How do I register to homeschool in Victoria?

Apply online through the VRQA home-schooling portal. The application includes child and parent details, address, and a description of the educational program covering the eight learning areas. There is no compulsory home visit. Registration is effective from the date a complete application is submitted, with VRQA review proceeding from there.

What are the eight Victorian Curriculum learning areas?

English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, and Languages. Your learning program must address each area, though depth and balance are at your discretion. Victoria's curriculum is closely aligned with the Australian Curriculum.

Is there a fee for VRQA home-school registration?

No. The VRQA does not charge a fee for home-school registration. There is no cost to apply, no cost for any visit, and no cost to renew.

Does the VRQA visit Victorian homeschool families?

There is no automatic home visit. The VRQA may request a sample of the child's work, an updated learning plan, or schedule a visit if it has concerns about a specific registration. Most families never receive a visit.

Can a Victorian homeschooler sit the VCE?

Yes, by enrolling in a registered VCE provider. Virtual School Victoria (VSV) is the state-run online school and the most common route for homeschoolers. Several other registered schools also accept distance VCE candidates. Direct private candidature for the VCE is not available - VCAA requires VCE subjects to be delivered through a registered provider.

How often do I need to renew my Victorian home-school registration?

Annually. The VRQA will contact you ahead of expiry to renew. Provide an updated learning program for the coming year and any work samples requested.

Why does the VRQA refuse home-school applications?

The most common reasons for refusal or follow-up are (1) one or more of the eight Victorian Curriculum learning areas missing from the program description, (2) age-inappropriate content (typically too thin for the child's stage), (3) inadequate documentation of how the child will be supervised across the proposed program, (4) child identity or address documents missing or unclear, and (5) program descriptions that read as boilerplate rather than tailored to this child. VRQA typically requests amendments and re-submission. Formal refusals can be reviewed through the VRQA's internal process and then by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

← Homeschooling

VIC · VRQAReviewed 2026-05-20

VIC · register with the VRQA

Step-by-step guide to homeschooling in Victoria - registration with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA), the eight learning areas required, no compulsory home visit, fees and renewal, and how Victorian homeschoolers access the VCE.

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

At a glance - VIC homeschooling

Cost: Free
Initial registration: Up to 12 months
Curriculum basis: Eight learning areas, aligned with the Victorian Curriculum (F–10)
Authority: Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)
Authority phone: 1300 134 181
Authority email: homeschooling@education.vic.gov.au
Authority: Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)
Cost: Free
Initial registration period: Up to 12 months, extendable on renewal
Curriculum basis: Eight learning areas of the Victorian Curriculum F–10
Home visit required?: No - VRQA may request a sample of work or visit if concerns arise
Effective from: Date of submission of a complete application
Renewal cycle: Annually
Senior credential access: VCE available via Virtual School Victoria or another registered provider

Victorian homeschooling at a glance

Victoria has the lightest-touch home-schooling process of the three large eastern states. The VRQA - Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority - handles registration. There is no mandatory home visit, no fee, and registration is effective from the date you submit a complete application. The eight learning areas of the Victorian Curriculum form the basis of your program.

Victoria's flexibility makes it well-suited to a wide range of homeschooling styles, from highly structured to natural learning. The VRQA is not interested in style - it is interested in evidence that the eight learning areas are being addressed and the child is making appropriate progress.

The registration process step by step

1. Read the VRQA home-school information

The VRQA publishes a home-schooling registration guide. Read it before applying. It defines the eight learning areas, the documentation expected, and the obligations of registered families.

2. Prepare the learning program description

Your application includes a description of the educational program. Most families submit a 5-15 page document covering:

Information about the child and family
Your educational approach and philosophy
The eight learning areas with planned content, activities, and resources for each
How you will assess learning
Resources you will use (books, online programs, tutors, libraries, co-ops)

You do not need to use the Victorian Curriculum as a textbook, but the eight learning areas must each be addressed.

3. Submit the application

The VRQA online application is straightforward. You'll provide:

Child's identity documents
Proof of address
The learning program description
Parent identification and declaration

Registration is effective immediately on submission of a complete application.

