Guide to Home Education Registration in Victoria (VIC)

If you are considering home education for your child in Victoria, this guide provides a comprehensive overview of the registration process overseen by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA).

1. Eligibility

Registration is compulsory for children aged 6 to 17 who live in Victoria.

Starting Age: Unless you are withdrawing your child from school, your child must be registered by their sixth birthday. Your start date can be anytime from January 1st of the year they turn six. Children need to be registered by their sixth birthday (if not enrolled at school).
17-Year-Olds: Registration remains current until December 31 of the year the student turns 18.
No Prior Enrollment: You apply directly to the VRQA. If the child is already enrolled in school, they must remain enrolled until the home education registration is approved.
Your start date must be within 6 months of the application date.

2. The Required Documents

To apply for registration, you must submit all required documents together. The VRQA is unable to process incomplete applications. You can find the application form here.

The Application Form: The official VRQA “Application for Registration for Home Education.”
Evidence of Child’s Identity: A high-quality copy of the child’s birth certificate, birth extract, or passport.
Evidence of Parental Responsibility: This can be proved by providing the child’s birth certificate (listing your name as a parent), or by supplying parenting orders.
The Learning Plan: A separate document for each child (see Section 4).
Court Orders (if applicable): If there are any court orders regarding the child’s education or parental responsibility, a copy must be provided.

3. Completing the Application Form

Who Signs: Only one parent or guardian needs to sign the form, unless there are court orders that specify otherwise.
Signature Requirements: The VRQA requires a “wet” signature (handwritten). Digital script fonts are not accepted. You can sign the paper, scan it, and email it.
Name Evidence: If your name on the form differs from the birth certificate, provide a marriage certificate or change of name deed.

4. The Learning Plan

HEN Learning Plan Workbook

To make this easier, HEN has a step-by-step learning plan workbook available. It guides you through these brainstorms and results in a polished plan perfectly suited to your child.

It is available in Fillable PDF format as well as Printer-Friendly format.

It is available for FREE to HEN members from the Members Publications page.

The learning plan is a statement of your intent to provide “regular and efficient instruction.” It is not a daily lesson plan, and it does not need to follow the Australian or Victorian Curriculum.

You can download sample plans and templates here.

What a Learning Plan IS and IS NOT

A Learning Plan IS…	A Learning Plan IS NOT…
Required for initial registration.	Required every year (only for the first year).
An overview of the first year (to Dec 31).	Set in stone (it is a plan of intent).
A demonstration that you’ve thought about education.	Required to replicate “school at home.”
Tailored to your individual child.	Something you will be “graded” or measured against.

Time to Brainstorm

True learning occurs when the subject matter is relevant and engaging. Before writing, think about your child’s interests. If they are already doing something or are keen to try something new, it likely fits within one of the learning areas.

Interests: Does your child love LEGO, Minecraft, horses, or coding?
Hobbies: Are they already in a sports team, dance class, or Scouts?
Wish List: What do they want to learn this year?

What Your Plan Can Include

Your plan can be incredibly broad. It isn’t limited to “academic” study. You can include:

Life Skills: Cooking, gardening, budgeting, or home maintenance.
Community: Clubs, guilds, excursions, social activities, or volunteering.
Resources: Documentaries, YouTube, podcasts, games, books, or conversational learning.
Therapies: Speech therapy, OT, or mental health support can all form part of your educational schedule.

Cross-Curricular Learning

One activity can cover multiple learning areas simultaneously. For example, cooking a meal involves:

English: Reading and following a recipe.
Maths: Measuring volume, weight, and timing.
Science: Chemical reactions (yeast rising, eggs setting).
Health: Discussing nutrition and food safety.

“You Don’t Have To…”

The Victorian regulations provide great freedom. To be registered, you do not have to:

Overtly Teach: You can facilitate learning through resources rather than standing at a whiteboard.
Have Lesson Plans: You don’t need to plan every minute of the day.
Have a Timetable: You don’t need a rigid 9-to-3 schedule.
Use “Eduspeak”: Write in plain English about what your child will do.

Addressing the 8 Learning Areas

Focus on what your child will do, how they will do it, the resources required, and which areas are covered. If you’re stuck, you can get some ideas from this image and the graphics on this page.

The eight learning areas are:

English | 2. Maths | 3. Sciences | 4. Humanities (HASS) | 5. The Arts | 6. Health & PE | 7. Languages | 8. ICT & Design Technology.

Note: you do not have to buy any curriculum or any products. In fact, it is best practice to wait and see what your child engages with and finds interesting before spending time and money on any resources.

For ideas on resources and activities for every KLA, search our Pinterest account and the HEN Resource Directory.

There are many video talks and resources on our website to help you understand requirements and how to cover learning areas.

5. Partial Enrolment

You have a legal right to seek “Partial Enrolment” at a government school for specific subjects (e.g., just for Art or a VCE subject), subject to the principal’s discretion. This means that while your closest government school must accommodate your child part-time if they have space in their student quota, the principal decides which programs your child can access, and on what timetable.

6. Submission and Approval

Email your documents to home.schooling@education.vic.gov.au.

The 28-Day Rule: The VRQA has 28 days to process your application.
Withdrawing: Your child must attend school until you receive your Registration Certificate. Once it arrives, provide a copy to the school and withdraw them immediately.
If your child cannot attend school (due to physical or mental health challenges or for safety reasons) while waiting for approval, you can request permission from the principal to keep your child at home. If the principal does not agree, you can obtain a medical certificate from your GP to cover the waiting period. You can obtain more information and guidance here.

7. The 10% Review Process

Each year, 10% of families are randomly selected for a review. You simply show that “regular and efficient instruction” is occurring. This can be via a diary, photos, or work samples. It is a check that you are educating, not an assessment of the child’s level.

You can choose which registered child from your family will be reviewed, and the review format. Available options include over the phone, via video conference (eg Zoom) or desktop (written report).

More information on the review process is available in the following video on reviews and on this page.

You can also access these resources which were mentioned during the webinar, and may be of assistance:

8. Annual Renewal of Registration

Every October or November, the VRQA will email you. Simply click the link to confirm you are continuing for the next year. You do not need to submit a new learning plan.

9. Additional Information

VRQA Website
Support and Resources: Seek help from local home education networks or support groups to navigate the registration process and create a strong learning plan.
- HEN Victorian Homeschoolers and Unschoolers
- email support@home-ed.vic.edu.au for assistance if required. We also check learning plan drafts for members.