Homeschooling guide by country
Homeschooling is education delivered outside a traditional school, where a parent or guardian takes legal responsibility for their child's learning.
The rules differ sharply by country. South Africa registers home education, Malta licenses it, and Cyprus and Romania don't recognise it at all. This page covers the fundamentals, then links to guides for 30 countries.
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Compare every curriculumWhat is homeschooling?
Homeschooling is education that happens outside a registered school, with the parent or guardian responsible for ensuring the child receives adequate instruction. In many countries, this means registering with a government education department or applying for a licence. In others, home education isn't recognised at all.
In practice, homeschooling looks different in every household. Some parents teach every subject themselves using textbooks and workbooks. Others enrol their child with a curriculum provider that supplies lesson content, assessments and teacher marking. A third group use online schools that deliver live, teacher-led lessons on a structured timetable, where qualified teachers handle the actual instruction.
This last category is where parents most often get confused. How the law treats a child enrolled with an online school like CambriLearn depends on the country. In some, the family registers as home educators alongside the enrolment. In others, an online school on its own doesn't meet compulsory schooling rules. The country guides below set out which applies where you live.
Homeschooling vs online school vs traditional school
Parents searching for homeschooling information often want an online school. Others want to teach their children themselves. The table below separates the three models.
| Feature | Traditional school | Homeschooling (parent-led) | Online school (CambriLearn) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who teaches | Employed teachers at a physical campus | Parent, guardian or hired tutor | Qualified teachers via live & recorded lessons |
| Curriculum | Set by the school | Chosen by parent from approved options | Chosen from accredited options (6 pathways) |
| Daily schedule | Fixed school hours, Mon-Fri | Set by the family | Structured timetable, any location |
| Legal status | Default enrolment | Registration, a licence or an exemption, depending on the country | Depends on the country, so check your country guide |
| Social contact | Built into the school day | Requires deliberate effort | CambriCommunity clubs, events, activities |
| Accreditation | Through the school | Through the exam body (Cambridge, IEB, SACAI) | Accredited by Cognia and Pearson Edexcel, registered with SACAI and the IEB |
| Typical cost | Free at public schools; private fees vary by country | Low: materials and exam fees only | Published per-subject fees |
Fees vary by country, curriculum, grade level and package tier. CAPS and IEB fees are billed in ZAR. International curricula are priced separately. See the pricing page for current rates.
How to start homeschooling
The process varies by country, but four steps apply almost everywhere.
Find your country guide1. Check the law where you live
The rules range from a constitutional right in Ireland to registration in South Africa and Australia, a licence in Malta, and no recognition at all in countries such as Cyprus and Romania. In South Africa, the BELA Act (signed into law in September 2024, amending the South African Schools Act of 1996) requires parents to register home education with their Provincial Education Department. In the UK, home education is legal, and the steps to take a child out of school differ in each nation. Each country guide below covers the exact process.
2. Choose a curriculum
Your curriculum determines what your child studies, what exams they sit, and which universities will recognise the qualification. The main options are national curricula (CAPS in South Africa, the National Curriculum in England) and international curricula (the International British Curriculum with International GCSEs and A Levels, Pearson Edexcel, IEB, or the US K-12 diploma). If you plan to use an online school, they'll guide you through this decision.
3. Register, apply or confirm your options
Where home education is allowed, most countries ask for registration or a licence, from Tusla in Ireland to the DQSE in Malta. Where it isn't, as in Spain or Romania, an online school on its own doesn't meet compulsory schooling rules, and the country guide explains which options remain. The country guides below cover each case.
4. Set up for learning
Your child needs a quiet workspace, a reliable internet connection (if using an online provider), and a daily routine. If you're enrolling with an online school, the school provides the timetable, lesson materials, and teacher support. If you're teaching independently, you'll need to source textbooks, plan lessons and manage assessment yourself.
Which curricula can homeschooled students follow?
The curriculum you choose shapes your child's qualification, exam schedule, and the universities open to them after graduation.
| Curriculum | Origin | Used for | Key exams | Via CambriLearn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAPS | South Africa | South African university admission | NSC matric (via SACAI or IEB) | Yes |
| IEB | South Africa | South African university admission | NSC matric (via IEB) | Yes |
| International British | UK / Global | UK and international university applications | International GCSE, AS Level, A Level | Yes, private candidate exams |
| Pearson Edexcel | UK / Global | UK and international university applications | International GCSE, International A Level | Yes, approved centre |
| US K-12 | United States | US college applications, NCAA | US High School Diploma | NCAA-approved courses |
| KABV | South Africa | South African university admission | NSC matric (Afrikaans) | Yes |
Students on the International British Curriculum sit Cambridge examinations as private candidates at registered centres, and CambriLearn prepares them for those exams. For Pearson Edexcel, CambriLearn is an approved centre.
