Boys Today.
Men of Principle
Tomorrow.
“Our aim is to make, not accountants, not clerks, not clergymen, but men; men of understanding, thought and culture.”
Founder James Cameron Todd, Speech Day 1897
WELCOME
Making Men
of Understanding,
Thought & Culture
Now in its 129th year Michaelhouse has established an ethos dedicated to Holism. In an era marked by educational focus on a single area of endeavour - academic, sporting or cultural - Michaelhouse remains committed to its founder's vision: to make not accountants, not clerks, not clergymen, but men; men of understanding, thought, and culture.
Our distinctive location and architecture, our world class facilities and fully residential academic staff compliment, the all boys, all boarding environment, our globally engaged network of significant Old Boys and a bold long-range vision for our school are blended to create the unique greenhouse conditions which cultivate the timeless character traits of belonging, curiosity, and grit, the fundamental building blocks for navigating a world dominated by ambiguity and technology.
Brotherhood All Boys,
All Boarding
All Boarding
Michaelhouse is one of the few all-boys, all-boarding schools in the world. Our boys experience a fully immersive environment, fostering deep friendships and a shared identity.
Connection Unique
Campus
Layout
Campus
Layout
The unique geography of our six interlinked ivy-clad quadrangles.
interact with a diverse range of friends.
MENTORSHIP Fully
Resident
Staff
Resident
Staff
Michaelhouse staff don’t just teach—they mentor, guide, and support.
PARTICIPATION Robust
Sports
Program
Sports
Program
With 16 sports, elite coaching, and state-of-the-art facilities, Michaelhouse provides every boy with the opportunity to compete, develop, and excel.
EXPRESSION Cultural
Programmes
Programmes
In our quest to achieve excellence in a variety of cultural pursuits, there are 7 specialized cultural programs to engage in.
CONNECTION Old
Boys'
Network
Boys'
Network
The “Club for Life” philosophy ensures that every boy who leaves Michaelhouse has a network to rely on, no matter where they find themselves.
All Boys, All Boarding
Michaelhouse is one of the few all-boys, all-boarding schools in the world. Our boys experience a full immersive environment, fostering deep friendships and a shared identity.
A Brotherhood for Life
One of just a small handful of all boys all boarding schools on earth the unique educational environment at Michaelhouse allows us to capitalize, 24 hours a day, on the strengths of a monastic school.
We know that the confident individual emerges from the safety of a shared identity and at Michaelhouse this advantage is not diluted by day boys going home in the afternoons or by weekly boarders departing on Friday evenings.
The sense of inclusion which has been baked into the Michaelhouse experience consistently over the past century-and-a-quarter literally sweeps our boys along on a tide of common purpose and civic-mindedness; you can see it in the brotherhood which remains a hallmark of being a Man of Michaelhouse.
Unique Campus Layout
The unique geography of our six interlinked ivy-clad quadrangles.
Designed for Connection
The incredible sense of community, relationship and common purpose which exists in the House environments is expanded exponentially by the unique layout of our ten Houses around six interlinking ivy-clad quadrangles which provide the opportunity to effortlessly
interact with a diverse range of friends.
This development of close life-long friendships is one of the most extraordinary aspects of life at Michaelhouse.
At a time in their lives when boys begin to seek independence and are insatiably curious, the safety of a shared identity provides a safe harbour from which to embark on voyages of self-discovery.
Fully Resident Staff
Michaelhouse staff don’t just teach—they mentor, guide, and support.
Teachers Who Truly Know You
Boarding schools naturally attract staff who are keen on greater involvement in school life beyond the four walls of the classroom.
Teachers who are freely available and who have high expectations of our boys are more familiar with their ambitions, fears, personal challenges, and daily contexts and are therefore better equipped to guide and encourage their charges in igniting their enthusiasm and developing useful, lifelong interests.
Living on campus allows them to better understand each boy’s ambitions, fears, and challenges. This deep engagement fosters a culture of aspiration, personal growth, and individual encouragement beyond the classroom.
Robust Sports Program
With 16 sports, elite coaching, and state-of-the-art facilities, Michaelhouse provides every boy with the opportunity to compete, develop, and excel.
Excellence & Participation
Michaelhouse offers 16 sporting codes, supported by world-class coaches and top-tier facilities. With more teams in action on Saturdays than most provincial competitors, our culture of participation is a hallmark of school life.
The campus features 11 playing fields, two Astroturf hockey facilities, seven turf cricket pitches, a dedicated cricket oval, an athletics track, eight tennis courts, three padel courts, and a six court squash complex with three glass-backed courts. Additional facilities include indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a 25m x 25m heated swimming pool, a 30m x 25m water polo pool, a state-of-the-art gym, a golf driving range, and a canoeing dam.
At the heart of our success is the High Performance Centre, ensuring every boy develops the physical skills to excel in his chosen sport.
Cultural Programmes
In our quest to achieve excellence in a variety of cultural pursuits, there are 7 specialized cultural programs to engage in.
Passions Beyond the Classroom
A range of activities provides Michaelhouse boys with the opportunity to develop passions into skills in a variety of bands & choirs, debating and public speaking, individual art development, theatrical productions and technology, and chess.
The aim of the cultural programs is help boys to develop skills in playing music in four different marimba bands, an orchestra and jazz band, the chapel and chamber choirs, junior and senior chess and debating teams, in stage productions, and in a variety of artistic areas such as sculpture, welding and painting. All the groups in the various programs practice, or rehearse, twice a week.
The top cultural teams compete and perform on local, provincial, national and international level. Most of the performance groups are in high demand both locally and further afield and have distinguished themselves as highly skilled performers and entertainers.
Old Boys' Network
The “Club for Life” philosophy ensures that every boy who leaves Michaelhouse has a network to rely on, no matter where they find themselves.
A Global Brotherhood
The pride of belonging which is so much the stamp of the Michaelhouse experience is not limited to the five years spent in Balgowan. Neither geography nor generation are obstacles to the globally engaged network of more than 6900 living Old Boys who are in constant interaction with each other and with their old school.
The Club for Life mantra of providing opportunities where Old Michaelhousians can ask for help, offer help, share knowledge, share memories and do good business is lived out every day through tangible acts of kindness and support for each other and for their school. Every boy who leaves Michaelhouse is welcomed into the next chapter of his life beyond the gates of school by a mentor who has matriculated in the past seven years, a guide who is willing to pay it forward because of his absolute belief in the value of shared experience and belonging.
Upcoming Events
admissions
Enroll Your Son
at Michaelhouse
Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your son’s future. At Michaelhouse, we offer more than just an education—we provide a foundation for leadership, character, and lifelong success.
With world-class academics, a rich sporting tradition, and a vibrant boarding experience, Michaelhouse nurtures boys into confident, capable young men. Our dedicated staff, strong values, and unmatched camaraderie ensure that every boy thrives in an environment designed to challenge, inspire, and support.
Join a school where tradition meets innovation, where friendships last a lifetime, and where your son can truly excel. Start his journey with us—apply today.
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scholars10
BOARDING
HOUSES
A SECURE CAMPUS OF
680HA
AN ENGAGED NETWORK OF
6900
Old Boys
ACROSS 55 COUNTRIES
Founded in
1896
0
private schools worldwidea melting pot of boys
all boarding
from 22 countries and all 9 Provinces in SA
Michaelhouse emphasizes an all-round education, encouraging boys to be curious and to develop their talents across academics, sport, music, the arts and their spiritual growth.
The Michaelhouse Nature Reserve which overlooks the school is a Midlands Mistbelt Grassland haven, one of South Africa’s most rare biomes.
Staff to boy ratio