How does ACT home-education registration work?

The ACT Education Directorate uses a two-stage process - provisional registration first, then full registration after a home visit and review. Provisional registration allows teaching to commence promptly. Full registration is usually granted for up to two years. The ACT is the only Australian jurisdiction that bakes provisional-then-full into the standard process; this makes the on-ramp particularly smooth for new families.

Does the ACT Education Directorate visit home-school families?

Yes, as part of moving from provisional to full registration. The visit reviews the learning plan, sees work samples and meets the child. At renewal, additional visits may or may not be scheduled depending on the family's track record. ACT visits are conversational rather than adversarial.

Can an ACT homeschooler sit the NSW HSC?

Yes - this is one of the most common ACT homeschool pathways. Because the ACT shares NSW's tertiary admissions centre (UAC) and is geographically integrated with NSW education, many ACT homeschool families enrol in NSW distance education for HSC and earn an ATAR through UAC. Sydney Distance Education High School and registered private HSC providers accept ACT students. Alternatively, the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate is available through ACT colleges.

What is the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate?

The ACT's own Year 12 credential, awarded by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) on completion of an approved Year 11-12 program at an ACT college. ATAR equivalents for ACT students are calculated through UAC (the same body that handles NSW). Some ACT colleges accept dual-enrolled students, allowing a homeschooled student to study some senior subjects at a college while remaining home-registered.

What does the ACT Directorate want to see in a learning plan?

A plan that addresses the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum across the registration period, with content appropriate to the child's stage, evidence of how learning will be assessed, and the resources you will use. ACT plans tend to be 8-15 pages and are reviewed pragmatically.

What if my ACT application is provisional but I need to move to full quickly?

Contact the Directorate's home-education team and ask for the full-registration visit to be scheduled. Provisional periods are designed to be short - the Directorate aims to complete the full review within months rather than letting provisional registration drift.

Why does the ACT Directorate refuse home-education applications?

The most common reasons are (1) the program does not address all eight Australian Curriculum learning areas, (2) content depth inappropriate for the child's stage, (3) inadequate assessment plan, (4) the visit reveals a gap between documentation and reality, and (5) supervision arrangements unclear. Outright refusals are rare at provisional stage - the Directorate typically grants provisional and uses the move to full as the opportunity to address concerns. Decisions can be reviewed through the Directorate's internal process and, if needed, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT).

← Homeschooling

ACT · ACT Education DirectorateReviewed 2026-05-20

ACT · register with the Education Directorate

Step-by-step guide to homeschooling in the Australian Capital Territory - registration with the ACT Education Directorate, provisional and full registration stages, fees, and how ACT homeschoolers access senior credentials including the NSW HSC.

ACT Education Directorate official page →Registration page Step 1: Decide and register

At a glance - ACT homeschooling

Cost: Free
Initial registration: Up to 24 months
Curriculum basis: Australian Curriculum
Authority: ACT Education Directorate
Authority phone: (02) 6207 0867
Authority: ACT Education Directorate
Cost: Free
Initial registration period: Provisional then full - up to 24 months full registration
Curriculum basis: Australian Curriculum
Home visit required?: Yes, as part of provisional-to-full registration
Provisional registration: Standard first stage
Renewal cycle: Up to 2 years
Senior credential access: ACT Senior Secondary Certificate or NSW HSC via cross-enrolment

ACT homeschooling at a glance

The Australian Capital Territory's home-education process is run by the ACT Education Directorate. Registration is free and follows a provisional-then-full pattern that makes the on-ramp smooth for new families. Full registration is renewable for up to two years. ACT is unusual in that its students access senior credentials and the ATAR through the NSW UAC system, opening up the NSW HSC as a credential option alongside the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate.

The Directorate is experienced with home-education families and the process is generally well-regarded. Geographic integration with NSW means many ACT homeschool families use NSW distance providers for senior years.

The registration process step by step

1. Contact the ACT Education Directorate

The Directorate's home-education team handles all registrations. They will provide the application pack and guide you through the process.

2. Prepare the learning plan

The plan should cover the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum across the proposed registration period. Most ACT plans are 8-15 pages and include child information, philosophy, learning areas with content and resources, scope and sequence, assessment plan and resource list. The Directorate is pragmatic about pedagogy - what matters is coherent delivery of the learning areas.

3. Provisional registration

The Directorate grants provisional registration on receipt of a complete application, allowing teaching to commence promptly. Provisional periods are designed to be short - typically a matter of months - while the full review proceeds.

4. Home visit for full registration

The Directorate visits as part of moving from provisional to full registration. The visit reviews the plan, sees the child's work, and meets the family. Conversational; not adversarial.

5. Full registration

Full registration is then granted for up to 24 months. Renewal continues at 24 months for established families.

