Christ Lutheran School

Overview

Christ Lutheran School is a Lutheran K-8 private school in Costa Mesa, California, serving grades K-8, founded in 1957, with about 148 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $8,652 to $9,652, 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. The school accepts F-1 international students and issues the I-20 needed for a student visa.

Admissions

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

The school publishes the following application details. The tuition schedule and the Tuition & Fees page on the school website state that every new student is assessed at entry by the school’s Director of Student Support Services, who measures cognitive, motor and language skills; applicants to Kindergarten also need a questionnaire completed by a parent or guardian and, where there is one, the preschool teacher. The school website has Schedule A Tour and Apply Online Now entry points and does not publish an application deadline. The school states explicitly that it does not treat applicants differently on the basis of race, color, national origin or ethnic background.

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

For the 2026-2027 school year, grades K through 8 (school website, Tuition & Fees page and Day School Schedule of Fees PDF): the Community Rate is $9,652 and the Church Member Rate is $8,652, a difference of $1,000 per student. With two or more siblings enrolled in the Grade School at the same time, each receives a further 5% reduction.

The registration fee is $500 per student, or $900 per family for two or more children. Other costs: lunch at $5-6 a day, which is optional; athletics in grades 5-8 at $85-100 per sport; musicals and performing arts at $85-150; uniforms, which must be purchased through the school website; and field study costs at each grade level. The conditions for the member rate are spelled out in detail: worship attendance of at least 50% over the year, continued financial support of the congregation, regular reception of communion, and an Annual Member Tuition Agreement signed each year. The school checks attendance and giving records twice a year, in January and June; families who fall short lose the discount, and can have it restored one quarter after meeting the standard again. Discounts do not stack: a family that is both a member of the congregation and a Concordia University employee, for example, receives only the larger of the two.

Academics and programs

• The middle school has an immersive S.T.E.A.M. program, and S.T.E.A.M. is also integrated into the existing curriculum from the preschool through grade 8 (school website, Why Christ Lutheran page)
• NWEA MAP computer-adaptive assessments three times a year in K-8, covering math, language arts and science, with three additional Acadience math and reading assessments in K-6 (school website, Why Christ Lutheran page)
• Performing arts options include handbells in grades 6-8, choir in K-8, Chapel Band in grades 6-8, Tech Crew in grades 6-8 and a musical for grades 3-8 (school website, Why Christ Lutheran page)
• K-8 physical education meets twice a week with a dedicated PE teacher; art and music both have dedicated teachers, and music covers ukulele, Orff instruments and xylophone by grade level along with vocal training (school website, Why Christ Lutheran page)
• The Student Success Resource program has a dedicated teacher who writes individualized learning plans for students with special learning or social-emotional needs (school website, Why Christ Lutheran page)
• Interscholastic athletics in grades 5-8 include basketball, volleyball, flag football and track and field; there is also Journeys Counseling on campus and before- and after-school care through SAC (school website, Why Christ Lutheran page, Academics 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
Christ Lutheran School	Costa Mesa	K-8	$8,652	On-campus assessment	—	—
Saint Joachim Catholic School	Costa Mesa	K-8	$9,195	On-campus assessment	—	1.3 mi
Huntington Christian School	Huntington Beach	K-8	$11,616	On-campus assessment	—	1.7 mi
St. John the Baptist Catholic School	Costa Mesa	K-8	$9,742	On-campus assessment	—	2.5 mi
Saints Simon & Jude Catholic School	Huntington Beach	K-8	$9,900	—	—	2.5 mi

Total tuition through graduation

At the 2026-27 rate of $8,652, 9 years covering grades K-8 come to roughly $77,868 in tuition alone. Assuming the 4% annual increase common at private schools, the figure is closer to $92,000. 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	11.2 miles
Northwood	9.2 miles
Turtle Rock	6.8 miles
Portola Springs	13.8 miles

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

Questions to ask on a campus visit

• Synod — neither school.christcm.org nor church.christcm.org, including its Our Beliefs page, states whether the congregation belongs to the LCMS, the ELCA or the NALC. The school holds NLSA accreditation and…
• F-1 students — at this review the /international-students/ page on the school website had body text, stating “We are excited to offer the opportunity for International Students to be part of Christ Lutheran Schools…
• Chinese program — the Academics and Why Christ Lutheran pages on the school website list no foreign language courses at all
• Financial aid — the school website has no financial aid page, and the tuition schedule PDF makes no mention of FACTS, Clarity or any other aid channel, listing only the various discounts
• Registration, technology, uniform and activity fees beyond tuition

How EDUBUS helps

Our Irvine-based counselors work in both Chinese and English. We track Christ Lutheran School’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.