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Home education is legal in every Australian state and territory, but the rules are set by each jurisdiction separately, not by the federal government. 42,452 students were registered as home-educated nationally in 2022, a 110% increase since 2018, and numbers have continued to climb. This guide covers the registration authority for each state, the steps to register, curriculum choices, and how Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel qualifications convert to an ATAR for Australian university admission.
Yes. Home education is a legally recognised alternative to school enrolment in every Australian state and territory. There is no national framework. Each state and territory has its own legislation, its own registration authority, and its own assessment criteria. The age of compulsory schooling varies between 5 and 6 at the lower end and 17 at the upper end depending on jurisdiction.
The most important practical implication is this: your state of residence determines the rules you follow. A family in Brisbane registers with the Queensland Department of Education's Home Education Unit. A family in Sydney registers with NESA. A family in Melbourne registers with the VRQA. Moving between states means re-registering with the new authority.
Most Australian states treat home education as a notification or registration process. South Australia frames it as an exemption from school attendance rather than registration, but the practical effect is similar. According to Couper and Harding (2024) in Issues in Educational Research, around 14.5% of Australian home-educated students are estimated to be unregistered, so the true national figure is likely higher than the 42,452 reported across state systems in 2022.
Most states do not require home educators to follow the Australian Curriculum. Victoria's standard is "regular and efficient instruction." NSW provides outcomes through NESA's syllabus statements. Queensland is outcomes-based without prescribed materials. The Northern Territory does require alignment with ACARA-approved curricula. Western Australia's framework expects coverage of eight learning areas. The result is wide latitude for international curricula like Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel in most jurisdictions.
Strong national community. The Home Education Association (HEA) is the leading national body and a good first stop for families researching their options. State-based associations like Home Education Network (Victoria), QHEA (Queensland), and Sydney Home Education Network (NSW) provide jurisdiction-specific registration guidance and connect families with experienced home educators in their area.
Every state and territory has a separate home education registration authority and its own legislation. Find yours below before starting an application.
| State / Territory | Registration Authority | Governing Act | Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | NESA Homeschooling Unit | Education Act 1990 | Outcomes via NESA syllabus statements; up to 2 years registration |
| VIC | VRQA | Education and Training Reform Act 2006 | "Regular and efficient instruction"; online application |
| QLD | Home Education Unit (Dept. of Education) | Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 | Outcomes-based; portfolio at annual review |
| WA | Department of Education (regional offices) | School Education Act 1999 | Home Education Moderator visits; eight learning areas |
| SA | Department for Education | Education and Children's Services Act 2019 | Exemption from school attendance (not registration) |
| TAS | Office of the Education Registrar (OER) | Education Act 2016 | Application via OER; THEAC advisory; visits in person, office or by video |
| ACT | Education Directorate Liaison Unit | Education Act 2004 | 6-month provisional registration; home visit at month 5 |
| NT | NT Department of Education | Education Act 2015 | Annual reapplication; ACARA-aligned curriculum required |
If you move between states, you will need to re-register with the new authority. Existing registration in NSW does not carry across to Queensland or Victoria. Allow several weeks for the new application to be processed before withdrawing your existing registration.
The HEA's national overview at hea.edu.au maintains current registration guides for each jurisdiction and is updated more frequently than most government pages.
The process differs in detail between states, but the underlying steps are similar everywhere.
Decide what your child will study. The most common choices for Australian home educators are Cambridge International qualifications, Pearson Edexcel International qualifications, the Australian Curriculum delivered through a registered provider, or a structured international programme like CambriLearn's British curriculum or US K-12. Most states do not prescribe a specific curriculum, but your application will need to outline what you plan to teach and how.
Use the state authority table above to find your registration body. Each authority has its own application form, documentation requirements, and processing timeframe. NSW currently has wait times exceeding ten weeks; Queensland and Victoria typically process within four to eight weeks. WA, ACT and Tasmania involve in-person or video meetings with a moderator or registration officer.
Most authorities require a written learning plan that covers the subjects you'll teach, the resources you'll use, the methods of assessment, and a sample weekly timetable. Some states (NT, ACT) require photographs of the learning environment. Some states (Queensland) allow provisional registration so you can start home educating while your full plan is being finalised.
NSW: an Authorised Person (AP) visit at home or by video. Victoria: documentation review. Queensland: written approval after the HEU reviews your plan. WA: Home Education Moderator visit. SA: written approval of the exemption application. Tasmania: in-person or video meeting with a registration officer. ACT: home visit at month 5 of provisional registration. NT: written assessment of the documentation pack.
Once approved, you receive a registration certificate (or exemption letter in SA) covering a defined period. Renewals vary from 12 months (most states) to 24 months (NSW for second and subsequent registrations). Each child needs their own registration; there is no family-wide registration.
If you're enrolling with an online school, you need a computer or tablet with reliable internet. The school provides the timetable, lessons and materials. If you're teaching independently, you'll source textbooks, set up a workspace, and establish a routine that fits your family.
No federal homeschooling allowance. Unlike New Zealand, Australia does not provide a federal supervisory allowance to home educating families. Some states have small support arrangements (e.g. WA's School of Isolated and Distance Education provides curriculum to remote families), but there is no equivalent of the NZ supervisory allowance. Total cost of home education depends entirely on your curriculum choice and the level of teacher support you select.
Most Australian states allow home educators to choose from any recognised curriculum, provided your learning plan demonstrates it meets the relevant state's standards. Each pathway leads to different qualifications and university routes.
| Curriculum | Qualification | Exam Body | AU University Admission | International Recognition | Via CambriLearn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Int. | International GCSE, AS, A-Level | Cambridge Assessment | ATAR equivalent via TAC conversion | 160+ countries | Yes — private candidate exams |
| Pearson Edexcel | Int. GCSE, Int. A-Level | Pearson | ATAR equivalent via TAC conversion | 80+ countries | Yes — accredited centre |
| Australian Curriculum (state senior cert) | HSC (NSW), VCE (VIC), QCE (QLD), WACE (WA), SACE (SA), TCE (TAS) | State curriculum authority | Direct ATAR via state TAC | Recognised internationally with effort | No — not currently offered |
| US K-12 | US High School Diploma | Cognia | Recognised (case by case) | US, NCAA approved | Yes — Cognia accredited |
| CAPS | NSC matric | SACAI or IEB | Recognised (case by case) | South Africa direct | Yes — billed in ZAR |
| IEB | NSC matric | IEB | Recognised (case by case) | South Africa direct | Yes — billed in ZAR |
Why Cambridge is the most common international choice for Australian home educators. Cambridge A-Levels convert to an ATAR equivalent through every Australian state Tertiary Admissions Centre (UAC, VTAC, QTAC, SATAC, TISC, and the University of Tasmania). The widely-used ANU and University of Sydney conversion table awards points per A-Level grade (A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1) using a student's best three or four subjects. Minimum entry rankings range from 12 points (around BBB, equivalent to ATAR ~80) to 17 points (A*A*A, ATAR ~99) depending on the course. All Australian universities — Group of Eight, ATN, IRU and regional — accept Cambridge qualifications through this route.
For South African families in Australia. Many South African expat families maintain CAPS or IEB to keep the option of returning to South Africa for university. Both lead to the National Senior Certificate (NSC) which provides direct admission to South African universities with no exemption needed. CambriLearn delivers CAPS and IEB to families in Australia and bills these pathways in ZAR.
For a detailed comparison of how each pathway leads to university admission locally and internationally, see the university pathways guide.
