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Kenya, Nairobi
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Hillcrest International Schools is located on Hillcrest Road in Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. The mailing address is P.O. Box 24819 - 00502 Karen, Nairobi, Kenya.
Early Years; Preparatory; Secondary; Sixth Form.
The school is a private international school with boarding facilities and is a member of the Braeburn Group of International Schools.
Provision for SEND and EAL.
Kenya
Application / Registration deposit
- A placement deposit is required at enrolment. Deposit amounts by year group: KES 25,000 (Playgroup–FS1/FS2/Year 1), KES 50,000 (Year 2–Year 8), KES 100,000 (Year 9–Year 13).
Tuition fees — annual and per term (by year group)
- Playgroup (Mornings Only): Annual KES 384,000 — Per term KES 128,000.
- Nursery (Mornings Only): Annual KES 767,400 — Per term KES 255,800.
- Nursery (Full Day): Annual KES 946,199 — Per term KES 315,400.
- FS1 (Mornings Only): Annual KES 844,200 — Per term KES 281,400.
- FS1 (Full Day): Annual KES 1,022,998 — Per term KES 341,000.
- FS2: Annual KES 1,133,700 — Per term KES 377,900.
- Year 1: Annual KES 1,317,900 — Per term KES 439,300.
- Year 2: Annual KES 1,897,200 — Per term KES 632,400.
- Years 3–5: Annual KES 2,398,200 — Per term KES 799,400.
- Year 6: Annual KES 2,466,598 — Per term KES 822,199.
- Years 7–8: Annual KES 2,574,900 — Per term KES 858,300.
- Year 9: Annual KES 2,652,900 — Per term KES 884,300.
- Years 10–11: Annual KES 2,881,500 — Per term KES 960,500.
- Years 12–13: Annual KES 3,083,099 — Per term KES 1,027,700.
Notes on calculation: annual tuition figures are stated as the programme fee per academic year; per-term figures shown above are the annual tuition divided across the school's three-term academic year.
Lunch, transport and other recurring fees
- Lunch (Years 9–13): Annual KES 133,500 — Per term KES 44,500.
- Transport (EYFS–Year 13): Annual charges by zone (return and one-way):
- Zone A: Return KES 168,600; One-way KES 101,398.
- Zone B: Return KES 219,300; One-way KES 131,702.
- Zone C: Return KES 269,702; One-way KES 162,000.
- Zone D: Return KES 303,600; One-way KES 182,100.
Transport is billed as an annual charge as shown.
Boarding fees and options
- Boarding options: Full boarding, Weekly boarding and a Flexi option are offered for Years 7–13. Full boarding provides term-long residence (including weekends); weekly boarding runs Monday to Friday; flexi-boarders stay for selected nights.
- Boarding charges (annual) and deposit:
- Full boarding (Year 7–13): Annual KES 1,074,600 — Deposit KES 28,955 — Per term KES 358,200.
- Weekly boarding (Year 7–13): Annual KES 681,898 — Deposit KES 28,955 — Per term KES 227,299.
Other one-off or variable costs
- Uniform: School uniform must be purchased from the school's approved suppliers (Animet and Image First). Costs for uniform items are payable directly to those suppliers.
- Co-curricular activities, certain trips, music tuition, examination entry fees and specialist course fees may incur additional charges depending on the activity and year group; these costs are billed separately when applicable.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school operates on a three-term academic calendar; tuition figures are quoted per academic year and are invoiced across the school's term structure. Families are expected to meet termly invoicing schedules. If a family gives less than one term's written notice when withdrawing a pupil, one term's fees will be charged in lieu of notice.
- Sibling policy: a sibling discount on tuition is offered for families with more than one child enrolled. (Specific discount levels are applied according to the school's policy.)
Refunds and notice
- Withdrawal: One term's written notice to the headteacher is required. If one term's notice is not given, one term's fees will be charged in lieu of notice. This is the school's contractual requirement for leaving.
- Deposits and other refundable items: deposits are required as listed above; the school's published fee schedule identifies deposit amounts by year group. Specific deposit refund mechanics (timing, conditions) are handled under the school's admissions and finance procedures.
Fee payment options
- The school uses a parent portal (Engage) for parental accounts and communications; this platform supports integrated payment functionality. Acceptance of card payments and bank transfers is supported through the Engage/Stripe integration used by schools on the platform. In practice, school fee payments are commonly handled via the parent portal, direct bank transfer or other channels enabled by the school's finance office; specific instructions and account details are provided to parents on invoicing.
Summary of key headline figures (annual)
- Lowest day tuition (Playgroup mornings): KES 384,000.
- Typical lower primary (Year 1): KES 1,317,900.
- Upper secondary (Years 12–13): KES 3,083,099.
- Full boarding (annual): KES 1,074,600.
- Transport (example Zone A return annual): KES 168,600.
- Lunch (Years 9–13 annual): KES 133,500.
Around 40 nationalities are represented.
Hillcrest International School in Nairobi, Kenya, is an international school offering boarding. It serves students aged 3 to 18 and offers the British National Curriculum, with Cambridge IGCSE in Years 9–11 and Cambridge A Levels and BTEC qualifications in Years 12–13. Cambridge International Examinations Board is the preferred syllabus in most subjects. The school traces its roots to Hillcrest Secondary School, founded in 1965, and sits in Karen‑Langata area, with Forest Edge joining in 2000 and becoming Hillcrest Early Years. The motto Semper Prospice guides its ethos. Facilities include multiple Information Technology suites with on‑site Wi‑Fi, five science laboratories, two libraries, a design technology suite, a drama studio and an examination hall. The Sixth Form comprises a kitchen, common room, lecture theatre and study areas. Outdoor playing fields, tennis and basketball courts, a gym and an indoor pool support a broad programme of sport and activities for students across ages.
