Online school fees in the UK run from about £3,100 a year for self-paced courses to £13,455 a year for a fully live British online school, with VAT added for families who live in the UK. At the top of the market, a full-time residential tutor costs from £120,000 a year and a boarding place at Eton College or Harrow School costs about £66,000. The average independent day school in the UK costs about £22,400 a year once VAT is added.
This guide puts every option on one scale: annual fees for 2026/27, per child, in pounds sterling, with what each fee buys and what it leaves out. Sophia High School appears as one point on that scale, with its fees and teaching model set out in the same way as everyone else’s.
The cost scale at a glance · annual fees, 2026/27
Full-time residential tutor (Tutors International). The usual range is £240,000 to £360,000.
Boarding at Harrow School, VAT included. Eton College charges £65,673.
Average UK independent day school, with VAT (ISC, January 2026)
Sophia High School, IGCSE and A Level. UK residents add VAT.
Sources: Tutors International FAQs; Harrow School and Eton College fees 2026/27; ISC Census 2026; Sophia High School fees 2026/27.
The cost of a British education
Every figure below is an annual cost per child. Termly and monthly fees have been multiplied out to a full year. Dubai fees are converted at £1 = AED 4.90 (8 November 2026) and Canadian fees at £1 = CAD 1.87 (November 2026). UK independent school averages come from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) census of January 2026, which reports fees before VAT.
| Option | Annual cost | What the fee covers |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time residential tutor, Tutors International | From £120,000usually £240,000 to £360,000 | One tutor working full time for one family |
| Full-time tutor, Witherow Brooke | From about £131,000salary from about US$140,000 + 25% commission | One tutor, recruited for a full-time or homeschooling role |
| Harrow School and Eton College, boarding | £65,970 and £65,673Harrow and Eton, VAT included | Tuition and boarding |
| UK average boarding fee (ISC) | £44,940before VAT; up to £53,928 with VAT | Tuition and boarding |
| British schools in Dubai | £16,319 to £42,020from Harrow International School Dubai to GEMS School of Research and Innovation | Day tuition |
| The Hill Academy, Canada (school for athletes) | £11,790 to £38,730day student to international boarder with the top sport programme | Tuition, boarding and sport programme |
| Alleyn's School, London day school | £32,490Senior School, VAT included | Day tuition |
| UK average day fee, London (ISC) | £22,740before VAT; up to £27,288 with VAT | Day tuition |
| UK average day fee (ISC) | £18,678before VAT; up to £22,414 with VAT | Day tuition |
| Sophia High School | £9,600 to £13,455UK residents add VAT: £11,520 to £16,146 | Live lessons in classes of six to eight, pastoral care, qualifications |
| Minerva Virtual Academy | £9,365annual plan | Self-study plus timetabled lessons |
| King's InterHigh | £4,395 to £10,990by key stage | Live lessons with recordings |
| Wolsey Hall Oxford, eight IGCSEs | About £3,120£6,245 for the two-year programme | Self-paced courses with tutor marking |
The "with VAT" figures for the ISC averages assume the full 20% is passed on. Some schools absorbed part of it, so the real average sits between the two numbers.
Read from top to bottom, the scale falls by a factor of about 100, from £360,000 for a full-time tutor at the usual top rate to about £3,100 for self-paced courses. The largest gap sits between tutors and schools: the lowest full-time tutor fee is about £54,000 a year above the most expensive school on the scale. Online schools occupy the bottom of the scale, and the spread inside that group reflects one variable above all: how much of the week a teacher spends teaching the student live.
1. Full-time residential tutors: £120,000 to £360,000 a year
A residential tutor is a qualified teacher employed to educate one family’s children, at home or wherever the family travels. Three London and Oxford agencies set the price points for families who choose this route.
- Tutors International (Oxford) places full-time tutors with families worldwide. Its FAQ puts client fees at £120,000 a year at the lower end and £240,000 to £360,000 in the usual range, with 70% to 75% of the fee paid to the tutor.
- Witherow Brooke (London) recruits tutors for full-time residential and homeschooling roles. The Good Schools Guide reports starting salaries of around US$140,000, plus a 25% commission to the agency. That comes to about £131,000 a year at November 2026 exchange rates.
- Bonas MacFarlane (Battersea Power Station, London) pioneered residential tutoring in the 1990s and does not publish a residential fee. The Good Schools Guide lists its hourly rates at £86 to £180. At those rates, five hours of tutoring a week across a 33-week school year costs £14,190 to £29,700, on top of any school fee.
The fee buys one adult’s full attention and a timetable that follows the family. The family takes on the rest: the tutor’s contract, accommodation and travel, exam entries at a registered centre, and a social life for the child outside lessons.
