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Homeschooling in Australia

Homeschooling is legal in every Australian state and territory. Each one runs its own registration, so the rules your family follows depend on where you live.

This guide covers who you register with in each state, what registration involves, how an online school fits in, where to sit A Level exams, and how A Level results become a selection rank for Australian universities.

Book a free consultation Find your state's rules
Australian family working through a home education programme at home
4.8 out of 5 from 386 reviews
  • Legal in every state and territory
  • Each state runs its own registration
  • 13,894 registered in Queensland in August 2026
  • A Levels convert to a university selection rank

Who you register with in each state and territory

Find your state below before you start an application. Each authority sets its own forms, timelines and evidence.

Home education registration authorities, what registration involves and the governing law in each Australian state and territory
State or territoryWho registers youWhat registration involvesLaw
New South WalesNSW Department of EducationYou apply online and an Authorised Person reviews your educational program, which is based on the NSW syllabuses. Registration lasts up to two yearsEducation Act 1990
VictoriaVictorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)You submit a learning plan covering the eight learning areas and confirm each year that home schooling is continuing. The VRQA reviews up to 10% of registrations a yearEducation and Training Reform Act 2006
QueenslandQueensland Home Education, Department of EducationApplying gives you 60 days' provisional registration. You send a summary of your educational program, then a written report on your child's progress each yearEducation (General Provisions) Act 2006
Western AustraliaDepartment of Education, through your regional officeYou register within 14 days of leaving a WA school. A home education moderator evaluates your program and your child's progress against the Western Australian CurriculumSchool Education Act 1999
South AustraliaDepartment for Education, Home Education UnitHome education is an exemption from school attendance, so your child is enrolled at a school first. Your plan covers the eight learning areas, and a home education officer meets you to discuss itEducation and Children's Services Act 2019
TasmaniaOffice of the Education RegistrarYou submit a Home Education Summary and Program each year against 10 standards, and a registration officer visits. There's no requirement to follow the Australian CurriculumEducation Act 2016
Australian Capital TerritoryACT Education DirectorateYou can start once you submit a complete application, and the Directorate tells you within 28 days whether it's approved. Registration lasts up to two yearsEducation Act 2004
Northern TerritoryNT Department of EducationYou need approval every year, and your child stays at school until it's granted. Programs must meet the Australian Curriculum requirements set by ACARAEducation Act 2015

New South Wales moved home schooling from NESA to the Department of Education on 5 May 2025. The Department consulted on a new registration policy in July and August 2026, and the current guidelines apply until it's finalised, so check its page before you apply.

Registration doesn't carry across state borders. If you move, register with the authority in your new state.

What this means for families using an online school

CambriLearn isn't a registered school in any Australian state, so a child who lives in Australia needs home education registration alongside their CambriLearn enrolment.

How NSW describes the enrolment duty

  • Register, then build your plan around your courses

    Most states let families choose their own materials, so CambriLearn's courses can form the core of your educational program. The plan still has to meet your state's requirements, such as the NSW syllabuses or Victoria's eight learning areas.

  • The parent stays responsible

    Home education means the parent takes responsibility for the child's education. In Queensland, home education is provided by a parent or a Queensland registered teacher, so the parent remains accountable for the program even when an online school teaches the lessons.

  • Families on temporary visas

    Many temporary visas carry condition 8517, which requires adequate arrangements for the education of school-age children who are in Australia for more than three months. Queensland's Department of Education says families with this condition must meet the state's compulsory schooling requirements, so check your visa conditions before you start.

  • Families who move between states or countries

    Registration belongs to the state you live in, so a move means registering again. Your CambriLearn enrolment carries on without a break.

Exams and qualifications for home educated students in Australia

Home educated students can work towards a state senior certificate or an international qualification, sat as a private candidate at an exam centre.

Qualification routes for home educated students in Australia, who awards them, how they work, what they are used for and how CambriLearn fits
RouteAwarded byHow it worksUsed forAt CambriLearn
State senior certificate (HSC, VCE, QCE, WACE, SACE, TCE)The state's curriculum authorityEligibility for home educated students differs by state. In the Northern Territory, home education students don't receive the NTCETA direct ATARNot offered
Cambridge International GCSE, AS and A LevelCambridge InternationalSat as a private candidate at an approved Cambridge centre that accepts private candidates, in May/June or October/NovemberA selection rank for Australian universities, and universities abroadTaught on the International British Curriculum
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE and A LevelPearson EdexcelSat as a private candidate at a Pearson centre in Australia that accepts themA selection rank for Australian universities, and universities abroadTaught on the Pearson Edexcel pathway
American High School DiplomaScore Academy Online, a Cognia-accredited schoolEnrol with the school and complete coursework assessed onlineUS colleges, and Australian universities alongside SAT, ACT or AP resultsThrough sister school Score Academy Online on the US K-12 pathway

Cambridge and Pearson exams in Australia are sat at schools that are approved exam centres. Not every centre accepts private candidates, so confirm a centre and your subjects before your child starts a course, using Cambridge's private candidate guidance and Pearson's centre search. Cambridge runs two series a year, in May/June and October/November, and Pearson Edexcel International A Levels add a January series.

South African families who plan to return home can also follow CAPS or KABV, which lead to the National Senior Certificate through SACAI and are billed in rand. Ask a consultant how exams work from Australia before you choose.

How much does homeschooling cost in Australia?

Home educators don't receive an education allowance from the Australian Government, so families pay for their own courses, books and exams.

