How do I register to homeschool in Tasmania?

Apply to the Office of the Education Registrar (OER). The OER is a body specifically established to oversee non-school education in Tasmania, and tends to be one of the more accessible Australian authorities to work with. Submit child and parent identity documents, proof of address, and a learning plan aligned with the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines. Provisional registration is available while the full application is reviewed.

What are the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines?

A document published by the OER setting out the principles, learning areas, and documentation expected for Tasmanian home-education registrations. It is broadly aligned with the Australian Curriculum but written specifically for the home-education context, and reflects Tasmania's pragmatic approach. Read it before applying - the OER's published expectations are the standard your registration is judged against.

Does the Tasmanian Registrar visit home-school families?

Yes, a registrar visit is part of the standard process - typically at initial registration and at renewal. Visits are conversational and focused on the program rather than the household. Most Tasmanian families report the OER as approachable; if you have questions, ask.

How long are Tasmanian home-education registrations?

Initial registrations are typically 12 months. Subsequent renewals continue annually. The OER reviews each renewal and may extend or vary the registration period based on the family's track record.

Can a Tasmanian homeschooler complete the TCE?

Yes. Tasmania's senior-years arrangements are unusually flexible, with the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) accumulating across Years 11 and 12 from a range of activities including school subjects, VET qualifications, and university-level subjects. The Tasmanian eSchool delivers TCE-relevant subjects to home-educated students, and other distance options exist. The TCE is one of the more homeschool-friendly senior credentials in Australia.

How does ATAR work in Tasmania?

Tasmania doesn't have its own dedicated tertiary admissions centre - the University of Tasmania (UTAS) handles most admissions directly, and TCE results feed into the calculation. The TCE has an ATAR-equivalent (the Tertiary Entrance score, TE score) used by UTAS. For interstate applications, students typically apply through the relevant state TAC (UAC for NSW, VTAC for VIC etc.).

Can my child be enrolled in some school subjects in TAS while home-educated?

Yes, dual enrolment is possible in Tasmania and increasingly common, particularly for senior subjects via the eSchool. Discuss the arrangement with the OER during your registration so it appears in your learning plan.

Why does the OER refuse home-education applications?

The most common reasons are (1) the program does not address the principles set out in the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines, (2) one or more learning areas are missing or visibly thin, (3) the assessment approach is not clearly described, (4) the registrar's visit reveals a gap between documentation and lived practice, and (5) child welfare concerns flagged during the visit. The OER's culture is conversational - most issues are raised informally first and resolved through amendments. Formal refusals can be reviewed through the OER's internal process and, ultimately, the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT).

← Homeschooling

TAS · OERReviewed 2026-05-20

TAS · register with the Office of the Education Registrar

Step-by-step guide to homeschooling in Tasmania - registration with the Office of the Education Registrar (OER), the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines, fees, provisional registration, and how Tasmanian homeschoolers access the TCE.

OER official page →Registration page Step 1: Decide and register

At a glance - TAS homeschooling

Cost: Free
Initial registration: Up to 12 months
Curriculum basis: Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines (broadly aligned with the Australian Curriculum)
Authority: Office of the Education Registrar (OER)
Authority phone: (03) 6165 6045
Authority email: oer@education.tas.gov.au
Authority: Office of the Education Registrar (OER)
Cost: Free
Initial registration period: Up to 12 months
Curriculum basis: Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines
Home visit required?: Yes - registrar visits as part of the process
Provisional registration: Available while full application is reviewed
Renewal cycle: Annually
Senior credential access: TCE available via the Tasmanian eSchool and the Years 11-12 Tasmanian Department of Education pathways

Tasmanian homeschooling at a glance

Tasmania administers home-schooling through the Office of the Education Registrar (OER), a body specifically established to oversee non-school education in the state. The OER publishes its own Home Education Guidelines and is generally regarded as one of the more accessible Australian authorities to work with - pragmatic, conversational, focused on the program rather than the paperwork.

Registration is free and renewed annually. Tasmania includes a registrar visit as part of the standard process. Provisional registration is available, allowing teaching to begin while the full application is reviewed. The senior credential - the TCE - is one of the most flexible in Australia and well-suited to homeschool pathways.

The registration process step by step

1. Read the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines

The OER publishes a comprehensive guidelines document. It sets out the principles, learning areas and documentation expected, and is the standard your registration will be judged against. Read it before drafting your plan.

2. Prepare the learning program

Most Tasmanian learning programs are 6-12 pages and cover:

Information about the child and family
Educational approach and philosophy
The eight learning areas with planned content, activities and resources
Assessment and record-keeping
A resource list

Tasmania accepts a broader range of pedagogical approaches than some states - structured, eclectic, Charlotte Mason, classical, Steiner, Montessori-aligned, natural learning. The guidelines focus on outcomes rather than method.

