Mazzuchelli Catholic Middle School
under 1 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
Private schools in Dubuque, IA
12 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 Dubuque
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.
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades PreK-5 508 students 32.2 students per teacher Roman Catholic Special program emphasis
Wahlert Catholic High School
under 1 mi ✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades PreK-5 291 students 17 students per teacher Roman Catholic
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades K-5 286 students 14.2 students per teacher Roman Catholic
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades 2-5 5 students 5 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited) Grades K-12 181 students 9.1 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational)
✓ Iowa ESA eligible (accredited)
Holy Family Catholic Schools
under 1 mi Grades PreK-12 1,649 students 13.7 students per teacher Roman Catholic
Resurrection School
2 mi Grades PreK-5 290 students 18.4 students per teacher Roman Catholic
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.
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 Dubuque) 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 Dubuque?
We count 12 within 12 miles of downtown Dubuque. Together they enrolled about 3,210 students in the last federal survey (2023-24). The largest is Holy Family Catholic Schools with 1,649 students.
Which Dubuque private schools take Students First ESA?
10 of the 12 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.