Home education is legal in every Australian state and territory, but the rules are set by each jurisdiction separately, not by the federal government. The last validated national count put 42,452 students in registered home education in 2022, a 110% rise since 2018, and the state figures published since then show the growth has continued. This guide covers the registration authority for each state, the steps to register, curriculum choices, and how International A Level results are converted into a selection rank 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 compulsory schooling window differs by jurisdiction. In New South Wales, children younger than 6 and older than 17 do not need to be enrolled at school or registered for home schooling. In Western Australia the compulsory education period runs from the start of the year a child reaches 5 years and 6 months until the end of the year they reach 17 years and 6 months. South Australia covers children who are at least 6 but not yet 17. Tasmania starts at age 5 on 1 January.
The most important practical implication is this: your state of residence determines the rules you follow. A family in Sydney registers with the NSW Department of Education. A family in Brisbane registers with the Queensland Department of Education's Home Education Unit. 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 registration process. South Australia frames it as an exemption from school attendance rather than registration, but the practical effect is similar. A pre-Covid Australian study by Slater, Burton and McKillop (2022) in Educational Review found that 14.5% of home educated children were not registered. Reviewing national registration data, Couper and Harding (2024) in Issues in Educational Research concluded that the real national figure is likely to be significantly larger than the 42,452 registrations they were able to count.
Most states do not require home educators to follow the Australian Curriculum. New South Wales assesses programmes against NESA's syllabus outcomes. Victoria's standard is "regular and efficient instruction" and the learning plan must cover the eight key learning areas. Queensland is outcomes-based without prescribed materials. Western Australia expects a programme consistent with the Western Australian Curriculum. The Northern Territory requires alignment with curricula approved by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. The result is meaningful latitude for international curricula 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 associations such as 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 | NSW Department of Education, Home Schooling Directorate | Education Act 1990 | Programme assessed against NESA syllabus outcomes; applied for online; Authorised Person review |
| VIC | VRQA | Education and Training Reform Act 2006 | Learning plan covering the eight key learning areas; regular and efficient instruction |
| QLD | Home Education Unit, Department of Education | Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 | Outcomes-based; provisional registration available; annual report |
| WA | Department of Education regional offices | School Education Act 1999 | Home Education Moderator evaluations; programme consistent with the Western Australian Curriculum |
| SA | Department for Education | Education and Children's Services Act 2019 | Exemption from school attendance rather than registration |
| TAS | Office of the Education Registrar (OER) | Education Act 2016 | Application to the Registrar, advised by THEAC; registration visits in person, at an office or by video |
| ACT | ACT Education Directorate | Education Act 2004 | Single-stage registration, decision within 28 days; registration up to two years |
| NT | NT Department of Education | Education Act 2015 | Annual reapplication; curriculum aligned to ACARA-approved material |
New South Wales families should note a change. Home schooling registration moved from NESA to the NSW Department of Education, which now regulates home schooling and issues the certificate of registration. NESA still publishes the syllabuses that educational programmes are assessed against. The Department also consulted on a new home schooling registration policy during 2026; that consultation closed on 10 August 2026 and the existing guidelines remain in force until the new policy is finalised, so check the Department's page for the current requirements before applying.
If you move between states, you will need to re-register with the new authority. Existing registration in New South Wales 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 the International British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel International qualifications, the Australian Curriculum delivered through a registered provider, or a structured international programme such as CambriLearn's US K-12. Most states do not prescribe a specific curriculum, but your application will need to set out what you plan to teach and how.
Use the table above to find your registration body. Each authority has its own application form, documentation requirements and processing timeframe, and these change often enough that it is worth confirming current turnaround times directly. Western Australia has firm deadlines: apply within 14 days of the last day your child attended a WA school, or by the last Friday in February if you are registering for the start of a new school year.
Most authorities require a written learning plan covering the subjects you will teach, the resources you will use, the methods of assessment, and a sample weekly timetable. Some states require photographs of the learning environment. Queensland allows provisional registration so you can start home educating while your full plan is being finalised, and the ACT gives new families a three-month grace period to submit their education plan.
