N RI Information Informing  educating and connecting Indians across the globe . . . School Fee in India for OCI and NRI Children . . . Schools in India today have a fee structure that may surprise many Non Resident Indians who left India several years ago. Some schools have a different fee structure for the schooling of children whose parents reside abroad. School fees for children of Nri's is significantly higher than other children in the same school. One of the questions that is asked by most foreign based Indian residents is about extra school fees they may have to pay to send their children to school in India. OCI holders who want to settle in India is one category of Indian residents that try to find an answer to their questions on school fees in India. Some parents even think of applying for Indian citizenship for their children so that they can avoid paying extra fees charged from foreign citizens. While there is no clear answer to many such queries, I will make an attempt to point out a few things and leave it up to the readers to choose how they wish to approach this topic. Q: Is it mandatory for children having OCI status and residing in India pay extra fee for schooling? A: No, I don't think there is any law in affect in India that requires that OCI holders pay premium fees for their schooling. Private schools can if they wish, charge extra fees from children who are foreign citizens. Technically all OCI holders, even though they live in India are still foreign citizens. Many schools do charge this additional fee and there may also be some schools that don't. Whether you will have to pay additional fees for your children's education if you are an OCI would depend on the school you select and their policy on this issue. Q: How much extra school fees do parents children with OCI have to pay? A: To give readers an idea of what schooling costs are in India for the year 2011-12, I am posting details of fee structure of three schools in India. Please be aware that not all schools have the same fee structure and some schools may charge less or even more than the fee shown on this page. The schools are: Doon School in Dehradun, Bishop Cotton School in Shimla and Pinegrove School in Dharampur.              Click on image of school to see larger image to view school fee     Q: Does OCI not guarantee that they will be treated at par with Indian Residents? Why should OCI holder living in India pay more school fees for their children. A: OCI holders, get equality with NRI’s in respect of education fields. Some schools treat NRIs and foreigners alike and charge them extra fees.   Q: What is the cost of schooling in India? A: Schooling is no longer cheap in India. Even before a child is admitted, the chances are that several parents have no choice but to pay admission fees that are supposedly disguised as donations. Some schools now charge as much as Rupees five thousand just for their school brochure and admission application form! and this does not guarantee admission! basically, they are selling you just an application form for the possibility of getting your child admitted to their school. In case you are wondering this is for all parents, even Indian citizens are expected to pay this. In addition to the application forms, if a child is admitted, parents of school children are expected to pay a registration fee and admission fee. In case you are wondering what these charges amount to! For the 2011 year, Sri International School in Hyderabad, India charges Rupees 10,000 as a registration fee and Rupees 50,000 as admission fee. These amounts do not include the schooling fees which is charged separately.  Other school charges in India can be things like, Hostel fee, Transport fee, Books, Stationery and Educational Supplies, Uniforms etc. Parents in India of school children, will tell you that not that they not only pay school fees, but have to shell out money that goes to the school in many other forms. Consider school uniforms that must be purchased from school designated sources only, even ordinary school notebooks that have the school logo have to be paid for instead of the budget notebooks one can buy at the stationary store. When I look at the annual school fees of Rupees 4,05000 plus a Rupees 50,000 admission fee, I just can't comprehend how middle class families can cope with such expenses for their children. Schooling in India has become a business, big business! A list of 99 schools with contact information etc. is provided in my book 'THE NRI GUIDE' Bishop Cotton School Shimla Doon School in Dehradun      Pinegrove School in Dharampur © Copyright 2006 Nriinformation.com