The verdict in three sentences
A private school juggles spreadsheets, billing software, an emailing tool and a marketing site that don't talk to each other, which costs hundreds of admin hours. A custom core of admissions + enrolment + billing + family portal runs between 50,000 and 120,000 EUR (net) over 4 to 8 months, with one hard constraint: data protection applied to minors. The return shows up in hours saved and reduced arrears: up to 1,200 hours/year saved and -40 % late payments.
The modules and their cost
| Module | Scope | 2026 cost (EUR net) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admissions | Applications, waitlist, decisions | 10,000 - 22,000 | 5-7 wks |
| Enrolment | Classes, headcount, student files | 12,000 - 26,000 | 6-8 wks |
| Billing | Schedules, reminders, accounting exports | 12,000 - 24,000 | 5-7 wks |
| Family portal | Documents, payment, messaging | 10,000 - 22,000 | 5-7 wks |
| Online payment | Card + direct debit | 6,000 - 14,000 | 2-4 wks |
| Minor data compliance | Consent, minimisation, purge | 5,000 - 12,000 | 2-4 wks |
Annual maintenance (ADM) runs 12 to 20 % of build, i.e. roughly 6,000 to 24,000 EUR/year, essential to follow enrolment cycles and regulatory changes.
Minor data protection: what it means in practice
Processing minors' data imposes stricter rules than a standard commercial site.
| Requirement | Technical translation | Budget impact |
|---|---|---|
| Parental consent | Legal-guardian double opt-in | Included in compliance module |
| Data minimisation | Strictly necessary fields | Design scoping |
| Retention period | Auto-purge after schooling | 1,500 - 4,000 EUR |
| Access / erasure rights | Self-service portal | Included in portal |
| Regional hosting | Data hosted in-region | Infra choice |
| Access logging | Timestamped trails | 2,000 - 5,000 EUR |
These requirements aren't optional: better to build them in during scoping than retrofit them after an audit.
Mini case study
Isabelle, head of an independent school group in Toronto (3 sites, 1,400 students), ties up 2 full-time staff on billing and reminders. She invests 85,000 EUR (net) in an admissions + billing + family-portal core with online payment, plus 14,000 EUR/year of maintenance. Automatic direct debit and scheduled reminders bring late payments down from 18 % to 11 % and free up 1,100 hours/year (about 0.7 FTE, roughly 28,000 EUR of cost). Payback in about 2 years, excluding the cash-flow benefit.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Can we migrate existing data?
Yes, migration from spreadsheets and legacy software is planned: budget 4,000 to 10,000 EUR (net) depending on data volume and quality.
Does online payment handle instalment schedules?
Yes, we configure card and direct debit with instalment schedules, automatic reminders and accounting reconciliation, which sharply reduces arrears.
How far ahead of the school year should we start?
Plan to start 5 to 8 months before the target intake to cover the full admissions cycle and train staff.
Does the family portal replace a learning platform?
It doesn't replace a full teaching platform but covers the administrative side (documents, invoices, payments, messaging), usually the real pain point for families.
How is minors' data secured?
Regional hosting, encryption, access logging, automatic post-schooling purge and parental consent management are included in the compliance module.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of sites, students and current tools, and we'll frame an admissions-enrolment-billing core between 50,000 and 120,000 EUR (net). Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
