Nova Pioneer is a network of independent schools in Kenya and South Africa. In Kenya its secondary campuses at Tatu City in Kiambu County, a boys’ campus and a girls’ campus, publish detailed fee schedules for 2026. This guide sets out the full-boarding, weekly-boarding and day fees by grade, the extra charges, discounts, payment deadlines and how the fees compare with other schools.
About Nova Pioneer
Nova Pioneer runs primary and secondary schools in Kenya, with campuses at Tatu City (boys, girls and primary), Eldoret and Athi River, each with its own fee schedule. The Tatu City secondary campuses teach the competency-based curriculum from Grade 7 to Grade 10 and still have Form 3 and Form 4 classes finishing the 8-4-4 curriculum in 2026. They offer full boarding, and weekly boarding and day places for CBE learners.
Full-boarding fees, Tatu City Boys (2026)
Fees per term in Kenya shillings. Each term’s total is tuition plus boarding; the KSh 3,000 annual PTA fee is added in one term.
| Grade | Tuition per term | Boarding per term | Year total (3 terms) | Year total if paid in advance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 150,100 | 73,300 | 673,200 | 606,180 |
| Grade 8 | 165,300 | 73,300 | 718,800 | 647,220 |
| Grade 9 | 175,300 | 73,300 | 748,800 | 674,220 |
| Grade 10 | 179,700 | 73,300 | 762,000 | 686,100 |
| Form 3 | 183,800 | 73,300 | 774,300 | 697,170 |
| Form 4 | 194,700 | 73,300 | 807,000 | 726,600 |
Tatu City Girls
The girls’ campus charges the same tuition and boarding, but spreads the PTA fee as KSh 1,250 a term (KSh 3,750 a year). A Grade 7 girl in full boarding pays KSh 224,650 a term, or KSh 673,950 for the year; Grade 8 is KSh 239,850 a term and Grade 9 KSh 249,850 a term.
Weekly boarding (CBE only)
Weekly boarders go home at weekends and pay KSh 59,500 a term for boarding instead of KSh 73,300.
| Grade | Term 1 total | Year total (3 terms) | Year total if paid in advance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 209,600 | 631,800 | 568,920 |
| Grade 8 | 227,800 | 677,400 | 609,960 |
| Grade 9 | 237,800 | 707,400 | 636,960 |
| Grade 10 | 239,200 | 720,600 | 648,840 |
Families who leave a weekly boarder at school over a weekend pay KSh 5,500 for each weekend.
Day option (CBE only)
Day learners pay tuition plus KSh 22,700 a term for meals.
| Grade | Term 1 total | Year total (3 terms) | Year total if paid in advance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 172,800 | 521,400 | 469,560 |
| Grade 8 | 188,000 | 567,000 | 510,600 |
| Grade 9 | 198,000 | 597,000 | 537,600 |
| Grade 10 | 202,400 | 610,200 | 549,480 |
Other charges
| Item | Who pays | Amount (KSh) |
|---|---|---|
| Caution fee (refundable) | New students | 10,000 |
| Enrolment fee | New students | 5,000 |
| PTA fee | All students | 3,000 a year |
| Academic support fee | Form 4 | 7,500 a term |
| Academic support fee | Form 3 | 5,000 a term |
| KUCCPS services fee | Form 4 | 1,500 a year |
| Student ID | New students | 1,000 once |
| Phoenix Talent Academy (optional sports coaching) | Opt-in | 11,000–18,000 a term |
Transport is charged by zone, and Form 4 and Grade 9 learners pay graduation fees. The caution fee is refunded when the enrolment contract ends with a term’s notice, less any deductions for loss or damage.
Discounts and payment deadlines
Paying the whole year in advance by 30 December 2025 earned a 10% discount on tuition: a Grade 7 boy in full boarding paid KSh 606,180 instead of KSh 673,200, a saving of KSh 67,020. Termly payments were due on 2 January, 22 April and 19 August 2026. Learners who joined the Tatu City primary campus as founding students in 2018 and 2019 keep tuition discounts of 16% and 10% respectively.
Nova Pioneer does not accept cash or cheques at school. Fees are paid by bank transfer or deposit using the student’s account number as the reference, and parents should keep the deposit slip as proof.
Budgeting for a private school
The published tuition is only the starting point. When you plan a year, add up tuition for all three terms, boarding or meals, transport, one-off joining costs such as enrolment fees and deposits, uniforms and sports kit, examination entry fees, school trips, optional clubs and coaching, devices and stationery. Ask the school for a full list of charges for your child’s year group, and check whether fees rise each year and by how much, because most private schools review fees annually.
Paying a year in advance can earn a discount where schools offer one, but only pay ahead if you are confident your child will stay for the whole year, since refund and notice rules usually favour the school. Keep every receipt and bank slip, and pay only into the accounts printed on the school’s official fee schedule.
Choosing between curricula
Kenyan private schools follow either the national competency-based curriculum (CBC), the British curriculum (IGCSE and A level) or, in some schools, the International Baccalaureate. The national curriculum leads to Kenyan assessments and KUCCPS placement for university, while British-curriculum learners usually apply to universities directly, in Kenya or abroad, with their IGCSE and A-level results. Kenyan universities accept international qualifications through equivalence from the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, so check the requirements of the universities your child is likely to apply to before choosing a pathway.
How Nova Pioneer compares
A year of full boarding in Grade 10 at Nova Pioneer Tatu City costs KSh 762,000. In a public boarding senior school, parents pay at most KSh 53,554 a year under the 2026 gazette, because government pays KSh 22,244 per learner. Among international schools, Hillcrest International School charges KSh 1,013,400 a term in tuition alone for Year 10. See the school fees hub for more schools.
Admission
Nova Pioneer admits learners through an application, an assessment and an interview, and charges new students the enrolment fee and caution deposit once a place is offered. Apply early for Grade 7 and Grade 10 entry, when most new places open.
Questions to ask before you enrol
- Which fee schedule applies to your campus and boarding option for the coming year?
- Which optional activities, trips and transport zones will add to the bill?
- What notice is needed to withdraw without losing the caution fee?
- Which pathways and subject combinations does the school offer at senior school?
Related
School fees in Kenya hub · Brookhouse School fees · Public senior school fees 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much is Nova Pioneer per term?
Grade 7 full boarding at Tatu City Boys is KSh 223,400 in Term 1 2026, rising to KSh 271,000 for Form 4.
How much is Nova Pioneer per year?
From KSh 673,200 (Grade 7) to KSh 807,000 (Form 4) for full boarding at Tatu City Boys in 2026, or 10% less on tuition if paid in advance.
Does Nova Pioneer offer day school?
Yes, for CBE learners: from KSh 172,800 a term in Grade 7, including meals.
What is the Nova Pioneer caution fee?
KSh 10,000 for new students, refundable when they leave with a term’s notice.
Where is Nova Pioneer in Kenya?
Its secondary campuses are at Tatu City in Kiambu County, with other campuses in Eldoret and Athi River.
Sources: Nova Pioneer, Kenya Gazette. Last updated October 2026.
