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Homeschooling is legal in Canada, with different requirements in each province and territory. Start with the rules where your child lives, then choose a learning programme and qualification route that meet your family’s goals.
This guide covers local registration and approval processes, curriculum choices, costs, online schooling, high school qualifications and university applications.
Cognia-accredited online school Approved Pearson Edexcel centre, International GCSE to A Level
- 10 provinces, 3 territories
- Local requirements apply
- Plan the qualification route
- Official sources linked
Is homeschooling legal in Canada?
Yes. All 10 provinces and three territories provide a route for home education, subject to their own requirements.
Canada has no single national homeschooling registration process. Provincial and territorial rules determine how families notify, register or seek approval, what they must teach and how progress is monitored. Compulsory school ages also vary, so check the rules for your child’s age and place of residence.
The process can be quite different across a provincial border. Ontario’s policy uses written notification; British Columbia requires annual registration; Québec requires a learning project and ongoing monitoring. Use the local rules before withdrawing a child from school.
The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada explains how responsibility for education is divided across the country.
Homeschooling laws by province and territory
Start with the authority where your child lives. These are practical summaries; the linked official guidance sets out the full process.
| Province or territory | How the local process works |
|---|---|
| Alberta | Choose a supervised programme through a willing school authority, or the unsupervised, notification-only route through the Ministry. Notify annually. Funding eligibility and supervision differ between the two routes. |
| British Columbia | Register with an eligible BC school by 30 September each year. Registered homeschooling is distinct from enrolment in a provincial online learning programme. |
| Manitoba | Notify the Homeschooling Office annually. Returning families submit by 1 September; new families notify within 30 days of establishing their homeschool. Progress reports are due by 31 January and 30 June. |
| New Brunswick | Submit an exemption application to your school district every year. The district reviews it and sends it to the Minister for approval. Parents must provide effective instruction and cover the required core areas. |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Seek approval through NLSchools or the Conseil scolaire francophone provincial (CSFP). Approval must be renewed each year. Use the regional contacts to confirm the application process. |
| Nova Scotia | Register with the Department annually, by 20 September for a full school year. For a mid-year start, register before beginning home education. Submit a progress report in June. |
| Ontario | PPM 131 advises written notification to the school board. For continuing home education, notify each year before 1 September. Boards normally accept this as evidence of satisfactory instruction; concerns can trigger an investigation. |
| Prince Edward Island | Notify the education department of your intention to home educate before the school year starts. Ask for the current notice-of-intent form and guidance if changing arrangements during the year. |
| Québec | Submit annual notice by 1 July, or within 10 days of leaving school. Submit and begin the learning project by 30 September, or within 30 days of leaving school. Reporting, evaluation and monitoring requirements also apply. |
| Saskatchewan | Register with your resident school division. Submit the home-based education notification and a written education plan. Confirm the division’s deadlines, plan requirements and reporting arrangements. |
| Northwest Territories | Register with your local school before starting. Agree assessment arrangements with the principal or designate, provide a learning plan and evidence of progress, and meet the Minister’s curriculum standards. |
| Nunavut | Register through your local school and obtain approval from the District Education Authority (DEA) for the homeschooling programme. Contact the community school to discuss the proposed arrangements. |
| Yukon | Follow the territory’s registration route through Aurora School for English home education, or École Nomade for French First Language. The services help families meet educational planning and assessment requirements. |
Annual deadlines do not describe every mid-year situation. If you are moving, changing schools or starting after the usual date, ask the relevant authority which procedure applies before making the change.
How to start homeschooling in Canada
Set up the legal arrangements, the learning programme and the qualification plan together.
- Identify your local process. Use the province or territory links above. Confirm the relevant school board, school division, department or education authority, including any language-specific route.
- Complete the required notification, registration or approval. Use current forms and keep copies of submissions and replies. Tell your child’s current school about the change and establish when the new arrangement can begin.
- Choose a programme that fits the requirements. List subjects, resources, teacher support, assessments and any required learning outcomes. Add local content or language study where the rules require it.
