Veritas Scholars Academy in Minnesota
Online School in Minnesota
If you’re looking at online schools in Minnesota, you’re weighing your child’s education, faith, and friendships all at once. Veritas Scholars Academy gives Minnesota families live classes with expert teachers and fellow students, a classical Christian education from kindergarten through 12th grade, and an accredited high school diploma, all from home.
- Accredited by Middle States
- Live classes, grades 3-12
- Honors, AP, and dual enrollment
- Every class recorded
- Classical and Christian
- Enroll year-round
On This Page
Classical Christian Education, From the Twin Cities to the North Shore
Some Minnesota families come to VSA after years of homeschooling, looking for expert help as high school approaches. Others are leaving a school that’s no longer the right fit. Whatever brought you here, it’s a big decision, and you deserve a clear picture.
Veritas Press has helped families teach classically for more than 30 years, and Veritas Scholars Academy brings that education into a live online classroom. Students walk through history in order, beginning with Creation, read the great books, learn Latin, and grow in their ability to think, reason, and speak well. Every class is taught from a Christian worldview, by teachers who know their students by name.
Families choose how much VSA to bring home:
- Full-Time Diploma Program. A full course load with VSA, a personal Academic Advisor, and an accredited diploma and transcript at graduation.
- Part-Time live classes. Many Minnesota homeschool families keep teaching most subjects and add a few live courses, often Omnibus, Latin, or upper-level math and science.
An Online High School for Minnesota Students
High school is when many Minnesota families start looking for more: harder courses, a transcript colleges will recognize, and teachers who can take a student further than they’ve gone at home. Those are wise things to want, and they’re what VSA’s Diploma Program is built for.
An Accredited Diploma
Full-Time Diploma students graduate with a diploma and official transcript from a school accredited by the Middle States Association since 2014. Honors, AP, and dual enrollment courses appear on the transcript with a weighted GPA.
Ready for College
VSA graduates have gone on to schools such as Harvard, Hillsdale, Wheaton, Grove City, and New Saint Andrews. Your child’s Academic Advisor helps plan a course of study with their college goals in mind, and seniors finish by writing and defending a thesis.
College Credit and NCAA
Eligible high school students can earn college credit through our dual enrollment partnership with Cairn University. VSA courses are also NCAA-approved (high school code 392122).
What Minnesota Requires of VSA Families
Minnesota asks a little more of homeschool families than many states do, and it’s natural to wonder whether you’ll keep up. The requirements are clear, and VSA does much of the work. In Minnesota, a homeschool is a type of nonpublic school (Minn. Stat. §120A.22).
Families Who Homeschool
A Report, a Letter, and a Yearly Test
- File an initial report with your district superintendent by October 1 of the first year after your child turns 7, or within 15 days of withdrawing from a public school.
- Send a letter of intent each year by October 1.
- Give a nationally norm-referenced achievement test each year and keep the results with your records.
- Keep records showing you’ve taught the required subjects, from reading and math to fine arts, health, and physical education.
Full-Time VSA Students
Confirm Your Path First
How a full-time VSA student fits Minnesota’s categories can depend on how you enroll. Your Family Consultant will walk you through it before you start.
Either way, VSA’s course plans cover Minnesota’s required subjects, and your child’s grades, assignment sheets, and teacher comments make record-keeping straightforward.
Leaving a Minnesota public school? Your initial report is due within 15 days of withdrawing, so talk with a Family Consultant first. Your paperwork and VSA start date should line up. How switching to VSA works
Wondering how other states treat VSA students? Is My Student Considered a Homeschooler When in the Diploma Program?
What VSA Costs for a Minnesota Family
VSA tuition is priced by the course: a live Secondary course is $829 for the year, and a live Grammar course is $729. Full-Time Diploma students add a yearly enrollment fee for advising, records, and transcripts. Here are typical yearly totals.
| Plan | Yearly tuition | Paid in full | Monthly plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Time Grammar3 live courses + 3 You Teach Diploma courses + Premium Diploma enrollment | $2,786 | $2,711 | $884 at registration, then 9 payments of about $211.33 April 1 through December 1 |
| Full-Time Secondary5 live courses + 1 lab science + Premium Diploma enrollment | $5,828 | $5,678 | $1,299 at registration, then 9 payments of about $503.22 April 1 through December 1 |
| Part-Time2 live courses | $1,658 | $1,608 | $190 at registration, then 9 payments of about $163.11 April 1 through December 1 |
Families can pay in full and save on each course, or spread tuition across monthly payments with no interest. Learn about financial aid
Scholarships and Tax Benefits
Ways Minnesota Families Save
Minnesota doesn’t have an education savings account program. Its K-12 education subtraction and credit can cover some homeschool expenses, though the tuition subtraction applies only to schools in Minnesota and nearby states. A tax professional can tell you which Veritas costs qualify, and VSA offers its own scholarships each spring.
