Willowwind School
under 1 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades PreK-6 57 students 7.7 students per teacher Nonsectarian
Private schools in Iowa City, IA
13 schools within 12 miles. 10 of them are on the state’s Students First ESA list. Students First ESA pays $8,148 per student for 2026-27.
Schools near Iowa City
Schools on the official Students First ESA list are first, then it goes by distance. No school pays to appear here or to move up.
Regina Elementary School
under 1 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
Faith Academy
1 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades K-6 115 students 10.4 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational)
Iowa Conservatory
1 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
Hidaya Academy
3 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades PreK-4 38 students 4.2 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades 1-8 24 students 8 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades PreK-8 178 students 12.6 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades 6-12 36 students 3.4 students per teacher Friends
Regina Catholic Elementary School
under 1 mi Grades K-6 509 students 17 students per teacher Roman Catholic
Regina Catholic Education Center Jr/Sr High
under 1 mi Grades 7-12 400 students 15.6 students per teacher Roman Catholic
Grades PreK-Transitional K 10 students 10 students per teacher Nonsectarian Early childhood
On the state’s official list Other private schools
What Iowa pays, and what that leaves you
Iowa Students First Education Savings Account Education savings account
$8,148 per student for 2026-27 Paid in two equal installments, fall and spring. Homeschooled students do not qualify.
Figures read from each program’s official pages, 2026-09-20. Sources and how to apply
What would you pay?
Tuition and fees Students First ESA pays You pay per year Spread over 10 months
We filled in the standard Students First ESA amount. Change it if your award letter says something different. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Keep looking
Get one email when applications open
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state (you are looking at Iowa City) and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.
One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.
Questions parents ask
How many private schools are there near Iowa City?
We count 13 within 12 miles of downtown Iowa City. Together they enrolled about 1,367 students in the last federal survey (2023-24). The largest is Regina Catholic Elementary School with 509 students.
Which Iowa City private schools take Students First ESA?
10 of the 13 schools on this page are on the state’s official Students First ESA list. They are marked with a green check and listed first. In Iowa an ESA can be used only at an accredited nonpublic school. Schools marked here are on the Iowa Department of Education’s accredited nonpublic school directory for 2026-27, which makes them eligible. The state calls this year’s file preliminary until October.
Will Students First ESA cover the whole tuition bill?
Sometimes, but do not count on it. Students First ESA pays $8,148 per student for 2026-27, and schools set their own prices. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then use the calculator on this page to see what is left for you to pay.