Independence Christian School

Overview

Independence Christian School is a Christian K-8 private school in Anaheim, California, serving grades K-8, founded in 1975, with about 121 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $7,200, 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

Entrance exam requirements are not published; contact admissions.

The school publishes the following application details. The school website’s Apply page sets out a three-step process: fill out the online inquiry form (after which reminders about admission events and the process arrive automatically), schedule a campus tour and meet with the admissions office, and create an account online to submit the application. The admissions office can be reached at (714) 970-7009 or info@independencechristianschool.com. The school website gives no application deadline or open house dates, and does not say whether an entrance test is required.

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

K-8 tuition for the 2026-27 school year is a single rate: $7,200. Discounts: sibling discounts of 10% for the second child, 20% for the third and 30% for the fourth; 20% for families of police officers, firefighters, EMTs or active-duty military; and $325 off per school year for active registered members of Cornerstone Church. The school website states clearly that the discounts cannot be combined and must be verified by an employer or by a Cornerstone Church pastor. Payment options are annual (August 1), semiannual (August 1 and the following January 1) or monthly, all through FACTS Management. (School website, Tuition & Financial Aid page)

The annual registration fee for elementary and middle school is $550 and covers curriculum and textbooks, school supplies for the year, standardized testing, ACSI-related fees and use of the Family Portal and the ICS App; the annual technology fee is $50. The FACTS account setup fee is $55. After-school sports are $150 per sport. K-8 before- and after-school care runs from 6:30 to 18:00 and costs $7,500 for the year (full-time enrolled students receive a 60% discount), or $9 per hour billed the following month; after 18:00 the charge is $1 per minute. Overnight trips begin in grade 3 (grade 3 Wild Animal Park, grade 4 Sacramento, grade 5 Outdoor Education, grade 6 Grand Canyon, grade 7 Catalina marine science, grade 8 Washington, DC) and cost extra. The early childhood program (18 months through TK) is billed monthly and carries a $250 registration fee and a $75 monthly surcharge for children not yet out of diapers. All payments are nonrefundable.

Financial aid: K-8 students can apply for need-based financial aid through FACTS Management Tuition Aid at factstuitionaid.com, school ID 25567, by submitting an application and supporting documents; the early childhood program does not offer financial aid. The school website does not publish the share of students receiving aid or the range of awards. (School website, Tuition & Financial Aid page)

Academics and programs

• Four divisions: Preschool (18 months through TK), Primary (K-3), Intermediate (4-5) and Middle School (6-8) (school website, Academic Program page)
• A special education support program for students with learning differences (school website, Academic Program page)
• A hands-on STEAM Lab, plus art, music, physical education, world language and technology integration (school website, Academic Program page)
• Daily Bible class plus a weekly Chapel, using the DeepRoots Bible Curriculum for Defendable Faith (school website, Spiritual Education page)
• School traditions including the elementary arts festival, winter and spring musicals, Chapel skits (practice in speaking in public) and Spirit Week (school website, Elementary School page)
• Overnight trips from grade 3 on: Wild Animal Park, Sacramento, Outdoor Education, Grand Canyon, Catalina marine science, and Washington, DC (school website, Tuition & Financial Aid 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
Independence Christian School	Anaheim	K-8	$7,200	—	—	—
Hephatha Lutheran School	Anaheim	K-8	$7,988	On-campus assessment	—	1.6 mi
Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda Christian Academy	Yorba Linda	K-8	$10,400	—	12	2.0 mi
St. Paul’s Lutheran School	Orange	K-8	$8,600	—	—	2.8 mi
St. Joseph Catholic School	Placentia	K-8	$8,495	On-campus assessment	20	3.6 mi

Total tuition through graduation

At the 2026-27 rate of $7,200, 9 years covering grades K-8 come to roughly $64,800 in tuition alone. Assuming the 4% annual increase common at private schools, the figure is closer to $76,000. 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	11.7 miles
Northwood	9.8 miles
Turtle Rock	15.5 miles
Portola Springs	12.0 miles

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

Questions to ask on a campus visit

• Important note — this school does not follow a classical education model. The school website’s Academic Program, Elementary School and Middle School pages describe a conventional Christian school curriculum plus a ST…
• CDE grade span — copied from the batch table as “K-7”, but the Low Grade / High Grade fields on that record in the CDE private school directory now show K-8, and the school website also says K-8 (Middle School covers…
• Entrance exam — the school website’s Apply page lists only the three steps of inquiry, tour and online application, mentions no entrance test or grade requirement, and does not explicitly say that none is required
• F-1 students — the school website has no International or I-20 page and no information about international students, so it cannot be determined whether the school issues an I-20
• Registration, technology, uniform and activity fees beyond tuition

How EDUBUS helps

Our Irvine-based counselors work in both Chinese and English. We track Independence Christian 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.