How do I register to homeschool in South Australia?

Apply through the SA Department for Education's home-education process. Unlike VIC and QLD, SA requires written approval before you commence home-schooling - you cannot start teaching simply because the application is in. Plan for a school term lead time. The application includes a learning plan aligned with the Australian Curriculum, identity and address documents, and a declaration of obligations.

Does SA require the Australian Curriculum?

Yes - SA aligns home-education curriculum requirements explicitly with the Australian Curriculum. Your program must demonstrate that the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum will be addressed appropriately for the child's stage. You do not have to use any specific textbook or program, but you must be able to show that the substantive learning outcomes will be met.

Does the SA Department visit home-school families?

Visits or interviews can be requested as part of the registration process and at renewal, but they are not as universally scheduled as in NSW or WA. SA's approach is more documentation-led - you submit, the Department reviews, and they may follow up with questions or a visit if needed. Most families do not have a routine annual visit.

Can my child be enrolled in some school subjects while home-schooled in SA?

Dual enrolment arrangements are possible in SA on a case-by-case basis, typically arranged through Open Access College or through a brick-and-mortar school willing to accept a part-time enrolment. Discuss with the Department's home-education team if this is your plan.

Can an SA homeschooler sit the SACE?

Yes, through enrolment in a SACE-registered provider. [Open Access College](https://www.openaccess.edu.au) is the SA Department's distance school and the most common pathway for homeschool SACE candidates. SACE allows credit accumulation from a variety of sources including VET, which suits some homeschool pathways well. The [South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC)](https://www.satac.edu.au) calculates the ATAR for SA students.

How long are SA home-education registrations?

Initial registrations are typically 12 months. Renewal involves submitting an updated learning plan for the coming year, and the Department reviews and reissues registration annually. Long-established families may experience a lighter renewal process over time.

Why does the SA Department refuse home-school applications?

The most common reasons are (1) the learning plan does not demonstrate alignment with the eight Australian Curriculum learning areas, (2) age-inappropriate content depth, (3) under-specified assessment approach with no clear way to demonstrate progress, (4) missing or unclear identity/address documents, and (5) program descriptions that look generic. The Department typically requests amendments and re-submission rather than outright refusing. Formal refusals can be reviewed through the Department's internal review process; if that is exhausted, decisions can be reviewed by the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT). In practice, almost every initial deferral is resolved through resubmission and external review is rarely needed.

← Homeschooling

SA · Dept for EducationReviewed 2026-05-20

SA · register with the Department for Education

Step-by-step guide to homeschooling in South Australia - application through the SA Department for Education, Australian Curriculum requirement, fees and renewal, and how SA homeschoolers access the SACE.

Dept for Education official page →Registration page Step 1: Decide and register

At a glance - SA homeschooling

Cost: Free
Initial registration: Up to 12 months
Curriculum basis: Australian Curriculum
Authority: SA Department for Education - Home Education team
Authority phone: (08) 8226 1000
Authority: SA Department for Education
Cost: Free
Initial registration period: Up to 12 months
Curriculum basis: Australian Curriculum
Home visit required?: Possible; varies by district
Wait before commencing: Approval required before teaching begins
Renewal cycle: Annually
Senior credential access: SACE available via Open Access College

SA homeschooling at a glance

South Australia administers home-schooling through the SA Department for Education. Registration is free, annual, and runs more on documentation than on routine home visits. SA is unusual in requiring written approval before teaching commences - you cannot rely on an in-progress application to satisfy attendance obligations. Plan at least a school term for the approval process. The curriculum basis is the Australian Curriculum, explicitly.

The registration process step by step

1. Contact the SA Department for Education

The Department's home-education team is the central point of contact. They will issue the application pack and explain the documentation required.

