There are 2 ways you can apply to register your child for home education:
- You can fill out an
online form.
- You can complete a
paper-based form that you email or post to us.
To complete your application, you'll need to use the approved application form and provide some supporting documents:
- evidence that your child is the right age for home education (usually a birth certificate)
- evidence that you are the child’s parent or legal guardian (usually a birth certificate or other legal document like a Medicare card)
- a summary of the educational program you will use
- confirmation that your child is not also enrolled at a state or non-state school
- any court orders that relate to parental responsibility for the child.
You will also need to sign a declaration stating that the information you're providing is correct.
Sometimes you'll need to provide additional information or documentation to support your application—for example, if your name is different from the name on your child’s birth certificate.
You can read more about supporting documents in our
frequently asked questions.
Step 1—fill out the application form
To apply online, complete an
online application form.
To apply by email or post, download the approved form—registration for home education application form.
The applicant is the child’s parent or guardian, not the child. You can include the details of a second applicant parent on the application form. The Home Education Unit will discuss the application only with the parents who are named on the form.
You must have a Queensland home address, and provide home education principally at the child’s usual place of residence.
Make sure the name on the document showing you have parental responsibility matches the name you write in your application. If you have changed your name, you will need to provide extra documentation like a marriage certificate or a change-of-name certificate to show the connection.
If your family has any court orders in place that relate to parental responsibility for the child, you must provide a copy of these with your application.
You must complete all sections of the form. You’ll need to fill out a separate application form for each child you are wishing to register for home education.
Step 2—attach your supporting documentation
To support your application, you'll need to attach all the necessary supporting documentation.
Evidence of your child's name and date of birth can be:
- their
birth certificate or birth extract
- their passport
- citizenship documents
- Australian visa documents.
Evidence that you have parental responsibility can be:
- your child's birth certificate or extract
- your family Medicare card
- court orders that establish your parental responsibility
- other official government documents, such as records from Centrelink.
Important: The name of your child on the form must be the same as their name on the supporting documentation. If your name is different from your name on the supporting documentation, we may need extra supporting documentation to show you have changed your name—for example, a marriage certificate.
Make sure you have attached all the documents you need for your application, including any court orders that relate to parental responsibility for your child.
You do not need to provide original documents or certified copies. Copies are fine—but they must be clear and easy to read.
You must also include a summary of your child's educational program.
Step 3—submit your application
Before you submit your application, check that you have:
- filled out every section of application form
- attached all the required supporting documentation
- provided a summary of your child’s educational program
- completed the declaration.
If you're submitting your application by email or post, make sure you include all the supporting documentation in one email or envelope. Email your application and supporting documentation to
homeeducation@qed.qld.gov.au or post it to:
Home Education Unit
PO Box 3710
SOUTH BRISBANE
BC QLD 4101
We'll send you a message to confirm that we’ve received your application.
After your application is submitted
Your application must be in the approved form for your application to be considered.
After we receive your application, we will send you a message confirming that your child is
provisionally registered. Your child is provisionally registered for home education until a Home Education Unit officer makes a decision on the application.
When an application is complete, we say that it has fulfilled the
procedural requirements. If your application is incomplete, we will ask you to provide more information.
We will assess your application as quickly as we can, but it can take up to 90 days.
While your child is registered
While your child is registered, you should provide your child's educational program and monitor their educational progress throughout the year.
If any of your details change, you must notify us in writing within 28 days of the change.
Before the anniversary of your child's registration, you will need to
report on their educational progress (DOCX, 774KB).
Ending my child's registration
You can end your child's registration at any time by using this
online form.
This is called surrendering your child's registration.
The surrender takes effect on the date you submit the online form.
You can also surrender your child's registration by writing to us. If you surrender your child’s registration in writing, the surrender will take effect on the date you send us an email or letter. You can tell us if you want the surrender to take effect on a later date.
Please note:
- If your child is enrolled at a school when you surrender their registration, or if you have applied to enrol them at a state or non-state school, you must also tell us the name of that school.
- A child who is registered (or provisionally registered) for home education may not be enrolled at a state or non-state school at the same time.
Applying for provisional registration
You can apply specifically for provisional registration which is temporary registration that lasts for 60 days. During this time, you do not need to provide a summary of the child’s educational program or report on their educational progress.
To apply for provisional registration, you will need to write to us and provide the following information:
- the applicant's name (your name and the name of a second applicant parent, if needed)
- your child's full name and date of birth
- your child’s usual home address in Queensland
- a written statement confirming your child is not enrolled at a state or non-state school.
You will also need to provide evidence of the child's age and that you have parental responsibility—usually the child’s birth certificate.
The Home Education Unit will notify you by email confirming that your child is registered for provisional registration as soon as we can, typically within 2 business days.
Your child is provisionally registered for 60 days from the day you receive the confirmation email from the Home Education Unit.