40000 UAH per month for school. Is that a lot or a little?
For most Ukrainian families, this is a substantial amount. For some, it makes private education completely unaffordable. So the question “Why is it so expensive?” is entirely reasonable.
But to answer it, it is worth looking at what exactly stands behind the cost of tuition and what a family receives for that money.
Parents’ discussions on Threads reveal an interesting point: when talking about private schools, they often mention things that have little to do with grades. Their arguments include a full day from 8:00 to 19:00, completing homework at school, extracurricular clubs, smaller classes, meals, shelters, the ability to continue learning during air raid alerts, psychological comfort, the way the child is treated, and the quality of communication.
After all, tuition covers much more than lessons in mathematics, Ukrainian, or English.
Why Private School Education Costs Money
A private educational institution has a different funding model. A significant share of its operating costs is covered by tuition fees.
These funds pay for the work of teaching and administrative teams, building maintenance, equipment, technology, security, utilities, the construction and maintenance of shelters, educational materials, additional academic programs, psychologists, tutors, and other specialists.
A separate part of the expenses is related to the professional development of the teaching team. Training, workshops, methodological support, professional development, and mastering new educational programs require ongoing resources. For a school, this is systematic work because the quality of education depends not only on the curriculum or equipment, but above all on the people who work with students every day.
So a more accurate question is not “Why does private school cost so much?” but “What exactly is included in that price?”
A Full Day for the Child Changes the Entire Family’s Day
One of the most common arguments parents make in favor of private school is very practical: the child can stay at school until the evening.
This differs significantly from a model in which classes end around 13:00–14:00 and the family must then separately arrange meals, transportation home, homework, tutors, extracurricular activities, and supervision.
In full-day schools, some of these processes are already integrated into the schedule. For example, at the schools of the A+ Educational Holding, the school day is scheduled from 09:00 to 18:00. The timetable includes time for homework and project work with tutor support. For parents, this means less daily logistics and more time that does not have to be spent organizing the child’s activities after school.
Anastasiia, mother of Yehor from class 7C at the Kyiv Private Lyceum “RESPUBLIKA STEM”, comments:
“One of our criteria when choosing a private educational institution was that the child could spend more time at school than just the hours required for the main academic lessons. We are not able to pick him up immediately after classes, so it is important for us to be confident that throughout the day our child is supervised and, after lessons, can remain in a familiar and comfortable environment, attend various clubs, take part in additional activities, and spend time in an interesting and useful way.
It is also important for us to have the opportunity to choose an academic direction and study in greater depth the subjects that interest the child most and match his abilities and interests.
I also particularly value communication with the school. I always understand whom I can contact with a particular question, and I know that I will be heard and helped to find a solution.”
Fewer Students in a Class Costs More
There is a simple economic reality of schooling that is rarely discussed. If one teacher works with 30 students, the institution’s cost per student is lower than in a class of 20 children. The smaller the classes and groups, the more teaching resources the school needs. That is why lower class sizes affect the cost of private education. For the student, however, this means more opportunities to ask questions, receive feedback, work in small groups, and be noticed by the teacher.
At the schools of the A+ Educational Holding, for example, classes are designed to have an average of 20–24 students, with division into smaller groups for certain learning formats and project work.
Yuliia, mother of Valeriia from class 2D at the “Funny Faina” Primary School:
“We chose a private school because, as two working parents, a full-day school was important to us, and a public school does not offer that option. We also believe that a private school has better facilities and equipment, more opportunities to invest in teachers and improve their qualifications, which in turn motivates teachers to invest more in the children. And, of course, a reasonable number of children in the classroom makes it possible to give attention to each child.”
Teacher, Psychologist, Tutor: A School Is No Longer a Team Made Up Only of Subject Teachers
The quality of a school is largely determined by its people. The budget of a private institution includes the salaries of teachers, assistants, tutors, psychologists, administrative staff, medical workers, security specialists, and other employees. It also includes their professional development.
In discussions about private education, parents often talk about things that cannot easily be measured by the number of lessons: the culture of communication, respect for the child, the opportunity to discuss ideas with a teacher, support, and the school’s willingness to listen to the student.
This is also part of the educational environment. And it directly depends on whom the school brings into its team, how it trains its professionals, and what working conditions it creates for them.
Nataliia, mother of Danylo from class 4A at the “Funny Faina” Primary School:
“Our choice of a private school was driven by several reasons:
- the desire for our son to receive deeper and higher-quality knowledge, and for learning to be not a routine but a dynamic and engaging process. Interactive methods and gamified learning contribute greatly to this: they increase children’s interest and help strengthen motivation.
Other important factors that influenced our choice of a private school included: - the role of the teacher: the teacher acts as a mentor and partner to the child;
- advanced study of a foreign language;
- modern facilities and equipment;
- a high level of safety;
- high-quality meals;
- a full-day school format;
- and our son attends extracurricular clubs within the school.”
