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Homeschooling in Brazil occupies a legal grey area. The STF (Supreme Court) ruled in 2018 that home education is not unconstitutional, but that federal legislation is needed before it can be practised legally. That legislation has not yet been passed. Despite this, the Brazilian National Association for Homeschooling (ANED) estimates that 35,000+ students are being educated at home by their families. For expat families, the situation is different. This guide covers the legal position, the pending legislation, options for expat families, and curriculum pathways.
The short answer: it is not explicitly prohibited, but it is not yet legally authorised either. Brazilian families who homeschool operate in a legal grey area.
In September 2018, the STF (Supremo Tribunal Federal, Brazil's Supreme Court) ruled in RE 888815 that homeschooling does not violate the Brazilian Constitution, but that it requires federal legislation to regulate it before families can practise it legally. Without that legislation, school enrolment remains compulsory under the Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDB, Law 9,394/1996) and the Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente (ECA, Law 8,069/1990).
In May 2022, the Brazilian Lower House (Câmara dos Deputados) passed PL 1338/2022, a bill that would formally regulate homeschooling (educação domiciliar). The bill then moved to the Senate (Senado Federal), where it remains under consideration. Senator Professora Dorinha Seabra has been named rapporteur. As of early 2026, the bill had not been voted on by the full Senate. If passed and signed into law, it would establish registration requirements, curriculum standards, periodic assessments and oversight mechanisms.
In March 2025, the STF's First Chamber unanimously struck down a Distrito Federal law that had authorised homeschooling within the Federal District. The decision reinforced the 2018 ruling: only federal legislation can create a legal framework for home education. State and district-level laws cannot fill the gap.
Legal risk for Brazilian citizens. Families who homeschool without the federal legislation in place face potential consequences. The Penal Code classifies failure to provide formal schooling as "abandono intelectual" (intellectual abandonment). Guardianship Councils (Conselhos Tutelares) and Public Prosecutors (Ministério Público) have pursued cases against homeschooling families. Despite this, ANED reports that thousands of Brazilian families continue to homeschool. Families considering this path should seek independent legal counsel before proceeding.
The legal position for non-Brazilian residents is different. Compulsory schooling laws in Brazil apply to Brazilian citizens and permanent residents within the Brazilian education system. Expat families on temporary visas who enrol their children with an accredited international school based outside Brazil are not subject to the same compulsory enrolment requirements. Many expat families in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and other major cities use international online schools to maintain curriculum continuity with their home country while living in Brazil.
ANED (Associação Nacional de Educação Domiciliar). The Brazilian National Association for Homeschooling is the main advocacy and support organisation for home-educating families in Brazil. ANED provides legal guidance, connects families, and tracks the progress of homeschooling legislation through Congress. Visit aned.org.br for the latest updates on the federal bill and legal developments.
Expat families in Brazil have the freedom to choose any accredited international curriculum. The process is straightforward compared to the legal complexity facing Brazilian citizens.
Select an accredited international curriculum. CambriLearn offers Cambridge* International GCSEs and A-Levels, Pearson Edexcel, and a US K-12 diploma programme (Cognia accredited, NCAA approved). The school provides the curriculum, teaching, materials and assessment. Your child follows the same programme they would follow in the UK, US, South Africa or anywhere else.
CambriLearn students in Brazil sit Cambridge* and Pearson Edexcel examinations at British Council centres or registered Cambridge exam centres in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and other major cities. US curriculum students earn their diploma through CambriLearn's Cognia-accredited programme without a separate exam sitting. For exam centre locations, see the exam centres page.
A quiet workspace and a reliable internet connection. Brazil has strong broadband coverage in urban areas. CambriLearn's live lessons are timetabled and taught by qualified teachers. Time zone differences between Brazil (GMT-3) and CambriLearn's primary teaching schedule are manageable, and recorded lessons are available for catch-up.
Expat families can follow any international curriculum. Brazilian families who homeschool (accepting the legal risks) also have access to international curricula alongside the national BNCC.
| Curriculum | Qualification | Brazilian University Admission | International Recognition | Via CambriLearn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNCC (National) | Ensino Médio certificate | Via ENEM (national exam) | Brazil, limited international | No |
| Cambridge Int.* | Int. GCSE, AS, A-Level | Accepted by leading Brazilian universities | 160+ countries | Yes, private candidate exams |
| Pearson Edexcel | Int. GCSE, Int. A-Level | Accepted by leading Brazilian universities | 80+ countries | Yes, accredited centre |
| US K-12 | US High School Diploma | Accepted with credential evaluation | US, NCAA approved | Yes, Cognia accredited |
University admission in Brazil. Brazilian universities that accept international qualifications include USP, Unicamp, PUC and FGV, among others. Students with Cambridge* A-Levels or Edexcel International A-Levels typically need to have their credentials evaluated by the university's international admissions office. Some institutions also accept results from the ENEM (Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio) as an alternative entry pathway. Expat students planning to study outside Brazil can apply directly with their international qualifications.
CambriLearn prepares students for Cambridge* examinations as private candidates and holds accredited centre status for Pearson Edexcel. For exam centre locations in Brazil, see the exam centres page.