Families who can afford this route still compare what they get for the money. A full year of live lessons with qualified teachers at an online school costs about a ninth of the lowest full-time tutor fee, and the child keeps the teaching, the classmates and the qualifications wherever the family travels.
2. Eton, Harrow and a London day school: £32,490 to £65,970 a year
Two of the best-known British boarding schools and a leading London day school publish these fees for 2026/27, VAT included:
- Harrow School (boys aged 13 to 18, full boarding): £21,990 a term, £65,970 a year, covering board, tuition, textbooks and laundry.
- Eton College (boys aged 13 to 18, full boarding): £21,891 a term, £65,673 a year.
- Alleyn’s School (a co-educational day school in Dulwich, south London, for ages 4 to 18): £9,025 a term before VAT in the Senior School, £32,490 a year with VAT.
Harrow also lends its name to schools abroad, including one that opened in Dubai in August 2026 (see section 3).
Across the capital, the ISC census puts the average London day fee at £7,580 a term before VAT: £22,740 a year, or up to £27,288 with VAT. VAT at 20% has applied to private school fees since 1 January 2025. At most schools, registration fees, deposits, uniform, trips and transport sit on top.
3. British schools in Dubai: £16,319 to £42,020 a year
Dubai’s private school fees are frozen for 2026/27: the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) confirmed that tuition will stay at 2025/26 levels, Khaleej Times reported in July 2026. Two established schools and two that opened in August 2026 show the range:
- Dubai College, rated Outstanding: AED 97,415 to AED 110,305 (£19,871 to £22,500).
- GEMS School of Research and Innovation, which opened in August 2025, charges AED 116,000 to AED 206,000 (£23,662 to £42,020).
- Harrow International School Dubai charges AED 80,000 to AED 106,000 (£16,319 to £21,622) for the year groups now open, FS1 to Year 6. Secondary years, to be added later, are listed at up to AED 128,000 (£26,110), less than half the fee for a boarding place at Harrow in England.
- Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, the first branch of a UK state school in the Emirates, is linked to Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, and teaches Nursery to Year 8 in its first year. Its fees run from AED 93,500 to AED 136,604 (£19,072 to £27,865), and founding families pay 25% less for as long as their child stays.
For a family settled in Dubai, these fees sit alongside housing, transport and uniform. For a family that is moving, they stop when the family leaves, and the next city means a new admissions process. Families who leave Dubai mid-year, or spend time in two or three countries before deciding where to settle, can keep the same online school, teachers and timetable through every move.
4. The Hill Academy, a school for young athletes in Canada: £11,790 to £38,730 a year
The Hill Academy in Caledon, Ontario, near Toronto, is a private school built around sport. Its day is arranged so that students can train and compete alongside their studies, it is known in particular for lacrosse and hockey, and it has a sports scientist and professional coaches on staff. The school does not publish its fees on its website; its profile on Our Kids, a Canadian private school guide, lists these annual fees for high school (Grades 9 to 12):
- Day students: CAD 22,100 (£11,790).
- Boarders from Canada: CAD 44,600 (£23,793).
- International boarders: CAD 49,600 (£26,460).
High school sport programmes cost a further CAD 5,000 to CAD 23,000 (£2,667 to £12,270) a year. An international boarder on the most expensive programme pays about CAD 72,600 (£38,730) a year.
For a young athlete, the fee is one part of the decision. The other is whether the school can move with the child’s training and competition calendar, which our parent’s guide to schools for youth athletes covers in detail.
5. The UK independent school average: about £22,400 a year with VAT
The ISC census of January 2026 covers 1,455 schools and reports these average fees before VAT:
- Day schools: £6,226 a term, £18,678 a year (up to £22,414 with VAT).
- Day pupils at boarding schools: £8,611 a term, £25,833 a year (up to £31,000 with VAT).
- Boarders: £14,980 a term, £44,940 a year (up to £53,928 with VAT).
These averages include schools outside London and the South East, where fees are lower. Registration fees, uniform and trips come on top.
6. Online schools: about £3,100 to £16,146 a year
Online schools fall into two groups. Live schools teach to a timetable, with a teacher in the lesson. Self-paced providers supply courses and mark work, and the student sets the pace. Live teaching costs more because it pays for a teacher in every lesson.