A Laboratory Costs More Than the Word “Laboratory”
STEAM, IT, robotics, and natural sciences can easily become attractive words on a website if there is no actual equipment or practical work behind them.
A real laboratory requires dedicated space, equipment, materials, software, maintenance, and specialists who know how to work with all of it.
The new campus of the Kyiv Private Lyceum “RESPUBLIKA STEM” includes 16 specialized spaces. Among them are a Science Lab, Food Lab, engineering workshops, a 232 m² Makerspace, natural science classrooms, and IT and media spaces.
In the Science Lab, students will work with Carl Zeiss microscopes, hydroponic systems, and equipment for the practical study of biology. In the engineering workshops, they will be able to create prototypes and work with different materials. The Makerspace is designed for interdisciplinary projects.
The equipment itself, as well as its renewal and maintenance, forms part of the cost of this type of education.
International Programs Have Their Own Economics Too
If a school works with international educational programs, this involves additional expenses: educational materials, teacher training, methodological support, licensing or authorization depending on the particular program, and the organization of international assessments.
The institutions of the A+ Educational Holding officially have Cambridge International School status and are part of the global Cambridge educational community. The curriculum includes preparation for international Cambridge assessments and qualifications, including Checkpoint, IGCSE, and A Level.
That is why comparing the cost of two schools solely by the number of lessons on the timetable is not accurate. They may offer different volumes and different structures of educational programs.
Natalia, mother of Tymofii from class 2D at the “Funny Faina” Primary School:
“We chose a private school not so much because of its ‘private’ status, but because of the specific format and educational approach that suits us. For us, studying under the Cambridge program, a high level of academic preparation, and the ability to choose the school ourselves rather than being tied to our place of residence were important. We also greatly value the organization of the school day: the child has a sufficient academic workload during the day and completes homework at school with teacher support, so after school he still has time for rest, sports, family, and his own interests. It was this combination of educational quality, freedom of choice, and balance between learning and childhood that became decisive for us.”
Safety Has Become a Separate Expense Category
For a Ukrainian school in 2026, a shelter is part of the institution’s daily operations. But there is a major difference between “there is a shelter” and “the shelter allows full-fledged learning to continue.” A properly equipped space requires ventilation, lighting, furniture, sanitary facilities, communication systems, backup solutions, and regular technical maintenance.
The schools of the A+ Educational Holding have shelters designed to accommodate 100% of students and staff.
Parents on social media also specifically mention the ability to continue in-person learning during air raid alerts as one of the factors influencing their choice of a private school. In wartime, safety has become part of educational infrastructure and therefore part of its cost.
Sports, Arts, and Extracurricular Clubs in One Place
Another family expense worth considering when comparing the cost of education is extracurricular activities.
If, after classes, a child travels to English lessons, sports, dance, art, or IT classes, the family pays separately for each activity, spends time on transportation, and has to manage complex logistics throughout the week.
Some private schools integrate additional activities into their own infrastructure. In that case, the child can move from regular lessons to a sports section or studio without leaving the campus. Transparency, however, is important here. Parents should clarify in advance which activities are included in the basic tuition fee and which require additional payment.
What About Meals, Uniforms, and Transportation?
A high monthly fee does not automatically mean that absolutely everything is included. For example, at the schools of the A+ Educational Holding, meals, school uniforms, excursions, and the A+ Shuttle are paid for separately.
That is why, when choosing a private school, it is worth looking not only at the figure shown on the website or in the presentation, but at the total annual cost of education. What is included in the basic package? Are meals paid for separately? Which extracurricular clubs are included? Is there an enrollment fee? How much do uniforms, transportation, excursions, and international exams cost?
Clear answers to these questions are more important than an attractive presentation.
Does More Expensive Mean “Better”?
No.
A high private school tuition fee does not in itself guarantee strong teachers, a high academic level, a healthy atmosphere, or good results. Expensive equipment may remain unused. A beautiful campus cannot compensate for a weak curriculum. A small class will not help if the teacher does not know how to work effectively with children.
That is why price only makes sense when the family understands what it is paying for and the school can demonstrate it. It is worth reviewing the curriculum, teachers’ qualifications, student results, workload, assessment system, communication with families, safety system, psychological climate, and, importantly, how the child actually feels at school.
So Can Education Be Expensive?
Yes.
Laboratories cost money. Strong professionals cost money. Small classes, equipped shelters, sports infrastructure, technology, international programs, and a full-day format also have their own costs.
But a high price should have a clear explanation. When a family chooses a private school, it is not simply buying a certain number of lessons per month. It is choosing an educational model and an environment in which the child will spend a significant part of the day.
So the main question to ask a private school is very simple: What exactly are we paying for? And a good school should be able to answer it specifically.
