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School Name

Hilton College

Category

Rest of the World Schools

Types

Senior school

Pupil type

Boys only

Boarding-Day

Boarding

Curriculums

South African curriculum

A-Level

Pupil age range

13-18

Location

KwaZulu Natal

Hilton College

Focus

Inspiring boys to inspire others

Boarding fees 2024/25

$23,200

Pupils

590

Ages

13–18

Spear’s Review

Hilton College has been teaching boys the importance of respect, honesty and integrity for over 150 years. The school, located on a 4,000-acre estate in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, serves as a term-time home to nearly 600 boys, all striving to achieve personal and professional success. ‘In a world that’s often jaded and confusing, we inspire boys to inspire others’ the school says. This nurturing is achieved through an individualised plan created for each student, tailored to their strengths and which allows them to immerse themselves in learning and express themselves authentically.

Hilton College graduates go on to matriculate at some of the top universities in South Africa and around the world, while older Hiltonians regularly visit the college to attend cricket matches, gathering in the famed Fleur-de-Lys Club to reminisce.

Academics

According to the school, the class of 2024 achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in the South African IEB exams. Seventeen students took A-Levels (only the third cohort of A-Level graduates), with one student achieving three A*, and another receiving four A grades.

University and college destinations

Over recent years, graduates have moved on to South African universities, a number of Russell Group schools in the UK and Ivy League schools in the US.

Head teacher

George Harris was appointed Hilton College’s headmaster in 2017. Prior to joining Hilton, he was the CEO of the Royal Bafokeng Institut, which works to integrate innovative teaching approaches into South African schools. Harris has a degree in African literature from Wits University, and was a fellow at Columbia University’s Teachers College. 

Admissions

Hilton College is a non-selective school. Prospective students can begin the admissions process by registering online and submitting information such as school reports. Applicants and their families will then meet with the admissions team and arrange a visit to the school; this can include a personal tour, attendance at an open day or an overnight in a boarding house.

Accessibility

King Shaka International Airport: 2 hours

Location 

Click for more information about the research process and expert insight behind the Spear’s Schools Index

Rank: Top 100

Top 100 2025, Rest of the World Schools

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