Country guides
Homeschooling rules, country by country
Homeschooling is legal everywhere below, but what you must actually do ranges from nothing at all to a formal application with an interview. Pick your country for a plain-language summary of what you owe, to whom, and by when.
These guides are for orientation, not legal advice. Rules change — always confirm your obligations with the authority named on your country’s page before you act.
Where home education is growing fastest
Twelve countries, ordered by search demand
Ranking reflects relative Google search interest for homeschooling terms. The United States has the largest community in absolute numbers; South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have the highest interest per head of population.
United States
Your state Department of Education
Legal in all 50 states, with requirements set state by state rather than federally.
- Community size
- 3.1 million K–12 students
- School year
- August–May (180 instructional days in most states)
South Africa
Provincial Department of Basic Education
Legal and formally recognised under the South African Schools Act, with registration handled provincially.
- Community size
- Over 100,000 registered and unregistered learners
- School year
- January–December, four terms
Australia
State or territory education authority (e.g. NESA, VRQA)
Legal in every state and territory; registration with the state authority is required.
- Community size
- More than 45,000 registered students
- School year
- Late January–December, four terms
New Zealand
Ministry of Education (Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga)
Legal with a Certificate of Exemption granted by the Ministry of Education.
- Community size
- Roughly 10,000 exempted students
- School year
- February–December, four terms
Canada
Provincial Ministry of Education
Legal nationwide; notification and funding rules are set by each province.
- Community size
- Approximately 100,000 students
- School year
- September–June
United Kingdom
Your local authority
Legal as Elective Home Education; parents are responsible for a suitable full-time education.
- Community size
- Over 110,000 children in elective home education
- School year
- September–July, three terms
Ireland
Tusla AEARS
Constitutionally protected; families register with Tusla's Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service.
- Community size
- Around 2,000 registered children
- School year
- September–June
Philippines
Department of Education (DepEd)
Legal through the DepEd Home Education Program, usually via an accredited provider school.
- Community size
- Tens of thousands enrolled through DepEd providers
- School year
- August–May
India
NIOS / chosen examination board
Not separately regulated; families commonly sit NIOS or IGCSE board exams later.
- Community size
- A fast-growing community in metro areas
- School year
- April–March
United Arab Emirates
KHDA, ADEK or the Ministry of Education
Permitted with approval from the relevant education authority in each emirate.
- Community size
- Growing expat and national home-learning community
- School year
- September–June
Singapore
Ministry of Education (MOE)
Requires MOE exemption from Compulsory Education for primary-age children.
- Community size
- A small but highly engaged exemption community
- School year
- January–November
Nigeria
State ministry of education / examination bodies
Not restricted; families often combine home learning with external examinations.
- Community size
- Rapidly expanding urban home-learning community
- School year
- September–July, three terms
Universal advice
The four records that satisfy almost every authority
Whatever your jurisdiction, these four documents answer the overwhelming majority of requests. The families who find compliance stressful are almost always the ones assembling them retrospectively.
Attendance log
Dates and approximate hours. Nothing more elaborate is usually needed.
Written learning plan
Subjects, sequence, materials and assessment method — our scope-and-sequence documents are exactly this.
Work samples
Two or three dated pieces per subject per term is plenty for almost any reviewer.
Assessment results
Quiz and test scores over time, showing progress rather than a single snapshot.