Heritage Christian School (Elementary Campus)

Overview

Heritage Christian School (Elementary Campus) is a Christian K-8 private school in Mission Viejo, California, serving grades K-6, founded in 2007, with about 139 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $11,515, which puts it in the middle range among Orange County private schools at this level. Religion classes are required, so confirm your family is comfortable with that before applying. Average class size is about 20. 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 school website Admissions page describes a three-step process: complete the application online (Apply Online), submit the application with the nonrefundable registration fee, and the school decides on admission based on the materials, the assessment results, and space in the class. All three 2026-2027 fee schedules, for K-12, preschool, and international students, are posted on the Admissions page. The school website does not list an application deadline or open house dates.

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

Annual tuition for the elementary division (K-6) in the 2026-27 school year is $11,515, which the school website notes is a 3% increase over the prior year. Two ways to pay: in full by August 1 (or at enrollment) for a 5% discount, or in 10 monthly installments from September 1 through June 1. There is also a nonrefundable registration fee of $300 per student and a books and materials fee of $300 per student, both due at enrollment. The school does not have separate church-member and non-member rates, only a sibling discount: 10% off for the youngest child. International students (F-1) follow a separate tuition schedule: $14,700 per year for K-6. (school website, the 2026-2027 K-12 Tuition Docs and 2026-2027 International Tuition Fee Schedule linked from the Admissions page)

ALA (Academic Learning Assistance, the learning support program) costs $1,100 per student, plus a $100 application fee for new students. Heritage Harbor before- and after-school care is billed separately: mornings from 7:00 to 8:30 at $850 per year; afternoons from 15:00 to 17:30 (12:30 to 17:30 on short days) at $2,500 per year; both morning and afternoon at $3,000 per year; and drop-in use at $7 per half hour, with a $20 per student daily minimum on short days. Holiday camps while school is closed are charged separately. Late payments incur a late fee, and returned checks cost $25. Beyond tuition, international students pay a $2,500 international registration fee, a $1,500 re-registration fee, the $350 I-901 fee paid to the U.S. government, and a $350 books and supplies fee; uniforms run about $100-200 and lunch is $8 per day.

Academics and programs

• Spanish is offered in elementary grades 4-6, and grades 1-6 have regular weekly physical education, art, music, and library classes (school website, Admissions ▸ Elementary page)
• Prayer Partners: older and younger students are paired to pray together and look after one another (school website, Admissions ▸ Elementary page)
• On-campus and community service projects arranged by age group, plus Christian Service service hours (school website, Admissions ▸ Elementary page, Student Life navigation)
• Field trips: day trips for the younger grades and overnight trips for the older grades (school website, Admissions ▸ Elementary page)
• Elementary sports teams and a school musical, along with a range of other activities (school website, Admissions ▸ Elementary page, Athletics ▸ Elementary Athletics)
• ALA (Academic Learning Assistance): a fee-based program for students who need learning support, at $1,100 per student per year (school website, 2026-2027 K-12 Tuition Docs)

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
Heritage Christian School (Elementary Campus)	Mission Viejo	K-6	$11,515	On-campus assessment	20	—
Abiding Savior Lutheran School	Lake Forest	K-8	$10,500	On-campus assessment	—	2.5 mi
RSM Christian School	Rancho Santa Margarita	K-8	$9,500	On-campus assessment	—	2.4 mi
St. Junipero Serra Catholic School	Rancho Santa Margarita	K-8	$15,757	On-campus assessment	—	2.9 mi
The Camino School	Laguna Woods	K-8	$13,900	On-campus assessment	19	4.3 mi

Total tuition through graduation

At the 2026-27 rate of $11,515, 7 years covering grades K-6 come to roughly $80,605 in tuition alone. Assuming the 4% annual increase common at private schools, the figure is closer to $91,000. 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	6.5 miles
Northwood	9.5 miles
Turtle Rock	9.1 miles
Portola Springs	5.7 miles

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

Questions to ask on a campus visit

• Financial aid — neither the school website Admissions page nor the 2026-2027 K-12 Tuition Docs lists financial aid, scholarships, or need-based assistance, only the sibling discount and the pay-in-full discount. Sea…
• AP count — this entry covers the K-6 elementary division, where it does not apply
• College matriculation — not applicable to the elementary division; high school outcomes are covered in the heritage-christian-school-jh-hs entry
• Head of school — the school website Admissions ▸ Teachers and Staff page lists Mr. George Gay as Founding Principal / Principal, while the principal field in the CDE private school directory filing says Mrs. Hayley C…
• Registration, technology, uniform and activity fees beyond tuition

How EDUBUS helps

Our Irvine-based counselors work in both Chinese and English. We track Heritage Christian School (Elementary Campus)’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.