How do I apply for homeschooling in New Zealand?

1. 1
   Download the official MoE form

   The current form (March 2024 version) is available on the Ministry of Education website. Save it locally before you start — do not fill it in your browser.

2. 2
   Write your teaching programme

   This is the main work. The form is the wrapper; the programme is the substance. It should run 10–15 pages and cover all 11 form sections, including your approach to each NZ Curriculum learning area, resources, a topic plan, your routine, and how you'll track progress.

3. 3
   Submit by email to your regional office

   Email is the preferred submission method across all regions — it gives you a timestamp and proof of submission. Include your child's birth certificate. If your child is currently enrolled, do not remove them from school until the certificate arrives.

4. 4
   Wait — and don't panic if a letter arrives

   Roughly one in three families receives a follow-up letter from MoE. These are written in bureaucratic language and are often mistaken for rejection letters. They are almost always a request for more information. Simply respond with the additional detail they've asked for.

5. 5
   Receive your Certificate of Exemption

   Once approved, you receive a Certificate of Exemption. It does not expire annually. You'll need to submit a twice-yearly declaration (roughly May and November) confirming home education is continuing.

If a child of compulsory school age (6–16) misses 20 or more consecutive school days without an approved exemption, they may be considered truant and the school may be required to report the absence to MoE.

The practical rule: do not remove your child from school until your exemption certificate is in hand. If your situation is urgent — documented bullying, medical issues, or significant distress — contact the Ministry directly before taking your child out. They can sometimes expedite processing in genuine emergencies.

If you are already past the 20-day mark or very close to a deadline, get in touch with us directly. We can usually turn a draft around in 24 hours for families in this situation.

The 11 form sections cover: special education needs, your knowledge and understanding as a parent/teacher, your curriculum description, NZ Curriculum reference (MoE info only — no response needed), a topic plan, resources and reference material, your teaching environment and community access, your child's social contact, how you'll assess progress, your approach to regularity, and any other relevant information.

The section that causes the most anxiety is the topic plan. It does not need to be impressive — it needs to demonstrate you understand the five components: title, aim, resources, method, and evaluation. A topic as simple as “how to boil an egg” has been accepted by MoE when the five components were clearly addressed.

Write in your own voice throughout. MoE assessors are experienced at recognising copied or templated text, and applications that sound authentically like the parent consistently perform better than applications that follow a script.

About one in three applicants receives a “more information” letter from MoE. The most common triggers are:

• One or more learning areas covered too briefly or vaguely
• Teaching methodology described in general terms without any specific examples
• Assessment approach too vague — MoE needs to see some plan for tracking progress
• Topic plan missing one of the five components
• Apparent imbalance in curriculum coverage (e.g. maths and literacy strong, te reo barely mentioned)

These requests are not rejections. Responding clearly to the specific points raised almost always results in approval.