment in advance. And while accepting that the entry fee is onerous, we do believe that it is reasonable to ask parents to contribute to the continuing overall development of this College.