Sainik School Fees Structure 2026: Admission Fees Class 6 & 9, Entrance Exam Fees, School-wise Fees Structure, & Scholarships

The yearly Sainik School fees structure ranges from Rs 1.3 lakh to Rs 1.9 lakh, depending on the state. The Sainik School fees are set by the Sainik Schools Society, Ministry of Defence, and cover academics, boarding, food, uniforms, and activities for military training.

Parents also pay extra one-time charges for Sainik School Admission, caution money, and uniforms. The government offers subsidies and scholarships to children of defence personnel, SC/ST students, and poor families. This blog shares complete Sainik School fee details for different schools, helping parents plan their child's admission and expenses.

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Also Read: Sainik School Preparation

Sainik School Fees Structure 2026 - Important Facts

Here are 10 important facts about Sainik School Fees Details:

• Sainik School fees usually increase by up to 10% each year, following Ministry of Defence and Sainik Schools Society rules.

• Fees differ for General, Defence, and SC/ST categories, with SC/ST students paying the least due to subsidies.

• Many state governments help their own students with scholarships or partial fee reimbursement, lowering their costs compared to out-of-state students.

• Students must pay one-time fees like admission charges, caution money, and uniform kits; caution money is refundable, but others are not.

• Medicine fees are also included to keep cadets safe during their stay.

• Fees for Classes 6 to 8 are lower than for Classes 9 to 12 due to extra academic and lab charges for higher classes.

• Some schools offer discounts for siblings studying at the same time to help families save money.

• SC/ST cadets get big fee reductions, sometimes up to 50%, following Defence Ministry rules.

Sainik School Entrance Exam Fees

The Sainik School Entrance Exam fees are Rs 850/- for General/ OBC(NCL)/ Defence/ Ex-servicemen categories, and Rs 700/- for SC/ ST candidates, for the academic year 2026-27. This exam fee can be paid using SBI Bank Payment Gateway through Credit Card, Debit Card, UPI or Net Banking by October 31, 2025, till 11:50 PM. This category-wise fee is decided by the NTA, and paid through the AISSEE NTA Sainik School official portal, exams.nta.nic.in/sainik-school-society/.  

Also Read: Documents Required for Sainik School

Sainik School Fees Structure 2026 - School-wise Fees

Sainik School fees for classes 6 and 9 are different for each school, as prescribed by the Sainik Schools Society. The total annual fees for new admissions include various components like tuition fees, clothing fees, pocket money, clothing fees, etc. Parents can check below the Sainik School annual fees for the academic year 2025-26 to get an idea of annual expenses for academic cycle 2026-27:

Note: The Sainik School fee structure may change occasionally based on the rules from the Board of Governors, Sainik School Society, New Delhi. Some Sainik Schools raise their fees by up to 10% each year. Students should regularly check the fee structure on the particular Sainik School's website to stay updated.

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Also Read: Sainik School Admission Criteria

Sainik School Satara Fees Structure for Class 6 & 9 New Admission

Candidates can check below the category-wise Sainik School admission fees for Sainik School Satara new admissions for classes 6 and 9:

Note: The above fee structure is for the admission year 2025-26. This is just to give parents an idea about the probable fee for the admission cycle 2026-27. 

Sainik School Fees Sample Image

Parents must pay school fees, clothing charges, and other costs at the start of the academic year. All students pay the full fee, and scholarships are credited later. Fees will be increased by 10% as per Ministry of Defence rules. Sainik School fees structure for Sainik School Balachadi for the year 2025-26 can be found below in a sample image. 

Steps to Pay Sainik School Fees Online

Candidates can check the general method of Sainik School fee payment below:

• Visit the official school website and find the “Pay Online Fee” section.

• Use the SBI Collect option, which works even if you do not have SBI net banking.

• Type your ward’s roll number to see the annual fee for 2026–27.

• Pick State Bank Collect and select the appropriate Sainik School name as the institution.

• Pay the fee using any bank account, debit card, credit card, or net banking.

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Steps to Pay Sainik School Fees via SBI Payment Gateway

Here’s the stepwise process to help you pay your child’s Sainik School admission fees through the SBI Payment Gateway:

• Open the SBI Collect website, onlinesbi.sbi.bank.in/sbicollect, and tick “I have read and accepted the terms and conditions.” Then click Proceed.

• Select the school’s state under “State of Corporate/Institution.”

• Choose “Educational Institution” as the type, then click Go.

• From the list, pick your exact school name, for example, SAINIK SCHOOL GHORAKHAL, and click Submit.

• Select “SCHOOL FEE” from the payment category dropdown.

• Enter student details exactly as recorded, including Admission Number, Name, Class, Father’s Name, Date of Birth, Mobile Number, and Fee Amount. Then click Continue.

• Confirm your mobile number, fill out the required fields again, complete the Captcha, and submit.

• Review all details on the confirmation page and click Confirm if everything is correct.

• Choose the payment method, such as SBI Internet Banking, other banks’ net banking, debit/credit cards, or UPI, and proceed with the payment.

• If paying at a branch, select the SBI Branch other payment option, download the SBI challan form, and pay fees at any SBI branch.

• After payment, print or save (in PDF format) the receipt shown on the screen.

Sainik School Scholarship 2026-27

Many Sainik Schools offer scholarships based on state rules, family income, and central defence support for children of serving or retired military personnel. Each school has different rules for applying and required documents, which depend on where the student lives and their category eligibility. This helps students from various backgrounds get financial help to study at Sainik Schools.

Let’s check out some of the Sainik School Scholarships that students can get based on their category and family income. Also, check out the documents required for availing a scholarship for Sainik School:

Sainik School Admission 2026 Important Links

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FAQs

1. Can students study for free in Sainik Schools?

Sainik Schools charge annual fees ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.9 lakhs. However, many students study almost for free using scholarships. State governments offer full or partial fee waivers based on family income. The Ministry of Defence and central assistance also provide scholarships and subsidies. Children of defence personnel and low-income families get the most help. New Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model schools and students who get into the NDA may receive full or major fee reimbursements, making education affordable for many.

2. What is the UP Sainik School fees?

The UP Sainik School fee structure ranges from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,80,000. Sainik School Lucknow charges the lowest annual fees at about Rs 50,000 (excluding some miscellaneous charges), whereas Sainik School Jhansi tentatively demands the highest fees of Rs 1,79,853. The fee is subject to an increment of 10% each year as per the rules by the MoD and the Sainik Schools Society. 

3. What components are included in Sainik School fees?

The fee usually covers tuition, hostel/mess charges, uniforms, books, security deposit (caution money), and incidental expenses like laundry or stationery for most Sainik Schools. 

4. Can Sainik School fees be paid in installments?

Most Sainik Schools let parents pay fees in two installments, usually at admission and mid-year. Some schools allow quarterly payments, dividing the total fee into four parts throughout the year. The exact payment schedule depends on the school’s rules. This flexible payment option helps families manage the fee payments easily.