4. VRQA review

The VRQA reviews the application. Most are processed without further contact. The VRQA may request additional information, a work sample, or (rarely) a visit. Initial registration is typically granted for 12 months from the application date.

What the VRQA looks for

The VRQA's published expectations:

Coverage of all eight learning areas across the registration period
Age- and stage-appropriate content - what is reasonable for the child's developmental level
Adequate parent supervision for the program described
A plan to address each area, not a guarantee of any particular pedagogy

The VRQA is explicitly accepting of structured, eclectic, Charlotte Mason, classical, Steiner, Montessori-aligned, and natural learning approaches, provided each of the eight learning areas is genuinely addressed.

Renewal

Annual renewal is the norm. The VRQA will email a reminder ahead of expiry. Submit an updated program description for the coming year. Renewal does not normally involve a visit.

Sitting the VCE as a Victorian homeschooler

The standard pathway is:

In Year 10 or early Year 11, enrol the student in Virtual School Victoria (VSV) or another registered VCE provider that accepts distance candidates.
Maintain VRQA home-education registration for any non-credentialed time during senior years.
Complete the VCE through the provider, including internal assessment tasks and external exams.

VSV is the most common option and is open to home-educated students. Plan 12-18 months ahead because subject choices have prerequisites and VSV is a popular option.

Once you're sitting VCE subjects, ExamExplained's VCE coverage, ATAR calculator, syllabus material, past papers and mock exams are all available.

Where to get help

VRQA home-schooling team - official authority, phone 1300 134 181.
Home Education Network Victoria - long-running Victorian home-education community with practical resources.
Home Education Association - national peak body.
BTA tutoring - for VCE subject support and broader senior years guidance.

Frequently asked questions - VIC homeschooling

How do I register to homeschool in Victoria?: Apply online through the VRQA home-schooling portal. The application includes child and parent details, address, and a description of the educational program covering the eight learning areas. There is no compulsory home visit. Registration is effective from the date a complete application is submitted, with VRQA review proceeding from there.
What are the eight Victorian Curriculum learning areas?: English, Mathematics, Science, Humanities, The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Technologies, and Languages. Your learning program must address each area, though depth and balance are at your discretion. Victoria's curriculum is closely aligned with the Australian Curriculum.
Is there a fee for VRQA home-school registration?: No. The VRQA does not charge a fee for home-school registration. There is no cost to apply, no cost for any visit, and no cost to renew.
Does the VRQA visit Victorian homeschool families?: There is no automatic home visit. The VRQA may request a sample of the child's work, an updated learning plan, or schedule a visit if it has concerns about a specific registration. Most families never receive a visit.
Can a Victorian homeschooler sit the VCE?: Yes, by enrolling in a registered VCE provider. Virtual School Victoria (VSV) is the state-run online school and the most common route for homeschoolers. Several other registered schools also accept distance VCE candidates. Direct private candidature for the VCE is not available - VCAA requires VCE subjects to be delivered through a registered provider.
How often do I need to renew my Victorian home-school registration?: Annually. The VRQA will contact you ahead of expiry to renew. Provide an updated learning program for the coming year and any work samples requested.
Why does the VRQA refuse home-school applications?: The most common reasons for refusal or follow-up are (1) one or more of the eight Victorian Curriculum learning areas missing from the program description, (2) age-inappropriate content (typically too thin for the child's stage), (3) inadequate documentation of how the child will be supervised across the proposed program, (4) child identity or address documents missing or unclear, and (5) program descriptions that read as boilerplate rather than tailored to this child. VRQA typically requests amendments and re-submission. Formal refusals can be reviewed through the VRQA's internal process and then by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

The four-step homeschooling journey

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

For homeschoolers sitting HSC, VCE or QCE

Sitting the HSC, VCE or QCE as a homeschooler? A weekly tutor is the cheat code.

Homeschool families preparing for external senior exams overwhelmingly use a tutor for the externally-examined subjects. BTA tutors specialise in HSC, VCE and QCE — recent graduates who sat the exams themselves — at $70/hr with code "examexplained" through 2026.

Talk to BTA about senior subjects →How BTA fits a homeschool family

$70/hr with code examexplained through 2026-12-31. Free first lesson, no contract.

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.