Enlightium Academy
An accredited Christian private school based in Spokane, Washington, serving homeschool and online students in PreK–12. Online courses for grades 3–12 are self-paced with teacher grading, counselors and optional live sessions; a BJU Press book-based program covers PreK–5.
What is Enlightium Academy?
Enlightium Academy is an accredited Christian private school based in Spokane, Washington. It serves homeschool, online and co-op students in PreK through 12th grade. It's the flagship school of the Enlightium School System Agency, which also runs Enlightium Prep.
The idea is a middle path between homeschooling and a full online school. Students work mostly at their own pace, but real teachers grade their work, a counselor tracks credits, and graduates earn an accredited diploma.
How it works
Online courses for grades 3–12 run on Ignitia or Canvas. Students read, watch lessons, complete assignments and take quizzes on their own schedule. Teachers grade work and give feedback, and every family gets an academic counselor.
What changes between tiers is how much live help you get:
- Standard: self-paced coursework, teacher grading, recorded live sessions and office hours.
- Priority: adds optional weekly live classes and faster teacher replies.
- Expanded: adds 1:1 tutoring and phone support.
- Prep Online: adds video teacher support, a daily live study hall and Friday enrichment.
Enrollment is year-round. Parents act as coaches: checking progress reports, keeping kids on pace and stepping in when a student stalls.
What it covers
| Program | Grades | Format |
|---|---|---|
| BJU Press book-based | PreK–5 | Printed BJU Press books with school records |
| Online elementary | 3–5 | Self-paced online courses |
| Online middle school | 6–8 | Self-paced online courses |
| Online high school | 9–12 | Core, electives, honors, AP and dual enrollment |
Who it's best for
Enlightium fits Christian families who want accreditation and a diploma without the price of a premium private school. It works best for students who can manage their own time. Secular families, kids who need daily live teaching, or families wanting a free public option should look elsewhere. Browse more Christian homeschool programs and accredited options.
Pricing at a glance
For 2026–27, online tuition ranges from $2,100 (Standard, grades 3–5) to $4,700 (Expanded, high school), plus a $250 enrollment fee. Family, military, ministry and prepay discounts are available, and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Often, yes. Enlightium lists itself as an approved provider for Arizona ESA, Florida's Step Up For Students scholarships, Texas TEFA and North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship. Each program decides what it pays for, so confirm before you enroll. Save Enlightium to your wishlist and apply once on Edulist to the scholarships that fit your state.
How it compares
- Liberty University Online Academy is another accredited Christian online school with a larger course catalog.
- Bridgeway Academy offers accredited Christian homeschool options with more curriculum choice.
- Power Homeschool and Acellus are cheaper video-based options, but with less teacher involvement.
- BJU Press Homeschool and Abeka suit families who want the curriculum without enrolling in a school.
See the full list of best online homeschool programs.
Who Enlightium Academy is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Christian families who want an accredited diploma at a moderate price
- Self-motivated students in grades 3–12 who like working at their own pace
- Families using an ESA or state scholarship toward a private school
- Students who want AP or dual enrollment from home
Look elsewhere if
- Secular families or those who don't want a Bible-based worldview
- Students who need daily live teaching (unless you buy a higher tier)
- Kids who struggle with time management in self-paced courses
- Families who want a free public online school
Enlightium Academy pros and cons
Pros
- Accredited by Cognia and ACSI, NCAA approved, College Board AP school
- Real teachers grade work, plus a dedicated academic counselor
- Lower tuition than many accredited private online schools
- Clear support tiers, so you only pay for live help if you need it
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Listed as accepting several state programs, including Arizona ESA and Florida scholarships
Cons
- Standard tier has no required live classes; students can feel isolated
- Some parents report onboarding confusion with many platforms and logins
- Some reviewers say teacher replies can be slow and workload heavy
- Pricing for some tiers appears inconsistently on the site
- Online courses start at grade 3; younger kids use the book-based program
What’s included
- Self-paced online courses on Ignitia or Canvas, grades 3–12
- Teacher grading, academic counselor and recorded live sessions
- Tiered packages adding weekly live classes and 1:1 tutoring
- Honors, AP and dual enrollment options
- Accredited by Cognia and ACSI; NCAA and College Board AP approved
- BJU Press book-based program for PreK–5
- Year-round, rolling enrollment
How much does Enlightium Academy cost?
