Acellus Academy
An accredited, self-paced online private school for grades K–12 built on short Acellus video lessons with automatic grading. One monthly tuition covers up to six courses, and students can earn a high school diploma.
What is Acellus Academy?
Acellus Academy is an accredited online private school for kindergarten through 12th grade. It is run by the International Academy of Science, a nonprofit based in Kansas City, Missouri, and it is accredited by ACS WASC. Every course is built from short Acellus video lessons followed by practice problems that the system grades automatically. Students can earn a Standard or Honors high school diploma.
How it works
Your child signs in, watches a short video, answers questions and moves on once they show understanding. Courses run on their own pace, and enrollment is open all year, so a student can start the day you sign up. Parents supervise rather than teach: you watch attendance and scores in the parent account, adjust goals and keep your child moving. There are no textbooks; everything is online.
Students cannot skip ahead or jump into the middle of a course. That keeps gaps from forming, but it frustrates kids who already know the material. Because Acellus is a private school, students do not take state tests through it.
What it covers
| Level | Grades | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary | K–5 | Core math, language arts, science and social studies |
| Middle school | 6–8 | Core subjects plus electives |
| High school | 9–12 | Core, electives, AP courses and NCAA-approved core courses |
To graduate, students need 24 credits. At least 6 must come from Acellus, including all of 12th grade, and they must be enrolled at least a year and be 16 or older. Acellus offers no University of California A-G approved courses, which matters for students aiming at UC schools.
Who it's best for
Acellus fits independent students who want an accredited transcript and diploma at a low price, and parents who prefer not to grade. It also suits families who need to start mid-year or work around travel and health needs. Look elsewhere if your child needs live teachers, lively discussion or hands-on projects, or if you want to choose your own books.
Pricing at a glance
Tuition is charged per student, not per course. Basic is $249 a month, or $79 a month with the Roger Billings Scholarship, which requires daily logins, minimum study hours and honest effort. Enhanced ($299) adds a student device and advising, and Premium ($499) adds priority support. Payments are non-refundable. See the Acellus pricing page for the full breakdown.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Acellus says Arizona ESA families can have full tuition paid by the program. Other education savings account programs may allow accredited online school tuition too, but each program decides. Save Acellus to your wishlist and apply once on Edulist to the programs available in your state.
How it compares
Power Homeschool uses the same videos for less money but drops accreditation and the diploma. Time4Learning and Miacademy are more colorful options for younger kids; see Acellus vs Time4Learning and Acellus vs Miacademy. If you want a free, teacher-led public school instead, check K12. Browse more accredited homeschool programs and online high schools.
Who Acellus Academy is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Budget-minded families who need accreditation and a diploma
- Independent students who like short video lessons
- Parents who do not want to grade work
- Students who need to start mid-year
Look elsewhere if
- Kids who need live teachers and discussion
- Families who want a literature-rich or hands-on curriculum
- Students applying to University of California schools, since no A-G courses are offered
Acellus Academy pros and cons
Pros
- Accredited by ACS WASC, with NCAA-approved core courses
- Flat price no matter how many courses or which grade
- Automatic grading and parent dashboard
- Year-round enrollment with immediate start
- Pause or cancel any time
Cons
- Video lessons can feel dry and repetitive
- Students cannot skip ahead or start partway through a course
- Limited live teacher interaction on the Basic plan
- Payments are non-refundable
- Scholarship rate has ongoing effort and login requirements
What’s included
- Accredited by ACS WASC; NCAA-approved high school core courses
- Self-paced video lessons with automatic grading
- One flat monthly tuition for 1 to 6 courses at any grade
- Standard and Honors high school diploma pathways
- Open enrollment year-round
- Works on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android
How much does Acellus Academy cost?
Acellus Academy charges per student, not per course. Basic tuition is $249 a month, reduced to $79 a month for families who select the Roger Billings Scholarship at enrollment. Enhanced ($299 a month) adds a locked-down student device and career academic advising; Premium ($499 a month) adds priority parent and student support. Grade level and the number of courses (1 to 6) do not change the price. Prices as of October 2026.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic with Roger Billings Scholarship | $79/mo | Monthly | $79/mo |
| Basic, regular rate | $249/mo | Monthly | $249/mo |
| Enhanced (adds student device and advising) | $299/mo | Monthly | $299/mo |
| Premium (adds priority support) | $499/mo | Monthly | $499/mo |
Free trial: Acellus does not advertise a free trial; the first payment is due at enrollment.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
Applications are not open on Edulist. Saving a product does not subscribe you or establish eligibility. Visit your wishlist to opt in for updates.
View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Public reviews and parent videos describe Acellus as affordable and low-effort for parents, with kids able to work on their own. The most common complaints are dull, rigid video lessons, glitches and slow support. Acellus has also faced public criticism: KHON2 reported that Hawaii's Department of Education dropped it from public schools after complaints about inappropriate content and questionable rigor.
Common praise
- Students can work independently with little parent teaching
- Short videos suit kids with limited attention spans
- Affordable for an accredited school
Common complaints
- History and science videos described as dry and unengaging
- Cannot skip lessons or videos
- Technical glitches and unhelpful support in some reviews
Sources: everyhomeschool.com · acellus power homeschool review 2026 · brighterly.com · acellus cost
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Acellus Academy FAQs
Is Acellus Academy accredited?
Yes. Acellus Academy is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), and its high school core courses are NCAA-approved. Power Homeschool, which uses the same lessons, is not accredited.
How much does Acellus cost?
Basic tuition is $249 a month, or $79 a month with the Roger Billings Scholarship. Enhanced costs $299 and Premium $499 a month. The price is the same for 1 to 6 courses at any grade (as of October 2026).
What is the difference between Acellus Academy and Power Homeschool?
Both use Acellus video courses. Acellus Academy is an accredited private school that keeps records and issues diplomas. Power Homeschool is a cheaper homeschool curriculum with no accreditation and no diploma, so the parent is the school of record.
Can you get a diploma from Acellus?
Yes. Students need 24 credits, at least 6 earned through Acellus including all of 12th grade, at least one year of enrollment, and a minimum age of 16. There is a $100 graduation application fee.
Does Acellus have a free trial?
Acellus does not advertise a free trial. You can cancel any time, but payments already processed are not refunded, so cancel before the next billing date.
How do I cancel Acellus?
Cancel or pause through the parent account, the Acellus App, by phone or by email before the next payment processes. A paused account stops billing and archives your child's work so you can reactivate later.
Can an ESA pay for Acellus Academy?
Acellus says Arizona ESA families can have full tuition paid. Other states' programs may also allow accredited online school tuition, but each program sets its own rules.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: