Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition and Financial Aid

An Affordable Christian Education

As the parent of a high schooler in the Iowa City area, you understand just how important these four years are in shaping your teen. It is a season where your child is exploring their strengths, starting to claim their faith as their own, and deciding what comes after graduation. You want to offer them the best learning experience — a faith-based education, rooted in Jesus Christ, that will prepare them to be future-ready. 

You’re filtering through a lot of information as you consider school options for your teen. Learning environment, extracurricular activities, and academic preparation all rank high on your list of priorities. However,  there’s another important consideration — you’re looking for an education that is going to prepare your teen for what comes next, without it coming at a crippling cost to your family.

At Hillcrest Academy, we have been developing confident students who are prepared for lives of Christian discipleship, peacemaking, and service for over 70 years. Our students feel welcomed, included, and safe as they pursue successful lives after graduation. How do we do it? 

  • Hillcrest students benefit from a rigorous academic program that includes 11 advanced placement courses. 
  • Enrichment opportunities inside and outside the classroom allow students to explore an interest in visual and performing arts, business, culinary arts, agriculture, and more. 
  • Our competitive athletics program encourages students to practice healthy sportsmanship, and has brought home 16 state championships! 
  • An active counseling department and low student-to-counselor ratio allows Hillcrest Academy to be intentional about getting to know our students and how to meet their needs. 
  • Student-initiated opportunities promote engagement and growth, creating a school culture where students thrive. 

We are committed to making an excellent, Christian education accessible to families in Southeast Iowa. We recognize that affordability is an important consideration for parents, which is why we offer variable tuition.

We are so thankful to have a student at Hillcrest who is benefitting from the abundance of opportunities here. The value gained by a well-educated, godly young man going out into the world to serve in the capacity he is called does not have a price in my book. Hillcrest is blessed to have area churches that support the mission of the school, and we have benefited greatly from the generosity of these churches. Hillcrest also has scholarships available for students from donors, scholarship funds, and other entities, and we have benefitted from scholarship availability. If you want your student to attend Hillcrest, there will be a way to make it happen.

Do not let your monetary concerns stop you from asking how to make Hillcrest a reality. These big questions about money that seem to be a hindrance now will seem much smaller when your student is thriving and succeeding in a Christ-filled learning environment.

Stacy Ropp Miller, Hillcrest Parent

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What is variable tuition? 

When considering school options, so many families approach the cost of private education with one of these strong assumptions:

If this is the tuition, then we can’t afford this school because we don’t earn enough.

or 

We shouldn’t even bother asking about financial aid because I’m sure we earn too much to qualify for any assistance.

In reality, many families with low and high incomes — and all kinds of income levels in between — do qualify for financial aid. Variable tuition is a means of helping as many families as possible afford the best education they can get for their children. We know that is truly everyone’s biggest priority, and the variable tuition system we use at Hillcrest Academy provides a clear, impartial, and transparent process for determining your financial aid eligibility. 

Our financial aid application is easy to complete, and we’ll be able to tell you exactly what your family’s tuition costs will be. Many families are (happily!) surprised to find out that our exceptional education really is affordable for them, after all. Start your application now.

How much does it cost?

After financial aid and discounts, our families at Hillcrest Academy can expect to pay: 

Grade LevelTuition Range (What Families Pay)
Grades 9-12$3,700 to $9,735 per year
2023-2024 Variable Tuition Rates

How do I apply? 

To find out what tuition will look like for your family, start your TADS application. Supporting documents are required within five days after submitting your application, and there is a $45 application fee. Below is the TADS Worksheet, which is a helpful tool for you to know what type of information you will need during the online application process. We recommend that you fill out the worksheet before beginning your application. 

TADS Worksheet – English

TADS Worksheet – Spanish 

New students can apply at any point of the year. The deadline for returning students to apply is May 1, 2021. 

Schedule a Tour 

If you’re looking for a high school that is small enough for your child to be known, but large enough to not compromise their experience, we invite you to visit our campus and see for yourself what a Hillcrest Academy education can offer your family.