Enlightium's 2026–27 tuition is tiered by support level and grade band. Standard (self-paced with teacher grading and a counselor): $2,100 for grades 3–5, $2,500 for 6–8, $2,800 for 9–12. Priority (adds optional weekly live sessions and faster teacher replies): $2,700, $3,200 and $3,700. Expanded (adds 1:1 tutoring and phone support): $3,500, $4,100 and $4,700. Priority and Expanded are 20% off if prepaid. The BJU Press book-based program for PreK–5 is listed at $1,050 a year, though another spot on the site lists $1,500. A Prep Online tier is also listed; its price appears inconsistently on the site, so confirm it with admissions.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard, grades 3–5 | $2,100/yr | Yearly | $175/mo |
| Standard, grades 6–8 | $2,500/yr | Yearly | $208.33/mo |
| Standard, grades 9–12 | $2,800/yr | Yearly | $233.33/mo |
| Priority, grades 9–12 | $3,700/yr | Yearly | $308.33/mo |
| Expanded, grades 9–12 | $4,700/yr | Yearly | $391.67/mo |
| BJU Press book-based, PreK–5 | $1,050/yr | Yearly | $87.50/mo |
Free trial: No free trial, but Enlightium offers a 30-day money-back guarantee that starts when the student gets course access.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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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 on Trustpilot are mostly positive. Parents most often praise responsive teachers and counselors, the Christian content and the flexibility to work ahead. The recurring complaints are onboarding overload, occasional slow teacher replies, quiz lockouts and heavy reading or project loads.
Common praise
- Teachers, counselors and billing staff respond quickly
- Christian perspective woven into lessons
- Flexibility to set the pace and work ahead, with weekly progress reports
- Feels more personal than larger online schools
Common complaints
- Too many platforms, logins and emails at the start
- Teacher replies sometimes slow, even on paid support tiers
- Quiz or test lockouts with little explanation
- Heavy daily reading and frequent projects
Sources: trustpilot.com · enlightiumacademy.com · niche.com · reviews
Enlightium Academy family reviews
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Enlightium Academy FAQs
Is Enlightium Academy accredited?
Yes. Enlightium says it is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and approved by the Washington State Board of Education. It is also NCAA approved and a College Board AP school.
How much does Enlightium Academy cost?
For 2026–27, online tuition runs from $2,100 a year (Standard, grades 3–5) to $4,700 (Expanded, grades 9–12). New students pay a $250 enrollment fee. Family, military and prepay discounts can lower the price.
Is Enlightium Academy legit?
Yes. It is an accredited private Christian school based in Spokane, Washington, and its sister school Enlightium Prep has held Cognia accreditation since 2012. Public reviews on Trustpilot are largely positive.
Does Enlightium have live classes?
The Standard tier is self-paced with recorded live sessions and office hours. Priority adds optional weekly live sessions, and Expanded adds 1:1 tutoring. The Prep Online tier adds a daily live study hall and Friday enrichment.
Can I use an ESA or scholarship to pay for Enlightium?
Enlightium lists itself as an approved provider for programs including Arizona ESA, Florida Step Up For Students, Texas TEFA and North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship. Your program decides what it will cover, so check its rules before enrolling.
What curriculum does Enlightium use?
Online courses run on Ignitia or Canvas with Christian content. The PreK–5 book-based program uses BJU Press materials, with teacher books included and student books bought separately.
Will my child be a homeschooler or a private school student?
Enrolled students are private school students of Enlightium, but some states may still treat them as homeschoolers. Check your state's rules on our homeschool law pages.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: