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Home education is legal in Malta under a licence from the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education (DQSE). A warranted teacher delivers the programme, and the licence is renewed each year.
This guide covers what the Education Act says, how the licence works, where an online school fits, exams through the Department of Examinations, costs, and University of Malta entry.
Yes, under a licence. The Education Act (Cap. 605) makes home education lawful, and the DQSE licenses and monitors it.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Education Act (Cap. 605), article 46 | It is lawful for a parent of a minor of compulsory school age to provide home education |
| Compulsory school age | From 5 until a child turns 16 or completes the last year of secondary school |
| DQSE home education handbook | The DQSE issues a Home Education Licence once it has evaluated and accepted the programme, and monitors it with planned or unannounced visits |
| Non-compliance | A licence holder who breaks the rules can be fined up to €100 for each day of non-compliance, and the licence can be suspended or withdrawn |
The handbook says the rules apply to people residing in Malta, so the programme has to be delivered in the Maltese Islands. The DQSE's Board for Home Education Provision vets every application.
Each case is considered on its merits. The Board looks at your reasons, the programme and the home educator.
The DQSE's home education pageThe handbook lists health reasons specific to the child, a short-term relocation of up to a calendar year, following an internationally recognised accredited programme accepted by the DQSE, and other reasons the DQSE accepts.
The person delivering the programme must hold a valid permanent teacher's warrant. That can be the parent or a warranted teacher the family appoints.
It must link to an approved curriculum, include assessment and 30 to 45 hours of learning a week, give a social experience equivalent to school, and keep regular records of attendance and progress.
A birth certificate, the home educator's qualifications and warrant, a Protection of Minors check, a Police Conduct Certificate, evidence of resources, and a scheme of work for the first term.
Apply by the end of June to start with the school year. Your child keeps attending school until the licence is issued, and the DQSE aims to decide within 30 working days.
An international online school can supply an accredited programme, but it doesn't replace the licence or the warranted home educator.
Following an internationally recognised accredited programme accepted by the DQSE is one of the reasons the handbook lists. The DQSE decides whether a particular programme qualifies.
CambriLearn's teachers teach the lessons, but the licence still needs a warranted home educator in Malta. Ask the DQSE how it will treat an online programme before you apply.
Families relocating to Malta for up to a calendar year can apply on that basis.
If your child's education needs to move with you between countries, speak to a consultant about where you'll be living, because the rules depend on the country you live in.
