Homeschooling in New Zealand: a guide for families

In New Zealand, children are required to be enrolled at a registered school from their 6th birthday until they turn 16. Home education is the legal alternative: instead of enrolling, parents apply to the Ministry of Education for a certificate that exempts their child from that requirement.

The legal basis is section 38 of the Education and Training Act 2020, titled "Long-term exemptions from enrolment". Section 35 of the same Act sets out the general requirement to be enrolled.

Home education is not the same as enrolling with Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura), the state distance school. A child enrolled with Te Kura is enrolled at a school; a home-educated child is exempt from enrolment and the parent is responsible for their learning.

A parent applies to the Ministry of Education using the home education application form, sent to their regional Ministry office. If you plan to home educate more than one child, you make a separate application for each child.

Applying is free. The Ministry says applications normally take 4 to 6 weeks.

If your child is already of compulsory school age, they need to stay enrolled at and attending school while the application is being considered. Do not withdraw your child until you have your certificate of exemption.

The Act allows a certificate to be granted when the Ministry is satisfied that the child will be taught at least as regularly and as well as in a registered school. If your child would otherwise need special education, the comparison is with a specialist school or service, and your application needs to show how those needs will be met.

In practice, the application asks you to describe your approach and programme, the resources you plan to use, your goals for the next 12 months and how you will keep track of your child's progress. The Ministry's guidance encourages specific, measurable goals rather than very general ones.

You do not have to follow the New Zealand Curriculum, but it is a free and useful reference for what children typically learn at each stage.

If your application is approved, you receive a Certificate of Exemption. The Ministry says it stays valid until your child turns 16 or enrols in a registered school, whichever comes first.

If an application is declined, the Act allows a parent to appeal to the Secretary for Education, whose decision is final.

Reviews of home education programmes are not routine. The Ministry may ask the Education Review Office (ERO) to review a programme if it has concerns about whether the exemption's requirements are being met. ERO reports on whether the child is being taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school, and an exemption can be revoked.

Families with a current exemption can receive the home education supervision allowance from the Ministry of Education. It is a contribution towards costs, set per child, with lower rates for second and later children.

The allowance is paid in two instalments each year. Before each payment, the Ministry asks you to declare that you are still home educating your child, and the allowance is not paid unless the declaration is completed. The Ministry's procedures describe declarations being sent out around March and August, with payments around June and November.

Rates are reviewed from time to time, so check the Ministry of Education's home education page for the current amounts rather than relying on figures you see elsewhere.

NZQA guidance says students who are not enrolled at a school, including home-schooled students, can be assessed against standards or enter New Zealand Scholarship by linking with a school that has consent to assess.

No school is obliged to act as a link school, and a school may charge for the cost of linking. The link school checks that assessment is fair and the work is authentic, moderates internally assessed work and handles entries.

Te Kura sets its own enrolment criteria, based on the Ministry of Education's enrolment policy. If you are considering Te Kura for some or all of your child's senior study, check its eligibility criteria directly. Many home-educated young people also go on to tertiary study by other routes, so talk to the provider you are interested in.

You do not have to do this alone. Local home education groups, libraries, museums, sports clubs and community classes all offer chances for learning and friendship.

Many families find it helpful to talk with experienced home educators before applying. They can share how they plan, keep records and balance learning with family life.

In 2026 the Government considered changes to strengthen oversight of home education, including conditions for keeping an exemption. Proposals like this can change over time, so check the Ministry of Education's website for the rules that apply now.