Homeschooling is growing all around the world and throughout Europe too. But homeschooling is still not legal in some of the countries and the homeschool laws and regulation range throughout Europe.
There is a lot of variety when it comes to homeschool laws in Europe. Some countries where it is very popular include the United Kingdom, Poland and France. Though homeschooling is on the rise in these countries in many countries in Europe homeschooling is still illegal, although countries are legalizing it slowly but surely.
Are you wondering in what countries in Europe homeschooling is legal and what the regulations are? Here is Everything you need to know about the homeschool laws in Europe.
Homeschool Laws in Europe
Having 44 countries in Europe, laws are very different throughout. Some countries allow homeschooling with no regulations or restrictions, while in other countries homeschooling is completely illegal.
Countries That Allow Homeschooling
Austria: Homeschooling is legal and regulated in Austria, having over 2,000 homeschoolers in the country. In Austria homeschooling is considered a type of private school. Parents do not need any special qualifications to homeschool their children, but before the beginning of the school year parents need to notify the districts school board.
Azerbaijan: Homeschooling has recently become legal in Azerbaijan. Homeschool parents are required to provide an equal education to what their children would get in conventional school. Homeschool students need to take exams so that they can officially move up each level of education.
Belgium: In Belgium education is mandatory for ages 6 to 17, but parents have the option to chose how they want to educate their children. So parents can chose to teach their kids themselves. Belgium has 3 language communities and there are specific regulations within the regional level. Read more about each region’s regulation here. Students must follow guidelines and inspections.
Denmark: Homeschooling is legal for all aged students in Denmark and currently growing. It is up to the parent to choose where their children are schooled. There are mandatory inspection each year for homeschoolers, and inspections are controlled by the local district public school.
Estonia: Estonia allows homeschooling under the control of a school. Parents are required to apply to homeschool their child each year at the school their child is enrolled in. Each homeschool child is required to take regular exams and will be supervised by an authorized school. If students do not pass the exams they are required to return to conventional school.
Finland: Homeschooling is legal and protected by the law in Finland. Parents have the right to homeschool their children, the only obligation to homeschooling in Finland is that students need to meet basic education standards. Written and oral exams are mandatory to make sure students are making progress.
France: Homeschooling is legal and families need to notify their school district of their intent to homeschool each year. Families will also need to send a letter to their mayors office in their region. Once the letters have been sent parents are able to educate their children any way they would like. Inspections are mandatory and homeschool students may be required to take standardized tests.
Ireland: Now being legal, homeschooling is considered one of the fastest growing types of education in Ireland. Homeschool students don’t need to follow any curriculum, but there is a minimum education standard that needs to be provided. Students need to register as a homeschooler with the National Education Welfare Board, the board will then send an inspector to the families home and go through the regulations of registering the student.
Italy: It is legal to homeschool in Italy and the Italian Constitution believes that parents should have a right to educate, support and instruct their children. Parents need to notify their appropriate school authorities about their intent of homeschooling annually. Occasionally parents will also need to demonstrate their financial and technical ability to educate their child at home. Students need to take annual exams and parents have to create a personal curriculum and a written request for the exam.
Latvia: Homeschooling in Latvia is legal under the control of the student’s local school although it is uncommon. Homeschooling does not have any requirements for children up to grade 6. Past grade 6 homeschooling is possible for students, but the education has to be formal home education or long distance studies.
Luxembourg: For children up to 12 by September first, homeschooling is legal. Parents need to have authorization and send a letter of intent to their regional school board director with their motives. Homeschooling is not regulated by any law, but parents need to have proof of their children participating in course work.
Moldova: Homeschooling is completely legal in Moldova. Parents are able to educate their children however they would like.
Norway: Homeschooling is allowed in Norway but the homeschool curriculum equal to the state school. Families must notify the school authorities before they start homeschooling. Students need to be supervised normally by semi-annual evaluations at a local school. The supervision must be in agreement with the parents.
Poland: In Poland homeschooling is legal with permission from a school director within the region. Parents need to present documents to the director. Homeschool students in Poland must pass exams and can receive school diplomas from their local school.
Portugal: In Portugal parents have the right to educate their children at home. Homeschooling is legal but it does have the common rules and regulations.
Russia: In Russia it is legal and pretty easy to homeschool. They believe that the parents have the right to educate and raise their children however they would like. Homeschooled students need to be enrolled as a homeschooler with a school (private or public). They do not need to pass any exams. Students who choose to do supervised homeschooling are able to get diplomas.