Senior credentials in the ACT

ACT homeschool families have two main pathways:

ACT Senior Secondary Certificate through ACT colleges. Some colleges accept dual-enrolled students, allowing a homeschooled student to attend for some subjects while remaining home-registered for the rest.
NSW HSC through Sydney Distance Education High School (SDEHS) or a registered private HSC provider. Because the ACT shares the NSW tertiary admissions centre (UAC), this pathway flows into the ATAR system naturally.

ExamExplained's HSC coverage - syllabus material, ATAR calculator, past papers, mock exams - applies for HSC candidates including ACT students.

Where to get help

ACT Education Directorate - official authority, phone (02) 6207 0867.
Home Education Association (HEA) - national peak body. ACT members and resources.
ACT homeschool community groups - small but active. Facebook groups for ACT and Queanbeyan/cross-border NSW are the main connectors. The community draws heavily on NSW resources given the geographic integration.
BTA tutoring for homeschool families - online tutoring; particularly useful for senior HSC subjects taken by ACT students.

Frequently asked questions - ACT homeschooling

How does ACT home-education registration work?: The ACT Education Directorate uses a two-stage process - provisional registration first, then full registration after a home visit and review. Provisional registration allows teaching to commence promptly. Full registration is usually granted for up to two years. The ACT is the only Australian jurisdiction that bakes provisional-then-full into the standard process; this makes the on-ramp particularly smooth for new families.
Does the ACT Education Directorate visit home-school families?: Yes, as part of moving from provisional to full registration. The visit reviews the learning plan, sees work samples and meets the child. At renewal, additional visits may or may not be scheduled depending on the family's track record. ACT visits are conversational rather than adversarial.
Can an ACT homeschooler sit the NSW HSC?: Yes - this is one of the most common ACT homeschool pathways. Because the ACT shares NSW's tertiary admissions centre (UAC) and is geographically integrated with NSW education, many ACT homeschool families enrol in NSW distance education for HSC and earn an ATAR through UAC. Sydney Distance Education High School and registered private HSC providers accept ACT students. Alternatively, the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate is available through ACT colleges.
What is the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate?: The ACT's own Year 12 credential, awarded by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) on completion of an approved Year 11-12 program at an ACT college. ATAR equivalents for ACT students are calculated through UAC (the same body that handles NSW). Some ACT colleges accept dual-enrolled students, allowing a homeschooled student to study some senior subjects at a college while remaining home-registered.
How long are ACT home-education registrations?: Initial provisional registration is short (typically months); full registration is then granted for up to 24 months. Renewal continues at 24 months for established families, sometimes shorter for senior years.
What does the ACT Directorate want to see in a learning plan?: A plan that addresses the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum across the registration period, with content appropriate to the child's stage, evidence of how learning will be assessed, and the resources you will use. ACT plans tend to be 8-15 pages and are reviewed pragmatically.
What if my ACT application is provisional but I need to move to full quickly?: Contact the Directorate's home-education team and ask for the full-registration visit to be scheduled. Provisional periods are designed to be short - the Directorate aims to complete the full review within months rather than letting provisional registration drift.
Why does the ACT Directorate refuse home-education applications?: The most common reasons are (1) the program does not address all eight Australian Curriculum learning areas, (2) content depth inappropriate for the child's stage, (3) inadequate assessment plan, (4) the visit reveals a gap between documentation and reality, and (5) supervision arrangements unclear. Outright refusals are rare at provisional stage - the Directorate typically grants provisional and uses the move to full as the opportunity to address concerns. Decisions can be reviewed through the Directorate's internal process and, if needed, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT).

The four-step homeschooling journey

The state-specific information above is one piece. The cross-state journey covers the full Foundation–Year 12 picture.

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Homeschooling in other states and territories

Glossary — Australian homeschooling terms

Registration: The legal act of recording a child with the state authority as a home-educated student. Required in every Australian state.
Authorised Person (AP): The reviewer NESA (NSW) sends to visit registered families. Other states use different titles — "moderator" in WA, "registrar" in TAS.
Learning plan / educational program: The document you submit describing what your child will learn over the registration period.
Scope and sequence: A planning table showing roughly what content each learning area covers, by term, across the registration period.
KLA / learning area: One of the broad subject groupings every Australian curriculum is organised into. NSW uses six Key Learning Areas (KLAs); most other states use the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum.
Dual enrolment: When a child is registered for home education and enrolled in some school subjects (typically by distance) at the same time.
Distance education school: A state government school that delivers schooling at distance. NSW has SDEHS, VIC has VSV, QLD has BSDE, WA has SIDE, SA/NT use OAC, TAS uses eSchool.
Provisional registration: Time-limited registration granted before the full review is complete. Available in NSW, VIC, QLD, ACT and TAS; SA, NT and WA require full written approval before commencing.
Deschooling: The transitional period after a child leaves school during which formal academic expectations are reduced and the child resets to a home-based rhythm. Typically weeks to months depending on time in school.

Sources

Every regulatory claim on this page is sourced. Verify against the relevant authority before acting on anything material. Last reviewed 2026-05-20.