2. Prepare the learning plan

Your plan needs to demonstrate alignment with the Australian Curriculum across the eight learning areas: English, Mathematics, Science, HASS, The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Technologies and Languages. Most successful SA plans are 8-15 pages covering:

Information about the child
Educational philosophy and approach
Each learning area with content, resources and assessment approach
A term-by-term scope and sequence
A resource list

3. Submit the application

Include child and parent identity documents, proof of address, the learning plan, and a declaration of obligations.

4. Wait for written approval

This is the part SA families most often misunderstand. Do not begin home-schooling until you have written approval. If your child is currently at school, do not deregister them until the approval has come through. Most approvals are issued within 6-12 weeks of a complete application.

5. Annual renewal

Submit an updated learning plan for the coming year. The Department reviews and reissues registration, typically for 12 months.

Sitting the SACE

The standard pathway is enrolment in Open Access College (OAC) for SACE subjects. OAC has eligibility criteria - it is intended for students unable to attend a regular school, including home-educated students, but specific grounds (medical, geographic, performance/sport commitments, home education registration) need to be documented. Most registered SA homeschool families are eligible; check with OAC before assuming. OAC enrolment runs alongside continued home-education registration with the Department for any non-credentialed time.

The South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC) calculates the ATAR from SACE results, using the same general framework as other state TACs.

Where to get help

SA Department for Education home education - official authority.
Home Education Association (HEA) - national peak body. SA-specific resources and learning plan templates.
SA homeschool community groups - Facebook groups for Adelaide and regional SA areas. Local knowledge about the Department's expectations is helpful.
BTA tutoring for homeschool families - for subject support, particularly in senior SACE subjects.

Frequently asked questions - SA homeschooling

How do I register to homeschool in South Australia?: Apply through the SA Department for Education's home-education process. Unlike VIC and QLD, SA requires written approval before you commence home-schooling - you cannot start teaching simply because the application is in. Plan for a school term lead time. The application includes a learning plan aligned with the Australian Curriculum, identity and address documents, and a declaration of obligations.
Does SA require the Australian Curriculum?: Yes - SA aligns home-education curriculum requirements explicitly with the Australian Curriculum. Your program must demonstrate that the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum will be addressed appropriately for the child's stage. You do not have to use any specific textbook or program, but you must be able to show that the substantive learning outcomes will be met.
Does the SA Department visit home-school families?: Visits or interviews can be requested as part of the registration process and at renewal, but they are not as universally scheduled as in NSW or WA. SA's approach is more documentation-led - you submit, the Department reviews, and they may follow up with questions or a visit if needed. Most families do not have a routine annual visit.
Can my child be enrolled in some school subjects while home-schooled in SA?: Dual enrolment arrangements are possible in SA on a case-by-case basis, typically arranged through Open Access College or through a brick-and-mortar school willing to accept a part-time enrolment. Discuss with the Department's home-education team if this is your plan.
Can an SA homeschooler sit the SACE?: Yes, through enrolment in a SACE-registered provider. [Open Access College](https://www.openaccess.edu.au) is the SA Department's distance school and the most common pathway for homeschool SACE candidates. SACE allows credit accumulation from a variety of sources including VET, which suits some homeschool pathways well. The [South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC)](https://www.satac.edu.au) calculates the ATAR for SA students.
How long are SA home-education registrations?: Initial registrations are typically 12 months. Renewal involves submitting an updated learning plan for the coming year, and the Department reviews and reissues registration annually. Long-established families may experience a lighter renewal process over time.
Why does the SA Department refuse home-school applications?: The most common reasons are (1) the learning plan does not demonstrate alignment with the eight Australian Curriculum learning areas, (2) age-inappropriate content depth, (3) under-specified assessment approach with no clear way to demonstrate progress, (4) missing or unclear identity/address documents, and (5) program descriptions that look generic. The Department typically requests amendments and re-submission rather than outright refusing. Formal refusals can be reviewed through the Department's internal review process; if that is exhausted, decisions can be reviewed by the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT). In practice, almost every initial deferral is resolved through resubmission and external review is rarely needed.

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.