Slovakia: Homeschooling is legal in Slovakia but only for children aged 6-10. Once they are past grade 4 the child will need to enrol in a conventional school. Parents need to apply to the schools for permission to homeschool their children but they will need to be enrolled in a primary school in their region. Students need to be tested 2 times each year, and they need to follow the curriculum.
Slovenia: Homeschooling is legal, as parents are allowed to choose the type of schooling their child receives in elementary school. Homeschool students are required to enrol with a local school and take annual exams. If the student doesn’t pass the exams they will have to go back to conventional school.
Switzerland: In Switzerland homeschooling is legal but the laws vary across the different cantons. Students normally have to pass exams for math, french and german. And inspectors must check in their homes at least once a year.
Ukraine: Homeschooling is legal in the Ukraine though it is currently not very common. Recently the Ukraine introduced new rules for homeschooling allowing parents to choose how they want their children to be educated.
United Kingdom: Homeschooling is legal in England and Whales and very poplar with between 20,000 and 100,000 homeschool students. It is easy to start homeschooling in the U.K. because normally parents will not need to notify the school district, unless the student was enrolled in a public school before the family decided to homeschool.
Countries Where Homeschooling is Legal in Some Cases
Belarus: Homeschooling is allowed in certain cases. Students can be homeschooled for a few different reasons being if they have a serious medical condition, if the student has exceptional talent or if the student can not attend school permanently for a good reason.
Czech Republic: Homeschooling in Czech Republic is only legal for primary aged students (grade 1-5). For a parent to homeschool their child they must have at least a high school diploma and a letter of support from a state-run Pedagogical-Psychological Advice Bureau. Parents need to have a reason for homeschooling their child. The homeschool child will need to take official school exams at least 2 times each year.
Hungary: The laws in Hungary severely restricts homeschooling, but if families want to homeschool they need to apply for an exemption which is a process that the government does not offer help on. This recent change has made it almost impossible to homeschool in Hungary.
Iceland: Homeschooling is legal but unlike how it used to be. In the 18th century it was mandatory for parents to homeschool their children but now, the parent needs to have a teaching certificate. Homeschool students in Iceland are subject to have supervision and assessments.
Liechtenstein: Homeschooling is allowed in Liechtenstein as long as it meets the specific curriculum of learning time, and learning goals. The parent teaching their child needs to have a teaching qualification or be approved by the office of education. Students do not need to take any exams.
Malta: Homeschooling is slowly becoming legal in Malta, but currently has quite a few restrictions. Parents need to find a warranted teacher to educate their child during school hours. They must have a home education license or else families could be fined.
Netherlands: Homeschooling is not recognized by the government in the Dutch law and in the compulsory education act it states that school attendance is mandatory. But some families are able to homeschool through a religious exemption.
Romania: In Romania homeschooling is not exactly recognized but is legal under some conditions. Families can homeschool under an umbrella private school. Children with disabilities, special needs or certain conditions that make them unable to go to a conventional school can be homeschooled. They will need to be supervised by a certified teacher and need to report themselves as a private school.
Serbia: Homeschooling is only legal for students with special education needs in Serbia. Even if any family could homeschool they will still need to be tested on all subjects, and if the student fails 2 tests in a row they will be forced to go back to school.
Countries Homeschooling it is Illegal
Homeschooling is currently illegal in the following countries: Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Sweden and Turkey.
Some of these countries allow homeschooling but only for children with severe illnesses or disabilities. Normally in these countries where it is prohibited with these exceptions, the students still need to follow the curriculum and take exams, but they can do it at home instead of at their school. It is easier for foreigners to homeschool in these countries because they are not legal citizens.
Homeschooling is illegal in some countries for many different reasons. People just are not used to the term homeschooling and in some countries it has never been heard of. People believe that homeschooling is not a good enough education and that every student should have an equal education like in public or private school.
Many countries in Europe and even all around the world make it very difficult to homeschool. Normally families will have to notify their school board or get permission from the district to homeschool. In most countries in Europe students must have an inspector come by once in a while to check in and see how they are doing. It is also common for homeschoolers to continue to have to do school exams and essays, but if they don’t pass the exams the students might have to return to conventional school. Some countries only let families homeschool if the parent is a certified teacher, or if the child is under the age of 10.
Despite these things, homeschooling continues to grow and is still on the rise throughout the world.
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