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Education Funding Calculator

Project your child's future education costs and find your monthly savings target.

1. Child's details

Child's current age3 yrs

017

Education starts in

3 yrs

Duration

12 yrs

2. Education type

Current annual cost

Covers school fees, uniforms, stationery, and extra-murals at a government school.

3. Education plan

4. Savings & returns

Current savings toward this goal

Expected investment return8.0%

120

A balanced unit trust or TFSA typically targets 8–10% over the long term.

Government School — total projected cost

R 419 659

Starting in 3 years, in future rands

First year (2029): R 24 159Last year: R 48 297

Save monthly from today

R 6 686

to fully fund your child's government school education

Or, a lump sum today of R 213 347

Projected coverage at start (with investment growth)0.0%

How we get there

Total projected cost (nominal)R 419 659

Lump sum needed todayR 213 347

Already savedR 0

Funding gap (today's value)R 213 347

Funded so far0%

Inflation risk — stress test

If education inflation runs 2 percentage points higher than assumed (8.5% instead of 6.5%):

Adjusted total costR 499 401

Additional cost vs. base case+R 79 742

Use your Tax-Free Savings Account first

You can invest up to R46,000/year tax-free — growth and withdrawals are never taxed. This is the most efficient vehicle for long-term education savings.

Learn more about TFSAs →

Your current savings cover less than half the projected cost. Starting contributions earlier makes a significant difference.

Projections use a constant education inflation rate and investment return. Actual fees vary by institution and increase at different rates. This is an estimate — not financial advice.

What would you like to do next?

Your numbers are ready to carry over — no re-entering needed.

Open a Tax-Free Savings Account →

EasyEquities lets you invest tax-free from R1. No monthly fees.

Calculate your life cover needs →

Protect your family if you're no longer here to fund their education.

About this calculator

What this calculator does

Projects the total cost of your child's education in future (nominal) rands using SA education inflation, then discounts those costs back to today using your expected investment return. The difference between that present-value figure and your current savings is the funding gap — which the calculator converts into a monthly savings target.

Why education inflation matters so much

SA private school fees have risen at roughly 7–8% per year for the past decade — more than double headline CPI. Even government school costs (fees, uniforms, stationery, transport) rise well above inflation. A child starting school today at R20,000/year faces fees above R64,000/year by Grade 12 at 6.5% inflation. Starting early and using tax-free growth are the two levers that make this manageable.

How to use your result

The monthly saving figure assumes you invest from today until education begins. Open a TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) first — growth and withdrawals are completely tax-free, making it the most efficient long-term vehicle. The R46,000/year limit means you can cover most school savings scenarios within the tax-free wrapper.

Assumptions applied

Education costs inflate at a constant annual rate from today's values. Actual fee increases vary by institution and year.
Investment return is applied as a simple annual compound rate. The default 8% is a reasonable long-term target for a balanced TFSA unit trust.
Present value calculation discounts each future year's cost back at the full investment return rate — this is conservative.
Monthly savings target uses an ordinary annuity formula (payment at end of each period).
Private school cost default of R180,000/year reflects 2025 all-in costs (tuition, levies, uniforms, stationery) at mid-tier Gauteng/Cape Town independent schools.

What this calculator doesn't account for

Does not model bursaries, NSFAS, or partial scholarships — these can significantly reduce university costs.
Does not account for inflation-linked increases in the TFSA annual contribution limit (currently R46,000/year).
School plan (Grade 1–12) assumes full 12-year attendance. Gap years or early completion are not modelled.
University costs are a blended average — top institutions and professional degrees (medicine, law) are significantly higher.
Does not model the two-pot retirement system impact on parents who may need to tap savings.