See every fee on the pricing page

CambriLearn sets its International GCSE and A Level fees per subject in US dollars, and the same fees apply to families in Australia.

CambriLearn 2026 fees for International GCSE and AS or A Level subjects, in US dollars
Level and packagePer subject, per yearPer subject, per month (10 instalments)Typical year
International GCSE, Standard$565$66.67$2,825 for 5 subjects
International GCSE, Premium$1,115$131.57$5,575 for 5 subjects
AS or A Level, Standard$605$71.39$1,815 for 3 subjects
AS or A Level, Premium$1,300$153.40$3,900 for 3 subjects

Paying for the year upfront costs 15.25% less than ten instalments. A once-off registration fee applies to new enrolments. Textbooks aren't included, and exam entries are paid to the exam centre. CambriCommunity clubs, events and meetups come with every enrolment.

Per year figures are the 2026 fees paid upfront, and monthly figures are the same fees paid in ten instalments. Primary, Lower Secondary, US K-12, CAPS and KABV fees, and the few subjects priced separately, are on the pricing page.

Can home educated students go to university in Australia?

Yes. Students with A Levels apply through the state admissions centres, and their results are converted into a selection rank.

UAC's admission criteria

  • A selection rank instead of an ATAR

    Students with an overseas qualification such as A Levels don't receive an ATAR. The admissions centre or university converts their results into a selection rank, and course offers are based on that rank.

  • How A Level grades are counted

    Universities publish their own conversions. The Australian National University's indicative table scores each grade from A* (6) to E (1) across the best three or four subjects, so a rank of 90 needs 15 points from three subjects, such as AAA. ANU counts only exams taken in the same academic year, apart from one subject from the year before or after. The University of Sydney bases admission on up to four A Level subjects.

  • Admissions centres

    Apply through UAC for New South Wales and the ACT, VTAC for Victoria, QTAC for Queensland, SATAC for South Australia and the Northern Territory, and TISC for Western Australia. The University of Tasmania takes applications directly.

  • Universities abroad

    UK universities accept A Levels through UCAS, and the American High School Diploma from Score Academy Online supports applications to US colleges.

Questions parents ask about homeschooling in Australia

If your question isn't here, a consultant can take you through your options in a fifteen-minute call.

Book a free consultation

Is homeschooling legal in Australia?

Yes. Home education is legal in every state and territory, and each runs its own registration. A child of compulsory school age must be enrolled at a registered school or registered for home education in the state where they live.

Who do I register with to homeschool?

It depends on your state: the NSW Department of Education, the VRQA in Victoria, Queensland Home Education, your regional education office in Western Australia, the Department for Education in South Australia, the Office of the Education Registrar in Tasmania, the ACT Education Directorate or the NT Department of Education.

Can my child use an online school instead of registering?

No. CambriLearn isn't a registered school in any Australian state, so a child who lives in Australia needs home education registration too. Families register with their state and use CambriLearn's courses within their educational program.

Do we have to follow the Australian Curriculum?

It depends on the state. Tasmania has no requirement to follow it, Victoria asks for the eight learning areas, NSW programs are based on the NSW syllabuses, Western Australia checks consistency with the Western Australian Curriculum, and the Northern Territory requires programs to meet ACARA requirements.

How long does registration take?

It varies by state. Queensland gives you 60 days' provisional registration once you apply, and the ACT lets you start as soon as you submit a complete application and decides within 28 days. In Western Australia you register within 14 days of leaving a WA school.

Can families on temporary visas homeschool in Australia?

Registration is based on where your child lives. Many temporary visas carry condition 8517, which requires adequate arrangements for the education of school-age children, so check your visa conditions and your state's rules before you start.

Can home educated students get an ATAR?

Students with A Levels or other overseas qualifications don't receive an ATAR. Their results are converted into a selection rank, which universities use in the same way. A state senior certificate such as the HSC or VCE leads to an ATAR, but eligibility for home educated students differs by state.

Where can my child sit A Level exams in Australia?

At a school that's an approved Cambridge or Pearson Edexcel centre and accepts private candidates. Not every centre does, so confirm a centre and your subjects before your child starts a course.

What time are CambriLearn's live lessons in Australia?

Live lessons are timetabled in South African time. Australia is six to nine hours ahead, depending on the state and daylight saving, so lessons fall in the Australian afternoon or evening. Lessons are recorded for students who can't attend.

How much does CambriLearn cost?

International GCSE subjects on the Standard package cost $565 a year each when paid upfront, and AS or A Level subjects cost $605. Exam entries are paid to the exam centre.

Talk to a consultant about your options

Fifteen minutes, no obligation. Tell us your child's age, which state you live in and the qualifications they're aiming for, and a consultant will explain how CambriLearn fits with your state's registration.

Book a free consultation View school fees

Rated 4.8 out of 5 from 386 reviews across Google, HelloPeter, Trustpilot and Facebook, last checked 10 September 2026.

This guide summarises the home education requirements published by each state and territory's registration authority, the national registration figures in Couper and Harding (2024), Issues in Educational Research, volume 34, pages 906 to 927, and Queensland Department of Education data released in September 2026. It is general information rather than legal advice, and requirements change, so check your state authority's current rules before you apply. Last checked 26 September 2026. CambriLearn is Cognia-accredited, an approved Pearson Edexcel centre, and registered with SACAI and the IEB. The US K-12 pathway is delivered through sister school Score Academy Online, which is Cognia-accredited and offers NCAA-approved courses. CambriLearn is not a registered Cambridge school and is not affiliated with Cambridge Assessment International Education.

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