New South Wales: an Authorised Person from the Department of Education reviews your educational program with you. Victoria: assessment of the learning plan by the VRQA. Queensland: written approval once the Home Education Unit has reviewed your plan. Western Australia: an evaluation with your Home Education Moderator, arranged within three months of registration. South Australia: written approval of the exemption application. Tasmania: a meeting with a registration officer in person, at an office or by video. ACT: a videoconference with an Authorised Person within the first three months. Northern Territory: written assessment of the documentation pack.
Once approved you receive a registration certificate, or an exemption letter in South Australia, covering a defined period. Terms vary: New South Wales and the ACT can register for up to two years, the Northern Territory requires annual reapplication, and a Western Australian certificate continues until the child returns to school or leaves the compulsory education period. Most jurisdictions register each child individually, although a Western Australian application may cover more than one child.
If you are enrolling with an online school you need a computer or tablet with reliable internet. The school provides the timetable, the live lessons taught by subject specialists, the materials and the marking. If you are teaching independently, you will 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 indirect support arrangements, such as Western Australia's School of Isolated and Distance Education providing curriculum to remote families, but there is no equivalent of the New Zealand supervisory allowance. The total cost of home education depends on your curriculum choice and the level of teacher support you select.
Most Australian states allow home educators to choose any recognised curriculum, provided the learning plan demonstrates it meets the relevant state's standards. Each pathway leads to different qualifications and different university routes.
| Curriculum | Qualification | Awarding body | Australian university admission | Recognition | Via CambriLearn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International British Curriculum1 | International GCSE, AS and A Level | Cambridge Assessment International Education | Selection rank assessed from A Level results | Recognised by universities worldwide | Yes, written as a private candidate at a registered examination centre |
| Pearson Edexcel | International GCSE, International A Level | Pearson | Selection rank assessed from A Level results | Recognised by universities worldwide | Yes, approved Pearson Edexcel examination centre (No. 94888) |
| US K-12 | US High School Diploma | Cognia | Assessed case by case | United States, NCAA approved | Yes, Cognia accredited |
| CAPS | National Senior Certificate | SACAI | Assessed case by case | Direct entry to South African universities | Yes, billed in ZAR |
| KABV | National Senior Certificate | SACAI | Assessed case by case | Direct entry to South African universities | Yes, Afrikaans medium, billed in ZAR |
| IEB | Grade 10 and Grade 11, on the National Senior Certificate pathway | IEB | Not yet applicable | South Africa | Grade 10 launched 2026, Grade 11 open for 2027 enrolment |
| Australian Curriculum (state senior certificate) | HSC (NSW), VCE (VIC), QCE (QLD), WACE (WA), SACE (SA), TCE (TAS) | State curriculum authority | Direct ATAR through the relevant state centre | Recognised internationally with additional evidence | Not currently offered |
1 CambriLearn teaches the International British Curriculum independently. CambriLearn is not a registered Cambridge school and is not affiliated with Cambridge Assessment International Education.
Why the International British Curriculum is the most common international choice for Australian home educators. A Level results are assessed by Australian tertiary admissions centres and universities and converted into a selection rank, which functions as the ATAR equivalent for admission. Most institutions publish their own conversion, commonly awarding points for each Advanced Level grade across a student's best three or four subjects, with a minimum points requirement set course by course. The University of Sydney, for example, bases admission on results in up to four Advanced Level subjects. Because the scales differ between institutions, check the published requirement for each course rather than assuming a single national table.
For South African families in Australia. Many South African expat families keep CAPS or KABV so that returning to South Africa for university stays open. Both lead to the National Senior Certificate, which provides direct admission to South African universities with no exemption needed. CambriLearn delivers CAPS and KABV to families in Australia and bills these pathways in ZAR. The IEB pathway is newer: Grade 10 launched in 2026 and Grade 11 is open for 2027 enrolment, so there is no IEB matric cohort yet.
For a detailed comparison of how each pathway leads to university admission locally and internationally, see the university pathways guide.
