Registration guide · New South Wales
Home schooling registration in NSW
In NSW, registration centres on a home visit. You plan a program based on the NESA syllabuses, an Authorised Person visits to talk it through, and when it's time to renew they look at the records of what you actually did.
Policy update. The department has drafted a new registration policy. Consultation closed on 10 August 2026, and the current guidelines apply until the new policy is finalised.
Home schooling in NSW (official page, opens in a new tab)Regulator: Home Schooling Directorate, NSW Department of Education. Every requirement links to the official page that says so. Steps marked as our advice are practical tips, not requirements.
Last checked 29 October 2026
Get the free New South Wales checklistKey facts
- Up to 12 weeks
- From application to certificate. The average is around 7 weeks.Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)
- A home visit
- An Authorised Person reviews your program with you. Your child is seen but not assessed.Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)
- Up to 2 years
- The longest registration period. A first registration is usually shorter.Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)
- 3 months
- How far ahead the department advises applying, to start or to continue.Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)
How many hours?
The time given to learning has to be enough to cover the curriculum.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)The steps, in order
Get ready
Check your child can be registered
From the start of the year they turn 5 (on or before 31 July), up to age 18.
Registration at a glance (official page, opens in a new tab)Gather your child's education history
Your records of their previous education and achievement.
Registration at a glance (official page, opens in a new tab)Plan a program based on the NESA syllabuses
Use the syllabuses for your child's stage: the minimum curriculum for Kindergarten to Year 6, or Years 7 to 10, or the senior curriculum for Years 11 and 12.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)Write down your child's learning needs
And how your program caters for them. You can adjust it for disability or additional needs.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)Decide how you'll plan, supervise and record
Including how you'll record progress and how much time goes to learning.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)Set up a learning space and list your resources
Both are part of what the Authorised Person considers.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)
Apply
Apply about 3 months before you want to start
You can apply any time of year, but the process can take up to 12 weeks.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)Apply through the Home Schooling Platform
homeschool.enrol.education.nsw.gov.au, or contact the Home Schooling Directorate for help.
Home schooling in NSW (official page, opens in a new tab)An Authorised Person arranges a home visit
That's in weeks 2 to 6 of the official timeline. The visit itself is in weeks 3 to 8.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)
The home visit
Have your program ready to talk through
The Authorised Person discusses and reviews it with you. Have it ready to show how it's based on the NESA syllabuses.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)Bring your planning and record keeping
How you'll plan and record teaching, how time is allocated, and how you'll record progress.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)Make sure your child is home
They need to be seen during the visit unless there are exceptional and compelling circumstances. They aren't assessed.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)Wait for the certificate
The department decides after the visit, and you get a certificate when registration is approved.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)
While you're registered
Keep records of the program as you teach it
They need to show how the program was delivered and how the requirements are being met.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)Record progress and achievement
The requirements ask for an adequate system for recording it.
Requirements for registration (official page, opens in a new tab)Tell the Directorate about changes
A new address, new contact details, a change of curriculum, or stopping home schooling. Tell them before the change or as soon as you can.
Notice of changes to the department (official page, opens in a new tab)
Renewal
Note when your registration ends
The certificate shows your period of registration. A first registration is usually shorter than the 2-year maximum.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)Apply to continue about 3 months ahead
That's the department's advice. With a shorter registration, you may need to apply early in the period.
Application and assessment process (official page, opens in a new tab)Have your records ready
At renewal, the Authorised Person reviews the records of the program you actually delivered.
Registration at a glance (official page, opens in a new tab)
Every yearCheck the registration period on your certificate, and apply to continue about 3 months before it ends.
Official pages
- Home schooling in NSWnsw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)
- Registration at a glancensw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)
- Requirements for registrationnsw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)
- Application and assessment processnsw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)
- Notice of changes to the departmentnsw.gov.au (opens in a new tab)
- Phone
- +61 2 8340 8510
- Post
- GPO Box 5300, Sydney NSW 2001
Get the free New South Wales checklist
These steps as a printable PDF, with a tick box for each one, the key facts and record keeping tips.
