Merchiston Castle School

We understand that school fees involve real sacrifice for many families. That is why we strive constantly to offer excellent value for money.

School fees include all tuition, meals and snacks, travel for School matches and careers counselling. If you are a boarder they also include 24-hour supervision and care and all laundry, excluding dry-cleaning.

Fees Summary

There is a premium for direct entry into the VI Form, equivalent to 5% of the Senior School Boarding fee for each of the two VI Form years.

Extra Items

Once your son has started, his school fee account may also include charges for ‘Extra Items’. Most charges for ‘Extra Items’ are added to fee notes in the term following the activity for which the charge is raised.

Fee Reductions

You may qualify for a fee reduction:

• if you are a serving member of HM Forces or a member of the clergy (10%).
• if you have more than one son attending Merchiston at the same time (5% for your second son and 20% for your third son).
• if you have a daughter at our ‘sister’ school: St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh you will receive a 20% discount for the third child (across Merchiston and St George's only). Discount only applies whilst all siblings are at the schools.
• if you have a daughter at our ‘sister’ school: Kilgraston School, Perthshire you will receive a 5% discount for your second child (across Merchiston and Kilgraston only). Discount only applies whilst all siblings are at the schools.
• if you are/your son's father is a Merchistonian (10%). The remission is only offered against the first year’s fees and would apply to new pupils joining from January.

Financial Assistance

Merchiston offers financial assistance by means of a Bursary Fund designed to enable your son to have access to a Merchiston education, irrespective of his financial circumstances.

The first term’s fees will be payable by the first day of term, and an invoice is sent out in June or July. Unless agreed otherwise by the School, fees are payable termly and must be paid by the first day of term. There are 3 terms in each year. Other arrangements for fee payment may be available on application to the Assistant Bursar (Finance), Mrs Caroline McIntosh.

If, after your son joins the School, fees are outstanding, the School reserves the right to refuse to allow him to continue attending the School (or may withhold references) whilst fees remain unpaid. The School reserves the right to charge interest on sums which are outstanding.

It is a requirement of entry to Merchiston that your financial obligations to other schools must be fulfilled before your son can join Merchiston.