- Keep a record of learning. Save work samples, reading lists, course outlines and assessment results. Schedule required reports and meetings, and review progress regularly.
- Plan the next transition. For older students, confirm the intended school-leaving qualification, exam arrangements and university prerequisites. For a return to school, ask how placement and credits will be assessed.
Build a weekly routine that includes adult support, independent practice and time with other children. Local clubs, sports, libraries and community activities can help families maintain those relationships.
Choosing a curriculum and keeping records
There is no single Canadian homeschool curriculum that satisfies every jurisdiction automatically.
Check required subjects and outcomes before buying a programme. For example, BC’s registered homeschool programme is not required to meet provincial curriculum standards, while the Northwest Territories requires the programme to meet the Minister’s curriculum standards. Québec specifies competencies that the learning project must address and requires applicable ministerial examinations.
A useful plan sets out what your child will study, how learning will be supported and how progress will be demonstrated. Keep course descriptions, completed work, reading records and assessment results together. These can support required reporting, a school transfer or a later university application.
Ask the responsible authority how it treats an international curriculum and what additional subjects, language work or assessments are needed. Match the programme to the child’s current level as well as their longer-term qualification goals.
Using an online school in Canada
An online school can provide teaching and course structure. Its role in your child’s legal schooling arrangement needs to be clear.
Parent-directed home education and enrolment in a provincially regulated online school are different arrangements. An overseas provider’s accreditation or enrolment letter does not, by itself, establish that local notification, registration, approval or curriculum requirements have been met.
CambriLearn offers an International British Curriculum, a Pearson Edexcel pathway and a US K-12 pathway through Score Academy Online. Ask admissions about subjects, teacher support, assessments and live-lesson times in your Canadian time zone. Then confirm how the proposed programme fits the rules where your child lives.
Ask which institution or examination board issues the final qualification, how external exams are arranged and what is included in the fees. International accreditation and permission to award a Canadian provincial diploma are separate matters.
How much does homeschooling in Canada cost?
Costs depend on the curriculum, level of teaching support and qualification route. There is no single national homeschooling fee.
| Budget item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Tuition and support | Course or school fees, subjects, teacher access, assessments and any extra tutoring. |
| Books and equipment | Textbooks, stationery, a suitable device, internet access and practical materials. |
| External examinations | Exam-entry and centre charges, deadlines, and any travel or accommodation. |
| Activities and family time | Supervision, sport, clubs, community activities and the time available to support learning. |
Funding depends on the jurisdiction and the route chosen. Alberta’s supervised route can qualify for funding under its conditions; its notification-only route is not funded. Manitoba states that provincial funding is not available to homeschooling families. Check eligibility, deadlines and allowable expenses before budgeting for support.
For CambriLearn, use the current fees and confirm the billing currency, included services and separate exam costs. Ask for a quote for the subjects and level your child needs.
High school diplomas and external exams
Decide which qualification your child is working towards before choosing senior subjects.
Canadian provincial diplomas
Homeschool registration alone does not award a provincial high school diploma. BC’s policy states that homeschooling alone does not lead to the Dogwood Diploma, although eligible students can earn credits through specified Grade 10 to 12 online learning courses. Nova Scotia’s Home Schooling division does not award credits or graduation certificates.
If a provincial diploma is your goal, ask the responsible school or authority which courses, credits and assessments are required, and who will issue the transcript. Confirm any credit-transfer arrangements before enrolling with a provider.
International qualifications
For International GCSE or A Level study, confirm a centre that accepts private candidates for the exact awarding body, subject and syllabus. Ask about practical, oral and coursework components as well as fees and entry deadlines. Pearson’s centre finder is a starting point; the centre must confirm that it can accept the entry.
Can homeschooled students go to university in Canada?
They can apply, but each institution sets its own requirements. The qualification, prerequisites and supporting evidence matter.
The University of Waterloo assesses home-schooled applicants individually and asks for evidence of study at the required academic level. UBC’s Okanagan campus also considers home-study applicants individually and advises them to contact admissions before applying.
