Albania 

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status: It is possible to home educate by obtaining an exemption from the Ministry of Education, but public exams must be taken.

Resources: If you have information about home education groups here, please inform us.

 

Austria 

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 14

Legal status: Home education is legal according to the Compulsory Education Act of 1985. Domestic education (home education) is considered a form of private schooling. It is compulsory for children who are home educated (domestic education) to take an end of year exam at a public school. Parents who wish to home educate must inform the ‘Bezirksschulrat’ (district school board) before the start of the academic year. The school board will only allow parents to home educate if the level of education is equivalent to that provided in public schools. If the parents’ request is refused, it is possible to appeal to the ‘Landesschulrat’ (governing education body).

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Over 2,000

Resources: 

Homeschooling in Austria – “Häuslicher Unterricht”
POC: Heinz Schaidinger
Email: [email protected]

Christian Homeschoolers in Austria
Email: [email protected]

Homeschoolers.at – Bildung zu Haus Österreich
Education At Home Austria
POC: Auke & Sonja Boersma
Email: [email protected]
Büchlholzweg 18, A-4040 Linz, Austria
Phone: +43 2952 35995
Facebook page
Skype Name: homeschoolers.austria

 

Belarus 

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 15

Legal status: Home education is limited to certain situations. As home education is considered socially unacceptable, it is virtually non-existent. There are only three cases in which home education can be allowed and these are:

  1. If your child is exceptionally talented
  2. If your child can’t attend school temporarily or permanently for good reasons
  3. If your child has medical issues which prevent him from attending school permanently or temporarily (Decree of the Ministry of Health of Belarus, May 2011)

If this is the case, the child still must follow a personalised curriculum provided by the educational institution.

Vladimir Zdanowicz, Chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education, Culture, Science and the Scientific and Technical Progress, said, “Religious beliefs should not interfere with the integrity of the child’s education. If a school allows parents to educate their children individually because of their religious beliefs, it is a violation of the law by the school administration. This should not happen.”

Resources: If you have information about home education groups here, please inform us.

 

Belgium 

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 17 (at the age of 15, may opt for part-time education)

Legal status: Home education is legal. Education is mandatory but attending school is not. There are three communities in Belgium, and each of them has different rules regarding homeschooling. Please see below for further information.

 

1. Flemish-speaking community: Home education is legal according to the Compulsory Education Act of June 29, 1983, and is further regulated by the Decree on Elementary Education of February 25, 1997, and the Decisions of the Flemish Government of September 16, 1997, and November 12, 1997. Parents who decide to home educate must notify the Department of Education and Training at least by the date the home education begins. This must be done in writing. The minimum requirements for home education are:

a) The development of the child’s personality, skills and talents should be taken into consideration when looking to provide education.

b) The education encourages respect for basic human rights and for the cultural values of the child himself and for others.

Home education provided must comply with the aforementioned criteria. This will be monitored by the Education Inspectorate. Homeschooled students must pass an exam from the Examination Board of the Flemish Community to earn a recognised proof of study.

Flemish HS Law: www.ond.vlaanderen.be/wetwijs/thema.asp?id=76&fid=5
Flemish Education Helpline: http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/infolijn/faq/leerplicht/huisonderwijs/default.htm

 

2. French-speaking community: Home education is legal. The Compulsory Education Act of June 29, 1983, cites that compulsory education may be satisfied through home education. An annual notice of the intent to homeschool should be submitted by the family by the 1st of October according to Article 8, Lois 09676 of August 8, 1953. If a student moves into the French-speaking community during the academic year, this notice can be submitted after the 1st of October.  A decree from April 25, 2008, explains how and when students must be examined.

General Administration of Education and Scientific Research
Boulevard du Jardin Botanique 20-22
1000 Brussels
Phone: 02 690 81 00
Web page on homeschooling: http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=26100

 

3. German-speaking community: Home education is legal (Compulsory Education Act of June 29, 1983, School Pact law of May 29, 1959). Children who are homeschooled must be registered by the 30th of September each year with the Ministry of Education. Children have to receive an education as per the expectations of the Inspectorate and they can only earn the Primary Education Final Certificate by passing an exam from the school external Examination Board of the German-speaking community.

