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Schools & FamilyInternational Schools in Johannesburg: A Guide for Expat Families
Johannesburg's international schools offer American, Cambridge (British), German and French curricula, and some of its IEB private schools add IB or Cambridge routes in the senior years. Fees vary widely: the American school is the most expensive on our list, at about R643,000 a year for Grades 11 and 12 in 2026–27. Places can be limited at popular schools and entry years, so email two or three schools before you choose a suburb or sign a lease.
Choice is wide, and the decision mostly turns on how long you expect to stay and how early you can apply. Below we cover the curricula on offer, a shortlist with approximate fees, where the schools are and what to ask before you commit to a suburb.
International schools and IEB schools in Johannesburg
Johannesburg has well-established IEB private schools, and it also has a cluster of international schools built around a curriculum from abroad: an American school, a German school, a French lycée and a Cambridge-curriculum college. Those suit families who arrive on a posting and expect to move on again. Cape Town has an American school and a German school of its own (see our guide to international schools in Cape Town), and our guide to international schools in Durban covers that city.
The trade-off is the one you'd expect: a true international school gives you a curriculum that transfers cleanly if you move again, usually at a real premium. A strong IEB school with a Cambridge or IB stream costs a fraction as much and plugs your child into the local system, which matters if you expect to stay through matric.
The curricula on offer
- American: the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) teaches an American curriculum through to the IB Diploma in the senior years. It is the default choice for US-posted families and anyone likely to apply to US universities, and our guide to moving to South Africa from the USA covers the wider move.
- British / Cambridge (CAIE): British International College in Bryanston runs Cambridge IGCSEs and A-Levels, and St John's College offers Cambridge A-Levels in its Sixth Form. This route suits families connected to the UK, the Gulf or another Cambridge-curriculum country.
- German: the Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg (DSJ), in Parktown, offers the German International Abitur and the IEB National Senior Certificate. Non-German speakers can enter through an English-medium high school from Grade 8. DSJ is listed as a German school abroad, a network the German government supports through the Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen, and its fees are reported to sit well below the other international schools in the city. Our guide to moving to South Africa from Germany covers the wider move.
- French: Lycée Jules Verne follows the French national curriculum, feeding into the French Baccalaureate, and is the natural choice for French-posted families (see our guide to moving to South Africa from France).
- IEB, with IB or Cambridge in some cases: Redhill says it is the only school in the country offering a choice between IEB and IB in Grades 11 and 12. Well-established IEB schools (Roedean, St John's College, St Mary's School Waverley, Dainfern College, and the Reddam House campuses at Waterfall and Bedfordview) sit alongside it. They write the IEB National Senior Certificate, and St John's adds Cambridge A-Levels in its Sixth Form for families who want a portable qualification.
The schools expat families ask about most
This isn't an exhaustive list (Johannesburg has dozens of good schools) but it's a reasonable starting shortlist for research.
| School | Curriculum | Approx. annual fees (ZAR) |
|---|---|---|
| American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) | American, IB Diploma | ~R170,000 (Pre-K) rising to ~R622,000 (Grades 9–10) and ~R643,000 (Grades 11–12), plus a new-student capital fee of about R185,000 from Kindergarten up (2026–27 schedule) |
| Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg (DSJ) | German and English; Abitur or IEB | ~R84,000–R111,000 across grades as reported, the lowest here if correct; DSJ has published a 2027 schedule, so check it |
| Lycée Jules Verne | French, French Baccalaureate | ~R114,000–R149,000, depending on year group |
| British International College | Cambridge IGCSE & A-Level | The school's fees page (undated) lists about R137,000 for Year 7 and R144,000 for Year 8; IGCSE and A-Level fees depend on subject choices, and mandatory and exam fees are extra. Confirm the current schedule |
| Redhill School | IEB or IB (choice in Grades 11–12) | ~R121,000 (Grade R) to ~R190,000 (Grade 12 IEB); IB stream priced separately |
| Reddam House Waterfall | IEB | ~R96,000 (Nursery) rising to ~R214,000 (Grade 12) |
| Dainfern College | IEB | ~R114,000 (K3) rising to ~R190,000 (Grade 12) |
| Roedean, St John's College, St Mary's Waverley | IEB (single-sex); St John's also offers Cambridge A-Levels in its Sixth Form | We have not checked these schools' fees; ask each one for its current fee schedule |
Two things are worth reading off that table. AISJ is by far the most expensive school on it, and it publishes its fees in US dollars with a rand equivalent, so your rand cost moves with the exchange rate. The AISJ figures come from its 2026–27 schedule; the others are approximate or undated, so treat them as starting estimates, not quotes, and ask each school for its current fee schedule. Redhill and DSJ have already published their 2027 schedules, so ask for the one that matches your child's start date. School fees are a real budget line alongside rent, security and transport: see our cost of living in Johannesburg guide for the fuller monthly picture. For how these figures stack up against Cape Town and Durban, see our full comparison of international school fees in South Africa.