For a detailed comparison of how each pathway leads to university admission, see the university pathways guide.
Homeschooling laws by country
Legal status, registration process, curriculum requirements, exam options, costs and how CambriLearn supports families in each country.
Australia
Legal with registration in every state and territory. Families using CambriLearn still register for home education with their state.
Read guideBotswana
No compulsory school age is set in law, and there's no formal home education framework.
Read guideBrazil
School enrolment is compulsory from age 4, with no exemption for families using a foreign online school.
Read guideCyprus
Not permitted as a family choice. Attendance at a registered school is compulsory until a child completes gymnasium or turns 15.
Read guideEgypt
Parents of Egyptian children must enrol them in basic education. Home study runs through the national manazel system.
Read guideHong Kong
Allowed case by case. The Education Bureau assesses each family that wants to home-school.
Read guideIndia
Not banned, but the RTE Act still applies. NIOS and international boards certify home-educated students.
Read guideIndonesia
Legal under the 2003 national education law. Home schools register with the district or city education office.
Read guideIreland
A constitutional right. Families register with Tusla and can start once Tusla confirms the application is valid.
Read guideKenya
The Basic Education Act 2013 requires children living in Kenya to attend a school or an institution the Cabinet Secretary authorises.
Read guideLatvia
Family learning runs through a Latvian school, and 2026 amendments tighten it for grades 1 to 6.
Read guideMalaysia
Malaysian citizen children must be enrolled at school unless the Minister grants an exemption.
Read guideMalta
Legal with a DQSE home education licence, renewed each year and delivered by a warranted teacher.
Read guideMauritius
School attendance is compulsory until the end of the year a child turns 16, under the Education Act 1957.
Read guideNamibia
Legal with registration. Parents apply directly to the Ministry of Education under the Basic Education Act 2020.
Read guideNew Zealand
Legal under the Education and Training Act 2020. Section 38 exemption from the Ministry of Education required.
Read guideNigeria
The UBE Act 2004 requires regular attendance at school for primary and junior secondary education.
Read guidePakistan
No national homeschooling law. Article 25-A and provincial compulsory education acts apply, and some place duties on parents.
Read guidePortugal
Legal under Decree-Law 70/2021, with the child enrolled at a Portuguese school throughout.
Read guideQatar
Law No. 25 of 2001 makes education compulsory for all children from age 6, with no published home education route.
Read guideRomania
Not recognised. Law 198/2023 requires attendance at a school in the Romanian system throughout compulsory education.
Read guideSaudi Arabia
The 2026 General Education Law makes education compulsory from 6 to 15 and in person, from January 2027.
Read guideSingapore
Citizen children must attend a national primary school unless MOE grants an exemption. Permanent residents aren't covered.
Read guideSouth Africa
Legal with registration. The BELA Act requires home education to be registered from Grade R to Grade 9.
Read guideSpain
Schooling at a recognised centre is compulsory from 6 to 16, and the Constitutional Court upheld the duty in 2010.
Read guideThailand
Legal with registration through the Educational Service Area Office, and the rules apply to expat families too.
Read guideUAE
Federal Decree-Law No. 39 of 2022 requires resident families to enrol children, compulsory for non-citizens until the end of primary.
Read guideUnited Kingdom
Legal across the UK. The steps to take a child out of school differ in each nation.
Read guideUnited States
Legal in all 50 states. Requirements vary by state.
Read guideZambia
The Education Act 2011 requires enrolment at an educational institution, with no published home education exemption.
Read guideCan't find your country?
CambriLearn supports families in 100+ countries. If yours isn't listed here, our team can walk you through the local rules and exam requirements.
Book a consultationTalk it through with a consultant
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This page summarises the published homeschooling rules in each country. It is general information rather than legal advice, and the rules and deadlines change, so check the current requirements with your local education authority before you take your child out of school. Last checked 27 September 2026. CambriLearn is accredited by Cognia and Pearson Edexcel, registered with SACAI and the IEB, and NCAA approved. CambriLearn is not a registered Cambridge school and is not affiliated with Cambridge Assessment International Education.