A Common Question
“Is Online School in Minnesota Free?”
VSA is a private school, so there is tuition. For the value of that tuition, families receive a classical education taught from a Christian worldview, live classes with teachers who know their students by name, and an accredited diploma.
And because VSA is priced by the course, many families find it costs well under the national average for private school tuition.
What a Week Looks Like for Minnesota Students
Online school can be hard to picture until you see it. Here’s what a typical week looks like.
Live Classes, Twice a Week
Each live course meets twice a week at a set time, with the same teacher and up to 20 classmates all year. Students raise their hands, answer questions, and discuss ideas together.
Never Behind
Every class is recorded. If a blizzard knocks out the power or a hockey tournament takes your student out of town, your child watches the recording and stays on track.
Between classes, much of the work happens with books, paper, and pencil. Younger students sing their way through history and chant their Latin vocabulary. Older students read Homer and Augustine, work through formal logic, and learn to write and defend arguments of their own, the classical stages Dorothy Sayers described in “The Lost Tools of Learning” (1947).
Rigorous, and Never Alone
Parents sometimes wonder whether a classical high school will be too much. It’s a fair question. VSA is rigorous, and the first months can stretch a student. Teachers, Academic Advisors, and Family Consultants work together to find the right challenge for each child, and every live class comes with real classmates working through the same books. Clubs, field trips, and our End-of-Year Gathering bring students together outside class, too.
My son graduated from Veritas last year. He now attends the United States Air Force Academy. His first year at VSA was difficult, but the skills and tools he learned throughout his time there are paying dividends at the Academy.
Michaela R., Veritas parent
Getting Started, One Step at a Time
Talk With a Family Consultant
Tell us about your child and your goals. A Family Consultant replies within 24 hours and can walk you through Minnesota’s requirements alongside your course plan.
Apply and Find the Right Placement
We review your child’s records, and we may ask for a short placement test so your child starts in the right courses.
Take Care of Minnesota Paperwork
If you’re homeschooling, file your initial report with your district superintendent, within 15 days if you’re withdrawing from a public school.
Build Your Child’s Plan
Full-Time students meet with an Academic Advisor to plan their courses and register for classes.
Questions Minnesota Families Ask
Is online school free in Minnesota?
Minnesota has tuition-free public online programs, which follow state standards and teach from a secular perspective. VSA is a private school with tuition, priced by the course, and offers a classical Christian education with live teachers and an accredited diploma. See what VSA costs.
Is VSA an accredited online high school?
Yes. VSA is accredited by the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS). Full-Time Diploma students earn an accredited diploma and an official transcript with honors, AP, and dual enrollment courses and a weighted GPA. Online high school at VSA.
How much does online school cost in Minnesota?
It depends on the school and your child’s plan. At VSA, you pay for each live course, plus a yearly enrollment fee for Full-Time Diploma students. Our tuition calculator shows your real yearly number in a few minutes. Build your child’s plan.
What are Minnesota’s homeschool laws?
A homeschool is a nonpublic school in Minnesota. Families file an initial report with their district superintendent by October 1 of the first year after their child turns 7, or within 15 days of withdrawing from a public school, then a letter of intent each year by October 1. Students take a nationally norm-referenced test each year, and families keep records showing they’ve taught reading, writing, literature, fine arts, math, science, social studies, health, and physical education.
Do I need to file a homeschool report if my child attends VSA?
Families who homeschool and add VSA courses file the initial report and yearly letter of intent with their district superintendent. If your child will attend VSA full-time, your Family Consultant can help you confirm what Minnesota requires for your situation.
Can Minnesota’s K-12 education tax benefits help with VSA?
Minnesota’s K-12 education subtraction and credit can cover some homeschool expenses. The subtraction for private school tuition applies only to schools in Minnesota and nearby states, so it doesn’t cover VSA tuition. A tax professional can tell you which of your Veritas costs qualify.
What time are classes in Minnesota?
Class times are listed in Eastern Time, which is one hour ahead of Minnesota all year. A class listed at 10:00 a.m. starts at 9:00 a.m. in Minnesota. Courses are usually offered at several times, so families can choose what fits.
Can my child start in the middle of the year?
Yes. VSA welcomes new students throughout the year. Students can join classes in progress, catch up with recorded lessons, and work with their teachers on any makeup work. How switching works.
Let’s Build Your Minnesota School Plan Together
A Family Consultant would love to hear your child’s story, walk you through Minnesota’s requirements, and help you find the right next step, whether that’s next month or next fall.
Keep Exploring
More About VSA
Start Any Time
Switching Schools
How families move to VSA mid-year or next fall, from first call to first class.
See how switching works
Real Numbers
Tuition
Build your child’s plan and see a real yearly cost in a few minutes.
Build your plan
Also helpful: Elementary · Middle School · High School · Diploma Program · ESAs and School Choice