Worth knowing: an international school is not always the expensive option. DSJ's reported fees sit well below the other international schools in the table, and its government support comes from Germany, not South Africa. Check the current schedule before you rely on the figure.
Where these schools are
Most of the schools above are in the northern suburbs where expat housing has clustered for years: AISJ and British International College in Bryanston, Redhill and Lycée Jules Verne in Morningside, Dainfern College in Dainfern and Reddam House Waterfall in Midrand. Not all are: DSJ and Roedean are in Parktown, St John's is in Houghton and St Mary's is in Waverley. Email two or three target schools before you commit to a suburb: a property that looks perfect on a listing can rule out the school run you wanted. Our guides to the best areas to live in Johannesburg and living in Sandton are a good starting point once you know which schools are realistic.
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Government schools: still worth a look
It's easy to assume international or private is the only serious option, but Johannesburg's former "Model C" government schools (semi-independent, fee-charging public schools with real governance and a track record of solid results) can be excellent, at a fraction of private-school cost. The catch is that they're heavily oversubscribed in the suburbs expat families prefer. Admission rules differ from province to province, so check the Gauteng Department of Education's current rules and each school's own policy: living in the right postcode doesn't guarantee a place. Our guide to public schools in South Africa for expats covers admission, fees and language across the provinces.
Applying: what to ask before you shortlist a suburb
Application windows differ by school. AISJ, for example, does not accept applications more than 18 months before entry, and Lycée Jules Verne's 2026–27 enrolment round had a submission deadline of 15 May 2026. Ask each school for its own dates.
Contact target schools directly, and ask specifically about:
- Current space and waiting-list position for your child's grade and year of entry
- Whether mid-year entry is possible, and what the process looks like
- Assessment or interview requirements for transferring students
- How the school handles gaps or mismatches from a previous curriculum (IEB ↔ Cambridge ↔ IB ↔ Abitur ↔ French Bac)
- Bus routes, if you're not yet settled on where you'll live
- How many internationally mobile children they take each year: a higher number usually means a more experienced settling-in process
Common early mistake: choosing a school on reputation alone without checking curriculum fit for how long you expect to stay. A strong IEB matric result matters less than it should if your child needs to slot back into a US, UK or French system two years later. Ask the "what if we move again" question before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What curriculum options do Johannesburg's international schools offer?
Johannesburg offers a wide range of curricula: the American International School of Johannesburg runs an American curriculum through to the IB Diploma, the Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg teaches to the German Abitur, Lycée Jules Verne follows the French Baccalaureate, British International College follows the Cambridge/CAIE pathway, and Redhill says it is the only school in the country letting families choose between IEB and IB in Grades 11 and 12. Alongside these sit well-established IEB private schools (Roedean, St John's, St Mary's, Dainfern College and the Reddam House campuses), which write the IEB National Senior Certificate; St John's also offers Cambridge A-Levels in its Sixth Form.
How much do international schools cost in Johannesburg in 2026?
Fees in Johannesburg vary widely. At the affordable end, the Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg is reported at roughly R84,000 to R111,000 a year, helped by German government support, and IEB schools like Reddam House Waterfall and Dainfern College run from around R96,000 to R214,000 across the grades. At the top, the American International School of Johannesburg runs from around R170,000 in Pre-K to R622,000–R643,000 for senior grades, plus a capital fee of about R185,000 for new students from Kindergarten up. Always confirm current figures directly with the school, since fees rise most years and AISJ quotes its fees in US dollars with a rand equivalent.
Where are most of Johannesburg's international schools located?
Most are in the northern suburbs: AISJ and British International College in Bryanston, Redhill and Lycée Jules Verne in Morningside, Dainfern College in Dainfern and Reddam House Waterfall in Midrand. Some well-known schools are elsewhere: DSJ and Roedean in Parktown, St John's in Houghton and St Mary's in Waverley. Shortlist schools before you commit to a suburb, since a property that looks ideal can rule out the school run you want.
How early should I apply to international schools in Johannesburg?
As early as you reasonably can, ideally before you've signed a lease. The most sought-after schools and popular entry years (Grade 1, Grade 8) can fill up well in advance, some schools don't publish fees or availability online at all, and mid-year places are scarce. Application windows differ: AISJ does not accept applications more than 18 months before entry, and Lycée Jules Verne's 2026–27 enrolment round had a submission deadline of 15 May 2026. A short email to two or three target schools asking about space, waiting-list position and realistic timelines will tell you more than weeks of forum research.
General information only, confirm current details for your situation.