| School | Annual fee | VAT | Teaching model | Class size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophia High School | £9,600 (primary) £10,815 (Years 7 to 9) £13,455 (IGCSE and A Level) | Added for UK residents only: £11,520 to £16,146 | All lessons live, and recorded for review | Six to eight |
| Minerva Virtual Academy | £9,365 on the annual plan, including a £500 deposit and £95 subscription | Not stated on the fees page; in 2025 the school said its fee had always included VAT | About 60% self-study and 40% timetabled, according to its founder in 2025 | Up to 22 in live lessons, according to its founder in 2024 |
| King's InterHigh | £4,395 (ages 7 to 11) £5,995 (11 to 14) £7,250 (IGCSE) £7,585 (A Level, three subjects) £10,990 (IB Diploma) | Included where it applies; families outside the UK do not pay it | Live teacher-led lessons, with recordings | Up to 20 in live Explore lessons; Learn classrooms can exceed 50 |
| Wolsey Hall Oxford | About £3,120 a year for eight IGCSEs (£6,245 paid in full for the two-year programme) | Not stated | Self-paced courses, with assignments marked by tutors | No timetabled classes |
The Good Schools Guide, reviewing Sophia, described it as pricier than some online schools but:
A heck of a lot cheaper than most physical schools.
What a teaching week and a teaching hour cost
Annual fees hide how much teaching a family gets for the money. To compare like with like, the table below divides each annual cost by a common teaching year.
The yardstick. Sophia’s 2026/27 term dates give 164 days of live lessons between 7 September 2026 and 9 July 2027, once half terms, bank holidays and staff training days are removed. That is about 33 teaching weeks. At 25 hours of teaching a week, a year holds 825 hours. The same 33 weeks and 825 hours are applied to every option.
The yardstick compares price. Calendars and contact hours differ from school to school, and a tutor teaches one child while a Sophia teacher teaches a class of six to eight.
What the fee includes and what it leaves out
The headline fee is the start of the bill. Seven items decide what a family pays in total.
- VAT. UK private school fees carry 20% VAT. Online schools based in the UK charge it to UK residents; families living abroad usually do not pay it. A fee quoted before VAT rises by a fifth on a UK family’s first invoice.
- Registration and deposit. Sophia charges a £100 registration fee and a £1,000 deposit, which is offset against fees. King’s InterHigh charges £100 to register and a £500 deposit for UK families paying monthly (£1,000 outside the UK). Minerva’s annual plan includes a £500 deposit and a £95 subscription.
- Exam entries. Most schools charge them separately. King’s InterHigh quotes £150 to £200 per qualification. Sophia charges exam entries separately, with an additional examination cost for students who sit exams at home under remote invigilation. Families with a private tutor book exams as private candidates at a registered centre.
- Technology. Every online school needs a laptop or desktop with a camera and microphone. King’s InterHigh adds a technology integration fee.
- Boarding, transport, uniform and lunches. These apply to physical schools and add to the day fee.
- Relocation. For families who move for work or sport, a school tied to one city means new admissions, new fees and a new deposit with every move.
- Capital and development fees. Some schools add them; Sophia charges none.
Six questions to ask before comparing fees
Two fees can describe very different products. These six questions turn a fee into a like-for-like comparison.
- Is the fee quoted with or without VAT? UK schools quote both ways. Ask which, and whether VAT applies to a family living where you live.
- How many hours a week are taught live? Self-study hours cost the school less to deliver than live lessons, and the fee reflects the mix.
- How many students are in each class? A class of six and a class of 25 at the same fee are different purchases.
- Which qualifications does the student sit, and where? Ask which exam board, which series, and whether exams can be sat at home or require travel to a centre.
- Is the school accredited? Online schools in England can apply for Department for Education accreditation under the Online Education Accreditation Scheme. Sophia is accredited under the OEAS.
- What happens to the fee if the family moves? A school tied to one city restarts the admissions process in the next. An online school keeps the same fee and the same teachers.
Which option fits which family
| If your family | Look first at |
|---|---|
| Travels for most of the year and wants one adult to direct all learning | A full-time residential tutor |
| Wants a traditional British boarding school | A boarding school such as Eton or Harrow |
| Lives in London and wants a day school | A London day school such as Alleyn's |
| Has settled in Dubai for the long term | A British school in Dubai |
| Wants a residential sports school in North America | A school for athletes such as The Hill Academy, Canada |
| Moves between countries, or has a child who trains and competes | A live online school with UK qualifications |
| Wants small classes and a teacher in every lesson, at a lower cost than a tutor | A live online school with small classes, such as Sophia |
| Has a self-directed teenager and a firm budget | A self-paced provider, such as Wolsey Hall Oxford |
| Wants the IB Diploma online | King's InterHigh |
Where Sophia fits
Sophia High School is a British independent online school for ages 4 to 18. It is accredited by the Department for Education under the Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS): it was the first online school visited by Ofsted under the scheme, in September 2023, meeting all the standards, and the first to be accredited, in October 2023. It is a member of the ISA and COBIS and a Pearson Edexcel approved centre.
What the fee covers, in six points:
- Live teaching in small classes. All lessons are live, with six to eight students per class, and every lesson is recorded for review.
