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Homeschooling in Australian Capital Territory

Home education is legal in the ACT, regulated under Chapter 5 of the Education Act 2004 by the ACT Education Directorate (contact HomeEd@act.gov.au).

Source ↗ · undated (via search index — verify before ship)

Your authority: ACT Education Directorate ↗
You're not alone

At the February 2025 ACT schools census, 571 children and young people were registered for home education — an increase of 15.4% since February 2024.

Source ↗ · February 2025

The standard

What's expected of your program

No particular curriculum is required. The Directorate 'encourages' parents to be aware of, and to model their program on, the Australian Curriculum; the Act itself requires the program to deliver 'a high-quality education'.

Source ↗ · undated (via search index — exact statutory phrasing unverified)

Registration

Your checklist to register

  1. A registration form, with a certified copy of your child's birth certificate or passport and proof of ACT residency.

    Source ↗ · undated (secondary source — verify on act.gov.au)

  2. A written plan documenting the educational opportunities offered to the child and the teaching strategies used — due within 3 months of initial registration.

    Source ↗ · undated (secondary source — verify)

Dates

The timeline that matters

Registration is granted for up to 2 years (you can request a shorter period). A decision on a new application must be made within 28 days, and renewals must be lodged at least 3 months before the current registration expires.

Source ↗ · undated (page 403-blocked; via search index — verify)

After you're registered

Keeping it going

Give the Directorate a Progress Report on your child's education once every year, including as part of any renewal.

Source ↗ · undated (secondary source — verify)

One last thing

Confirm every detail on the official Australian Capital Territory page

This is a plain-English roadmap. Your state authority is the source of truth — open it, and you'll recognise every step above.

Open the official ACT page ↗← Choose a different state