Bethany Christian Academy

Overview

Bethany Christian Academy is a Christian K-8 private school in Westminster, California, serving grades K-8, founded in 1980, with about 55 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $8,275 to $8,485, which puts it in the lower range among Orange County private schools at this level. Religion classes are required, so confirm your family is comfortable with that before applying.

Admissions

No standardized entrance exam; admission uses an on-campus assessment or visit day.

The school publishes the following application details. The school website’s Apply Now page lists three steps: (1) call (714) 891-9783 to schedule a campus tour and an interview with the principal; (2) submit the application through PraxiSchool and pay the application fee; (3) after admission, pay the registration fee to secure the seat. Families must submit a birth certificate, immunization records (the California yellow card or a physician’s record) and, for new grade 1 students, a physical exam completed within the 18 months before enrollment; divorced or separated parents must also provide custody documents. Age cutoffs: K4 applicants must turn 4 by September 1 and K5 applicants must turn 5 by September 1. Kindergarten applicants must complete a $25 Kindergarten Readiness Evaluation.

The main entry points at a K-8 school are kindergarten and grade 6. Younger applicants are usually evaluated through an on-campus visit, while most applicants above grade 5 need an ISEE score. Start in the fall of the year before entry: visit first to confirm the school is a fit, then decide whether to register for testing.

Tuition and fees

The school website’s Tuition Rates page publishes annual tuition for the 2026-2027 school year: in the elementary division, TK through grade 5, $8,275 for the first child, $7,975 for the second and $7,675 for the third; in the middle school division, grades 6-8, $8,485 for the first child, $8,185 for the second and $7,885 for the third. The oldest child counts as the “first child.” The school does not have separate church member and non-member rates (school website, Tuition Rates page)

The application fee is $75 per student and is nonrefundable; the kindergarten evaluation fee is $25, waived for students already enrolled in the BCP preschool. The registration fee has two tiers by date: $650 from January 5 through February 6, 2026 and $750 after February 6; January 5 through February 6 is the priority registration window for current BCA and BCP families, and registration opens to the public February 6. There are three payment options: in full, 10 installments from August through May, or 12 installments from July through June; credit cards add a 3% fee and ACH payments cost $1 each. Extended day care (EDC): $250 a month or $10 an hour for one child, and $325 a month or $20 an hour for two or more children (school website, Tuition Rates page). Short-term international students are on a separate schedule billed in four-week blocks: $1,500 per student per four weeks for K4 through grade 5 and $2,000 for grades 6-8, plus a nonrefundable $100 application fee and a $300 registration fee that is refundable with one week’s notice, with the same 3% credit card fee or $1 ACH fee (school website, International Students page).

Academics and programs

• The K-5 core curriculum uses BJU Press materials for language arts, math, science and social studies, with Abeka for handwriting (school website, Curriculum page)
• Math is leveled in grades 6-8, through Fundamentals of Math, Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1, and grade 8 students may take Geometry (school website, Curriculum page)
• Computer and information technology, PE, music, art and library are offered at every grade level, and grades 6-8 also have electives (school website, Curriculum page)
• ICT and STEAM activities are integrated into the program, along with a range of visual, performing and digital arts courses (school website, Why Choose BCA page)
• Grades 4-8 compete in CALOC, the Christian Athletic League of Orange County (school website, Why Choose BCA page)
• The Deep Roots Bible Curriculum and weekly chapel run through every grade; students are assigned prayer partners; grades 7-8 have a career exploration course, and the middle school has a community service requirement (school website, Curriculum page and Why Choose BCA page)

How this school compares

These are the nearest schools at the same level and a comparable price. Select a name to open that school’s admissions guide:

School	City	Grades	Tuition	Entrance test	Class size	Distance
Bethany Christian Academy	Westminster	K-8	$8,275	On-campus assessment	—	—
Blessed Sacrament School	Westminster	K-8	$6,400	On-campus assessment	—	1.2 mi
Grace Lutheran School	Huntington Beach	K-8	$8,300	—	—	2.5 mi
St. Bonaventure Catholic School	Huntington Beach	K-8	$9,700	—	—	2.9 mi
St. Hedwig Catholic School	Los Alamitos	K-8	$8,460	On-campus assessment	—	3.7 mi

Total tuition through graduation

At the 2026-27 rate of $8,275, 9 years covering grades K-8 come to roughly $74,475 in tuition alone. Assuming the 4% annual increase common at private schools, the figure is closer to $88,000. Neither number includes registration fees, deposits, uniforms or activity fees. A California 529 plan can cover up to $10,000 per child per year of K-12 tuition.

Getting there from Irvine

These are straight-line distances from neighborhoods where many Irvine families live. Actual drive times will be longer, and a morning rush-hour trip typically takes 1.5 to 2 times as long as an off-peak one:

Neighborhood	Straight-line distance
Woodbury	16.4 miles
Northwood	13.4 miles
Turtle Rock	14.8 miles
Portola Springs	18.5 miles

The website does not describe bus service; confirm this during your visit.

Questions to ask on a campus visit

• Chinese program — the Curriculum page on the school website lists materials subject by subject for each grade K-8 (Bible, language arts, handwriting, math, social studies and science, with Elective Courses listed but …
• F-1 status — the school website does have a dedicated International Students page, but it says international students attend only short term in four-week blocks, must obtain a vacation visa on their own, are not …
• Average class size — neither the Why Choose BCA page nor the Curriculum page on the school website publishes class sizes or a student-teacher ratio
• Financial aid — the Tuition Rates page on the school website lists only tuition, registration and extended care fees, with no information about tuition assistance, scholarships or third-party platforms such as FACTS…
• Registration, technology, uniform and activity fees beyond tuition

How EDUBUS helps

Our Irvine-based counselors work in both Chinese and English. We track Bethany Christian Academy’s admissions calendar, prepare students for the campus visit and interview, and review application materials before they are submitted. Book a school-selection consultation or read the Chinese version of this page.