Home Education in Australia

Home Education is legal in every state of Australia, although the regulations and laws governing the home education provisions vary between states.

Australian Capital Territory

In the ACT, parents have the right to choose a suitable educational environment that will provide a high quality education for their children.
Home education is a choice recognised in the Education Act 2004.
Details on how to register your child for Home Education in the Australian Capital Territory is at: www.det.act.gov.au

New South Wales

Home schooling, also called home education, is education delivered in a child’s home by a parent or guardian, under the Education Act 1990.
Registration with the Board of Studies NSW is a legal requirement for home schooling while a child is of compulsory school age and not enrolled in a school. This can be arranged at: www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

Northern Territory

If you wish to educate your child at home, in the Northern Territory, you must complete an application form available from www.det.nt.gov.au.  Children should not be removed from school until an interim approval confirmation has been received in writing.

Queensland

Home Education is a lawful alternative when considering the education of children of compulsory school age, or in the compulsory participation phase, in Queensland. A parent needs to apply for and be granted registration for their child to be eligible for Home Education.
More information on this can be found at: education.qld.gov.au

South Australia

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In South Australia, parents may choose to educate their children at home rather than accessing a school based education program. More details at: www.decs.sa.gov.au

Tasmania

The Tasmanian Home Education Advisory Council provides information on matters to do with home education, and to register and monitor individual home education programs.  More details at: www.theac.org.au

Victoria

All parents living in Victoria, who want to home school a child of compulsory school age (6 – 17 years of age), or a child who turns 6 during the year, must register their child with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
More details at: www.vrqa.vic.gov.au

Western Australia

You must register as a home educator if you choose to home educate your child during the compulsory education period, and you are a permanent Australian resident, a New Zealand citizen or the holder of visitor or temporary resident visa as specified in the Enrolment policy.
More information at: www.det.wa.edu.au

The following figures are the estimates of the numbers of children being home educated throughout Australia:

The source of the above is the Home Education Association, a valuable resource for those considering this education path.