Ministry of the Department of Education and Training
Gospertstrasse 1
B-4700 Eupen
Phone: 087 59 63 00
Website: www.bildungsserver.be
Email: [email protected]
Contact: Sylvia Schrouben, +32 (0) 87 789 646 / [email protected]

 

Bulgaria 

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status: Home education is banned. Only SEND (Special Education Needs and Disability) children can study at home. It is still compulsory to follow the school syllabus.

 Estimated number of children homeschooled: Less than 100

Resources:

Bulgarian Homeschool Association
POC: Peter G. Porumbachanov
Email: [email protected]

22 Ianko Todorov str., ap.2
Silistra 7500
Bulgaria
Tel: +359 86 830 554
Mobile: +359 877 20 33 55

 

Croatia 

Mandatory attendance: Education is mandatory for 8 years (between 6 until 15)

Legal status: Home education is illegal for citizens except if the child is critically ill or disabled.  (Zakona o odgoju i obrazovanju no. 71-05-03/1-08-2, Article 4.2)

Resources:

Obrazovanje na drugi način (Croatian Homeschooling Association)
Contact via email
Facebook page

Homeschooling in Croatia

 

Czech Republic 

Mandatory attendance: 6 until 15

Legal status: Homeschooling is allowed. The education law of Jan 2005 (Act 561/2004 Coll. § 41, the School Act) recognises home education as a legal educational alternative. To home educate, a family must apply for a permit. The government has requirements for teacher qualifications, curriculum and exams.

Estimated number of children homeschooled: 2,100 children between the ages of 6 to 15

Resources: 

Asociace pro domácí vzdělávání (ADV)
Czech Association of Home Schooling
+420 723 253 023
www.domaciskola.cz
[email protected]

 

Denmark 

Mandatory attendance: 9 years are mandatory (normally from 6 to 15 years of age, but not specifically mentioned in the law)

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal

The Danish Constitution ensures that the parents can choose how their children are educated §76 of Chapter VIII. According to the Ministry of Education, parents can choose to send their children either to a public school, a private school or educate them at home, but the parents must ensure a certain standard of education.

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Approximately 250

Resources:

Hjemmeundervisning og unschooling i Danmark
“Homeschooling and Unschooling in Denmark”
POC: Morten and Sisse Holmstrup
Contact via the website

Danish homeschool website
Join the mailing list at http://hjemmeundervisning.dk/document/12

 

  Estonia

Mandatory attendance: From 7 until 16

Legal status: Home education is legal.

The Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act of 2010 states in § 23, paragraph 1 that a student can be taught by home education as requested by a parent, and this should be done annually at the school their child is registered. Home educated students must complete an assessment every term and if they do not pass, they must return to school. (Procedures for homeschooling (21/12/2007, 83, RTL 2008, 3, 27))

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Less than 100

Resources: 

MTU Eesti Koduõppe Keskus
The Estonian Centre for Home Education
POC: Tiia Leis
Email: [email protected]

 

  Finland

Mandatory attendance: From 7 until 16

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal according to the Constitution and Finnish law.

It is not compulsory to attend school in Finland according to the Ministry of Education, and they only must receive a basic education.

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Approximately 250

Resources:

Suomen kotiopettajat
Finnish Home Educators Association
Email: [email protected]
Lyhytkuja 3, 07900 Loviisa
Tel. + 358 506 4800

Home Education is Growing in Popularity

 

  France

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status: Homeschooling is allowed. (Education Code, Article L. 131) Families must inform the authorities that they wish to homeschool annually. According to the law, inspectors are only allowed to verify the teaching in a homeschool annually, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, the inspectors can be quite harsh and can also request testing.

Estimated number of children homeschooled: 10,000-20,000

Resources:

Les Enfants d’Abord
8 rue Haguenau
67000 Strasbourg
Email: [email protected]
Facebook page

LAIA
7 rue de Bréhat
35150 Janzé
Tel: +33 (0) 4 34 21 90 81
Email: [email protected]
French home education magazine “Les Plumes”

CISE—Choisir d’Instruire Son Enfant
Tel: +33 (0)6.84.94.66.28
English-speaking inquiries: [email protected]
See the full contact list: http://www.cise.fr/contact

Parent Concept 
Information on homeschooling in France

 

  Germany

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 18 (in some states, the starting age has changed to 5)

Legal status: Homeschooling is illegal.

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Approximately 400 families who operate underground.