- A full school week. Lessons run Monday to Thursday between 8am and 4pm UK time. Friday is for enrichment and House activities.
- Daily and weekly contact. Students meet their form teacher every day, and secondary students meet a mentor every week. Parents have weekly or fortnightly meetings with the school.
- Qualifications. Students follow the National Curriculum for England and take Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs and International A Levels. Sophia was selected for the Pearson Edexcel Remote Invigilation Service, so students can sit exams at home, with an additional examination cost.
- One fee wherever the family lives. The fee stays the same in any country. UK residents add VAT; families abroad do not.
- Payment options. Fees can be paid annually or termly, sibling discounts apply, and companies can sponsor places through debentures or direct invoicing.
Families describe the result in their own words:
What has made the biggest difference is the flexibility.
They are well supported by academic and pastoral staff and have loved the Friday enrichment.
For families comparing Sophia with a residential tutor, the homeschooling page sets out how the model works. For athletes, the parent’s guide to schools for youth athletes covers training schedules and exams. The full fee table is on the school fees page.
Frequently asked questions
How much do online schools cost in the UK?
British online schools charge from about £3,100 a year for self-paced IGCSE courses to £13,455 a year for a fully live school, before VAT. King’s InterHigh charges £4,395 to £10,990 a year, Minerva Virtual Academy £9,365 and Sophia High School £9,600 to £13,455. UK residents pay 20% VAT on top where the school has not already included it.
Is online school cheaper than private school?
Yes, on fees. The average UK independent day school costs about £22,400 a year with VAT, a day place at Alleyn’s in London costs £32,490, and boarding at Eton or Harrow costs about £66,000. A live online school such as Sophia costs £9,600 to £13,455 a year before VAT, with no boarding, transport or uniform costs.
Do online schools charge VAT?
UK online schools charge 20% VAT to families who live in the UK, as physical private schools have done since 1 January 2025. Families who live outside the UK usually do not pay UK VAT on online school fees. Check whether a school quotes its fee with or without VAT before comparing.
How much does a full-time private tutor cost?
A full-time residential tutor costs from about £120,000 a year through Tutors International, which puts its usual range at £240,000 to £360,000. Witherow Brooke recruits tutors on salaries from around US$140,000 plus a 25% commission. Hourly tutoring through Bonas MacFarlane costs £86 to £180 an hour.
How much does homeschooling cost in the UK?
Parents in England can educate their children at home without paying a fee to the state, and they do not have to follow the National Curriculum. The cost depends on what the family buys: self-paced courses from about £3,100 a year, a live online school from £9,600, or a full-time tutor from £120,000. Exam entries as a private candidate at a registered centre cost extra.
Are exam fees included in online school fees?
Most online schools charge exam entries separately. King’s InterHigh quotes £150 to £200 per qualification, and Minerva’s families pay exam boards directly. Sophia charges exam entries separately, with an additional examination cost for exams sat at home under remote invigilation.
Sophia’s admissions team can set out the full cost for your child’s year group and country in a private consultation.
Sources
UK schools and regulation
- Independent Schools Council, ISC Census and Annual Report 2026
- GOV.UK, VAT on private school fees
- GOV.UK, Educating your child at home
- Eton College, school fees and extras 2026/27
- Harrow School, fees and deposits 2026/27
- Alleyn’s School, fees 2026/27
Canada
- Our Kids, The Hill Academy tuition and fees
- Currency.me.uk, CAD to GBP exchange rate (November 2026)
Tutoring
- Tutors International, FAQs
- The Good Schools Guide, Witherow Brooke review
- The Good Schools Guide, Bonas MacFarlane overview
- Bonas MacFarlane, residential tutors
Dubai
- Khaleej Times, Dubai school fees for 2026/27 at Outstanding schools (15 July 2026)
- Khaleej Times, GEMS School of Research and Innovation fees (14 January 2025)
- Harrow International School Dubai, fees
- The National, Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City (26 July 2026)
- fxfeed, AED to GBP exchange rate (8 November 2026)
Online schools
- King’s InterHigh, fees 2026/27 (school website)
- Minerva Virtual Academy, fees 2026/27 (school website); King’s InterHigh, FAQ “How we teach” (school website)
- Wolsey Hall Oxford, secondary course fees from 1 April 2026 (school fee schedule)
- The PIE News, online private school sees wave of interest (2 January 2025)
- The Good Schools Guide, Sophia High School review
- School Management Plus, 30 minutes with Hugh Viney, founder, Minerva’s Virtual Academy (15 April 2024)
- The Good Schools Guide, King’s InterHigh profile
- Sophia High School, school fees 2026/27 and term dates 2026/27