UBC’s Vancouver calendar separately sets out requirements for international secondary qualifications, including British-patterned study with A Levels. Completing a curriculum does not guarantee admission: the applicant must meet the institution’s academic, subject and language requirements.
Before selecting senior subjects, send the intended institution a description of the programme and final qualification. Ask which applicant category applies, which prerequisites are needed and what records or external results it expects. Keep official transcripts and awarding-body certificates, alongside course outlines and learning records.
Homeschooling in Canada: your questions
Answers to common questions about local requirements, online schooling and qualifications.
Is homeschooling legal in Canada?
Yes. All 10 provinces and three territories provide a home-education route. The rules for notification, registration, approval, learning and reporting depend on where the child lives.
Do I need permission to homeschool in Canada?
There is no single national permission process. Some jurisdictions use notification or registration; others require approval. Start with your province or territory’s official guidance and complete the relevant process before changing schooling arrangements.
How do I start homeschooling in Ontario?
Ontario’s PPM 131 advises parents to notify their school board in writing. Families continuing home education should notify each year before 1 September. The board normally accepts the notification as evidence of satisfactory instruction, but it can investigate where it has reasonable grounds for concern.
Must I follow a Canadian provincial curriculum?
The requirements vary. Check the subjects, learning outcomes and assessments that apply where your child lives. An international curriculum may need additional content or assessment arrangements to meet local requirements.
Does overseas online-school enrolment replace local homeschooling requirements?
An overseas enrolment letter or international accreditation does not automatically satisfy local rules. Confirm with the responsible authority how your child’s programme is classified and which notification, registration, approval and learning requirements apply.
Is homeschooling free in Canada?
There is no single cost or funding arrangement. Families may pay for teaching, materials, equipment, activities and exams. Some programmes provide support under specific conditions; eligibility and allowable expenses depend on the jurisdiction and route.
Will homeschooling give my child a Canadian high school diploma?
Homeschool registration alone does not award a provincial diploma. If that is the goal, confirm the required credits, courses and assessments with the relevant authority or diploma-issuing school. International qualifications are a separate route.
Can homeschooled students apply to Canadian universities?
Yes, subject to each institution’s requirements. Universities may require recognised qualifications, prerequisite subjects, external results and evidence of learning. Contact admissions before choosing senior subjects; admission is not automatic.
What if we move to another province or territory?
Contact the education authority for the new address before moving. Check its notification, registration or approval process, curriculum and reporting requirements. Arrangements made elsewhere do not automatically complete the new jurisdiction’s process.
Official sources and further reading
Prepared by CambriLearn. Reviewed against the official sources below on 1 November 2026. Follow the current forms and guidance for your jurisdiction.
- Education in Canada: provincial and territorial responsibility
- Alberta: home education options and responsibilities
- British Columbia: homeschooling policy
- British Columbia: School Act, home education and registration
- Manitoba: notification and progress reports
- Manitoba: homeschooling questions and responsibilities
- New Brunswick: annual exemption and curriculum
- Newfoundland and Labrador: homeschooling contacts
- Newfoundland and Labrador: annual approval
- Nova Scotia: registration, reporting and qualifications
- Nova Scotia: home education registration and reporting regulations
- Ontario: Policy/Program Memorandum 131
- Prince Edward Island: home education
- Québec: homeschooling process and steps
- Saskatchewan: home-based education registration
- Northwest Territories: home schooling responsibilities
- Nunavut: homeschooling and distance education
- Yukon: home education registration
- UBC Okanagan: homeschooled secondary school applicants
- UBC Vancouver: international secondary school qualifications
- University of Waterloo: home-schooled applicants
- Pearson: finding an approved examination centre
Plan your child’s next step
Tell our admissions team where you live, your child’s current level and the qualification you are working towards.
Discuss subjects, teacher support, lesson times and fees.
This guide provides general information, not individual legal advice. Rules and procedures can change. Confirm your child’s circumstances with the relevant education authority before changing schooling arrangements.