Resources:

Netzwerk Bildungsfreiheit
Dr. Andreas Vogt esq.
Niederhoner Str. 20
D – 37269 Eschwege
Phone: +49 (0)5651 – 3350 250
fax: + 49 (0)5651 – 3350 251
Send an email

Schulunterricht zu Hause e.V.
Armin Eckermann, Esq.
Buchwaldstr. 16
D-63303 Dreieich
Germany
Send an email

Der Blaue Brief
Blog advocating for freedom of education in Germany

German Parents Flee

German parents could face years in prison if they continue homeschooling

 

Greece

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 15

Legal status: It is mandatory for children to attend school according to Article 2, §3 of the Greek education law. Education at home is only permissible in exceptional cases under direct supervision. (Article 32, Section 4)

Resources: 

Homeschooling-Greece Parents Group
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://homeschooling-greece.blogspot.com/

Facebook page for homeschoolers in Greece

 

Hungary

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status: It is legal to homeschool but parents must follow the school curriculum and will be examined twice a year. Homeschooling officially began in 2000 and was encouraged by Chris Klicka.

Resources: 

Hungarian Home Schooling Association
POC: Rev. Imre Szőke; Rev. Gyula Bagoly
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +36 46 412-558
3527 Miskolc
Kartacs u. No. 1
HUNGARY

Chris Klicka’s book, The Right Choice: Home-Schooling, is available to purchase by emailing [email protected].

 

Iceland

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16 (Compulsory School Act 2008, Art. 3)

Homeschool status: Homeschooling is legal only if the teacher has a teaching degree. Children are supervised and have to complete assessments and sit examinations.

For further information follow the link: https://www.reglugerd.is/reglugerdir/allar/nr/531-2009

Resources: No groups are known.

 

Ireland

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal. The Constitution of Ireland (Article 42) officially recognises homeschooling and children have to be registered with the National Education Welfare Board but are subject to ‘reasonable regulation.’

Resources: 

The European Academy for Christian Homeschooling (TEACH)
POC: Nathan Field – TEACH Manager
Tel: +44 1793 783 783
Send an email:[email protected] 
TEACH Facebook page

Irish Core Home Education Support Services (I-CHESS)
Access group through the Home Education Network
Send an email: [email protected]

 

Italy

Mandatory attendance:  From 6 until 16 (For those children who have turned 6 before 31st December).

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal by the constitution. The Italian Constitution states in Articles 30 and 33 that parents have the duty and right to support, instruct, and educate their children. There is not much awareness about the availability of homeschooling. Parents who homeschool must have been educated two years in advance of what year they are teaching which is ‘technical capacity.’ Parents must have financial ability to homeschool which is ‘economic capacity.’ Parents must inform the appropriate local authorities each year of their intention to homeschool. Homeschooling is growing in Italy. More and more people are starting to homeschool.

Resources:


Homeschooling in Italy
La community per chi vuole un’Educazione Alternativa
Educazione Parentale
POC: Erika Di Martino
Email: [email protected]

Blog from Italian homeschool mom.
Homeschooling in Italy
It takes creative, loving, hardworking parents to homeschool here in Italy and this Message Board is here to give unconditional love to our fellow members.
Homeschooling: l’educazione parentale in Italia
Se siete incuriositi dal fenomeno Homeschooling e volete saperne di più, questo libro scritto da Erika Di Martino fa per voi.

 

Kosovo

Mandatory attendance:  From 6 until 15

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal.

If a child is not attending school then the Municipality will investigate by sending an inspector to check if the parents meet the needs of the child.

Resources: If you know of any homeschooling groups in Kosovo, please contact us.

 

Latvia

Mandatory attendance: From 5 until 16

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal, albeit rare.  Parents can homeschool their children until grade six and it is possible after grade six through long distance studies or formal home study programmes.

Resources:

“Homeschooling in Latvia” blog
POC: Kristina Vecpuise
Email Address: [email protected]

Ģimeņu skolu apvienība
Latvian Home School Association
Send an email

Lithuania

Mandatory attendance: From 7 until 16

Legal status: Homeschooling has been illegal since 2012.

Resources: 

Gintas & Ina Juoniai
[email protected]

Agne Kundrotiene
Co-founder of Lithuanian Education in Family Association
[email protected]

Namų mokymas (Homeschooling):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/334186356662961/

 

Luxembourg

Mandatory attendance: From 4 until 16 for all children who have reached the age of 6 by the 1st of September of the current year.

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal, albeit rare.