3. Submit the application

Submit through the OER with child and parent identity documents, proof of address, the learning program and parent declaration. Provisional registration may be granted while the full review proceeds.

4. Registrar visit

The registrar visits as part of the full review. Visits are conversational and typically last 60-90 minutes. The registrar reviews the program, sees work samples, and meets the child.

5. Full registration and renewal

Registration is typically granted for 12 months. Renewal continues annually, with the registrar engaging at each cycle.

Sitting the TCE

The Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) is accumulated across Years 11 and 12 from a flexible range of activities: school subjects, VET qualifications, and even university-level subjects in some cases. For homeschoolers, the standard pathway is enrolment in the Tasmanian eSchool for TCE subjects, with continued home-education registration for any non-credentialed time.

Tasmanian tertiary admissions for the University of Tasmania (UTAS) are handled by UTAS directly rather than through a separate state TAC. A Tasmanian homeschool student still needs to earn a senior credential - the TCE or equivalent - through enrolment in a registered provider (typically the Tasmanian eSchool). The TCE produces a Tertiary Entrance (TE) score that UTAS uses for course selection, operating similarly to an ATAR. UTAS also accepts non-TE entry pathways for some courses (mature age, portfolio, STAT). Interstate applications go through the relevant state TAC (UAC, VTAC, QTAC, TISC, SATAC).

Where to get help

Office of the Education Registrar (OER) - official authority, phone (03) 6165 6045, email oer@education.tas.gov.au.
Home Education Association (HEA) - national peak body with Tasmanian members.
TAS homeschool community groups - Tasmania has a small, close-knit homeschool community. Facebook groups for Hobart, Launceston and the North-West Coast are the main online connectors.
BTA tutoring for homeschool families - online tutoring available nationwide; useful for senior TCE subjects.

Frequently asked questions - TAS homeschooling

How do I register to homeschool in Tasmania?: Apply to the Office of the Education Registrar (OER). The OER is a body specifically established to oversee non-school education in Tasmania, and tends to be one of the more accessible Australian authorities to work with. Submit child and parent identity documents, proof of address, and a learning plan aligned with the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines. Provisional registration is available while the full application is reviewed.
What are the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines?: A document published by the OER setting out the principles, learning areas, and documentation expected for Tasmanian home-education registrations. It is broadly aligned with the Australian Curriculum but written specifically for the home-education context, and reflects Tasmania's pragmatic approach. Read it before applying - the OER's published expectations are the standard your registration is judged against.
Does the Tasmanian Registrar visit home-school families?: Yes, a registrar visit is part of the standard process - typically at initial registration and at renewal. Visits are conversational and focused on the program rather than the household. Most Tasmanian families report the OER as approachable; if you have questions, ask.
How long are Tasmanian home-education registrations?: Initial registrations are typically 12 months. Subsequent renewals continue annually. The OER reviews each renewal and may extend or vary the registration period based on the family's track record.
Can a Tasmanian homeschooler complete the TCE?: Yes. Tasmania's senior-years arrangements are unusually flexible, with the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) accumulating across Years 11 and 12 from a range of activities including school subjects, VET qualifications, and university-level subjects. The Tasmanian eSchool delivers TCE-relevant subjects to home-educated students, and other distance options exist. The TCE is one of the more homeschool-friendly senior credentials in Australia.
How does ATAR work in Tasmania?: Tasmania doesn't have its own dedicated tertiary admissions centre - the University of Tasmania (UTAS) handles most admissions directly, and TCE results feed into the calculation. The TCE has an ATAR-equivalent (the Tertiary Entrance score, TE score) used by UTAS. For interstate applications, students typically apply through the relevant state TAC (UAC for NSW, VTAC for VIC etc.).
Can my child be enrolled in some school subjects in TAS while home-educated?: Yes, dual enrolment is possible in Tasmania and increasingly common, particularly for senior subjects via the eSchool. Discuss the arrangement with the OER during your registration so it appears in your learning plan.
Why does the OER refuse home-education applications?: The most common reasons are (1) the program does not address the principles set out in the Tasmanian Home Education Guidelines, (2) one or more learning areas are missing or visibly thin, (3) the assessment approach is not clearly described, (4) the registrar's visit reveals a gap between documentation and lived practice, and (5) child welfare concerns flagged during the visit. The OER's culture is conversational - most issues are raised informally first and resolved through amendments. Formal refusals can be reviewed through the OER's internal process and, ultimately, the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT).

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.