Resources:

Association Luxembourgeoise pour la Liberté d’Instruction (ALLI)
Luxembourg Association for Freedom of Instruction
POC: Patrick Pierra
Send an email

 

Malta

Mandatory attendance: From 5 until 15

Legal status: According to the constitution, education is compulsory from the ages of 5 until 15, but school attendance is not.

Resources: 

Malta Home Education Association
POC: Abigail Giuffrè
Send an email

 

Moldova

Mandatory attendance: From 7 until 15

Legal status: Homeschooling is legal and parents are free to choose the form of education for their children.

Resources: Please contact us if you know of any homeschooling groups in Moldova.

 

Netherlands

Mandatory attendance: From 5th birthday until 16. Part-time attendance (work alongside studies) is permitted for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Legal status: Homeschooling is not legal but many families are able to obtain a religious exemption to educate their children.

 Estimated number of children homeschooled:  Around 100 families

Resources: 

Jozualijst (Christian Dutch Homeschoolers)
Mr. Kor B. Stelma
Phone: 00 31 517 38 27 56
Email: [email protected]

Nederlandse Vereniging voor Thuisonderwijs (NVvTO)
Netherlands Association for Home Education
English language website: www.home-education.nl
Tel: +31 6 37 36 12 47 (Dutch and English)
Email: [email protected]

Right to Home Educate Initiative

Dit is thuisonderwijs
What is homeschooling?
Information on Dutch homeschooling

 

Norway

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status: Norway’s education law states that education can be otherwise i.e. in private schools or homeschooling. Families must notify the local authorities and they will be monitored and evaluated semi-annually. Homeschooled children don’t have a right to a diploma, but some schools will allow children to take their Year 10 exams and earn the diploma.

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Approximately 400

Resources: 

NHUF – Norsk hjemmeundervisningsforbund
Norwegian Homeschooling Association
Email: [email protected]

 

Poland

Mandatory attendance: from 6 until 18

Legal Status: Legal

parents may get permission from the director of a public or non public school within the region they live in according the Polish Act Educational Law. The parents must show documents that  they have psychological health.

Resources:

Stowarzyszenie Edukacji Domowej
Polish Association for Home Education
POC: Marek Budajczak
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +48 606 283 403
ul. Drozdzynskiego 14
64-125 Poniec, Poland

Stowarzyszenie Edukacji w Rodzinie
Association of Education in the Family
st. Polna Rose 6/59
02-798 Warszawa, Poland
Tel: +48 22 446 17 97
Email: [email protected]

Estimated number  of children homeschooled:  Over 6000

 

Portugal

Mandatory Attendance: From 6 until 15

Legal Status: Legal and is known as Ensino Domestico.

The Law defines home education as “that which is taught in the student’s home by a relative or person with whom he dwells.”  There are annual reporting requirements and periodic testing.

Please contact the home education group below for further details, or visit their Practical Guide to Home Education (Guia Prático do Ensino Doméstico).

Resources:

Movimento Educação Livre (MEL) (Freedom in Education Movement).

 

Romania

Mandatory attendance: from 6 until 16

Legal Status:

Homeschooling is not recognized, but its not prohibited either. Homeschoolers currently report to school officials as a private school. Laws can change anytime.

Resources:

Romanian Home Schooling Association
Contact: Gabriel Curcubet
Str. Santimbru Nr. 55/A
Odorheiu Secuiesc
535600 ROMANIA
Cellular: (40) 726-265-566
Email: [email protected]
Skype: curcubetg

Russia

Mandatory Attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal Status: Legal since 1992

Homeschooling is legal and often referred to as Family Education. Every homeschooled child has to be supervised by a state licenced school and sit annual exams.

Resources/contacts:

For Family Rights
Pavel Parfentiev, Chairman
Facebook page

Estimated number of children homeschooled: 70,000

 

Scotland

Mandatory Attendance: From 5- until 6

Legal Status: Legal, according to The Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

Resources/contacts: 

EO-Scotland
An email list run by Education Otherwise for all home educators who are interested in home education in Scotland.

Scottish Home Education
We hope it will facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, improve communication throughout the home educating community in Scotland and offer help and support to all those who need it.

Scottish home-ed recycle resources
This list is for home educators in Scotland who wish to pass on or sell their now redundant resources or to post a “wanted” notice for resources. It is only open to home educating families who are genuinely recycling resources and not for commercial companies.

 

Slovakia

Mandatory Attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal Status: Legal only for children 6-10

Homeschooled children have to follow the curriculum, must be registered at local Primary school and tested every six months. Parent must be a qualified teacher or hire a qualified teacher and get permission from the school to homeschool.

Resources/Contact:

Spoločnost’ priatel’ov domácej školy na Slovensku
Friends of Homeschooling Association
POC: Janka Pajgerov
Email: [email protected]

Estimated number of children homeschooled: Under 50

 

Slovenia

Mandatory Attendance: 9 years of education required, age not specified


Legal status of home schooling
: Legal.

The Slovenian Law on Elementary School that parents have the right to choose the elementary education of their children in public or private schools or at home. 7 on “Homeschooling” or “Izobra ževanje na domu” Homeschooled  Children are monitored and have to undertake assessments.

Resources/Contacts: no information

 

Spain

Mandatory attendance: From 6 until 16

Legal status of home schooling: 

The legal situation in Spain is somewhat precarious, with legal precedent which states that while it may not be illegal, it could, under certain circumstances, be considered to be illicit. The biggest difficulty families face is leaving the school system as there is no established path for this process. This situation can possibly lead to legal action against the family which could result in a school attendance order, though there are families who don’t encounter such difficulties, and a small, though relatively active, homeschooling community in different parts of the country.

Estimated number of homeschooled children: 2,000 families

Contact Information & Resources

ALE – Asociación por la Libre Educación
Association for Free Education
POC: Daragh McInerney
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +34 722 349 019
Avenida de la plata 63, pta 1
Valencia 46006
SPAIN

 

Sweden

Mandatory attendance: 

Legal status of home schooling: Homeschooling banned

A new law in 2011 banned homeschooling. Homeschoolers fled Sweden to other countries where homeschooling is legal.  Homeschooling is only allowed with the permission of municipal (kommun) authorities in “exceptional circumstances.

Contact/resources: 

The Swedish Association for Home Education (Rohus)
Jonas Himmelstrand, president
Marita Sandblad, vice president and treasurer
Ellinor Petersen, secretary
Mai Carlström, member
Cina Wallén, member
Linda Svendsen, deputy member
Martin Book, deputy member
Fredrik Niemelä, deputy member

Switzerland

Mandatory attendance: From 4 until 16 or From 7 until 16, varies by canton

Legal status of home schooling: Legal requirements varies from canton to canton.

Estimated number of homeschoolers: Over 200

Contact/Resources: 

Bildung zu Hause Schweiz (BZH)
Postal Address:
CH-3000 Bern
Switzerland
Email: [email protected]

 

Turkey

Mandatory attendance:  From 6 until 13

(Begins in September of the calendar year in which a child turns 6 and finishes at the end of the educational year when a child begins the age of 14.)

Legal status of home schooling: Not legal

Attendance is compulsory.

 

Ukraine

Mandatory attendance: From 4 until 17

Legal status of home schooling: Legal

Homeschooling is legal and expressly allowed for in Articles 59 and 60 of Ukraine’s Education Law.

Estimated number of home schoolers: Less than 100 families.

Contact/Resources:

Victor & Nadya Ovsyanik
Home: +38 0472 63 37 40
Cell phone (Victor):
+38 050 597 89 54
+38 098 208 19 89
SKYPE: ovsyaniks

 

United Kingdom

Mandatory attendance: From 5 until 16

Legal status of home Education: Legal

According to the 1996 education act in England and Wales, it is parents (not the state) who are responsible for providing their children’s education ‘at school or otherwise’. The Act simply states that a child’s education must be suitable for the age, ability and aptitude of each child.

If a child has never been to school then the parent does not have to inform the Local authority. but if the child is attending school then the parent must de-register the child by writing a  letter or email to the head teacher who in return will inform the Local Authority. More information on our steps to home educating page.

Follow the link for home education is Scotland: http://www.ahomeeducation.co.uk/law-home-schooling-scotland.html

Follow the link for home education in Wales: http://gov.wales/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/pupilsupport/elective-home-education-guidance/?lang=en

Estimated number of children home educated: 50,000 to 70,000

Contact/resources:

http://www.home-education.org.uk/https://

http://www.educationotherwise.org

http://www.heas.org.uk/http://

https://www.homeschool.co.uk

https://ibraheemtoyhouse.com/blog/2015/12/13/home-education-you-can-do-it/

 

 

The Bayt Chatbot