If you live abroad with kids for part of the year, this question comes up eventually — usually in the evening, once everything else is organized: How is our child actually supposed to learn if we’re not in one place all year? We went through this process ourselves and would have loved exactly this kind of overview back then. Here it is — factual, as of July 2026.
Compulsory Schooling Isn’t All the Same
The most important distinction, one almost nobody knows: there are two completely different models.
Compulsory school attendance means: the child must physically attend a school. That’s how it works in Germany — homeschooling there is, apart from rare medical exceptions, practically ruled out.
Compulsory education means: education is mandatory, the location is free. That’s how it works in Austria — parents register home education with the education directorate, and children sit exams at a school once a year. This one fork in the road decides almost everything.
Where Homeschooling Is Generally Possible
Austria allows home education throughout the nine years of compulsory education: annual registration, equivalent instruction, annual external exams. Ireland even protects home education in its constitution; families register with a state list. In the United States, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, with requirements ranging from a simple notification to educational plans and testing, depending on the state. Canada is also legal in every province, with varying degrees of regulation. England and Wales have historically been liberal (“education otherwise”) — but note: since late 2024, legislation has been moving through parliament (the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill) that would introduce a national register and far-reaching oversight powers for authorities. If you’re planning around the UK, keep an eye on this process.
Where It’s Allowed But Strictly Regulated
Poland is more predictable than many think: a one-time approval per educational stage (not renewed every year), but annual exams at the school where the child stays enrolled. Czechia officially allows individual education at the primary level, with approval from the school principal and exams twice a year. Italy recognizes homeschooling as a legally protected choice — tied to annual exams; in practice, though, families report friction with schools that barely know the model. France made a sharp turn in 2021: home education has since required annual approval, granted only for narrowly defined reasons — the number of homeschooled children has roughly halved since then. Portugal requires registration at a public school, exams at the end of each cycle, and by now a university degree from the teaching parent. Malta introduced a home-education system in 2022 — subject to approval, with an accredited program and proof of social integration required. Hungary formally has a “private student” status, but it’s handled very restrictively. Switzerland regulates everything at the canton level: where homeschooling is possible, the cantonal curriculum applies — and instruction happens in the canton’s official language.
Where Children Must Attend School
In Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, and Turkey, compulsory school attendance applies — homeschooling isn’t an option there for their own citizens; in Turkey, parents can even face criminal proceedings. Cyprus has no dedicated homeschooling regulation. Spain is a special case: neither explicitly allowed nor explicitly banned — a gray area where courts have already classified home education as “not lawful” in some rulings. For Greece and Cyprus, there are reports that foreign families are tolerated if their home country allows homeschooling — but that’s anecdotal experience, not established law.
The Most Interesting Special Case: Rules Only for Citizens
Some countries tie compulsory schooling to citizenship rather than residence. The clearest example is the United Arab Emirates: compulsory schooling there only applies to Emirati children — foreign families can freely homeschool, and diplomas from accredited online schools are typically accepted for later school enrollment. Turkey’s education law also explicitly refers to Turkish children; how strictly authorities actually enforce this with foreign families, however, isn’t clearly regulated — you shouldn’t rely on that.
What Does This Mean If You’re Only Staying a Few Months?
Almost everywhere, compulsory schooling is tied to residence or “habitual residence” — not to citizenship. Exactly when a multi-month stay counts as “habitual residence” is rarely precisely defined and gets assessed case by case. Three things turned out to be decisive for us:
First: keep an eye on your home country’s compulsory schooling rules — they don’t automatically end when you leave. Second: check in your destination country whether registering locally triggers local compulsory schooling. Third: an accredited online or distance school can preserve your child’s educational record across borders — but it doesn’t automatically replace local compulsory schooling. And: document learning progress. Anyone who can show curriculum, materials, and results is in a better position for any question from authorities.
The Overview
| Country | Model | Homeschooling (simplified) |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Compulsory education | Allowed — registration + annual exams |
| Ireland | Compulsory education | Allowed — constitutional protection, registration |
| United States | Varies by state | Legal everywhere, requirements vary widely |
| Canada | Compulsory education (provincial law) | Legal everywhere, requirements vary by province |
| England/Wales | Compulsory education | Liberal so far — registration requirement moving through legislation |
| Poland | Compulsory schooling with option | Allowed — one-time approval, annual exams |
| Czechia | Compulsory schooling with option | Allowed (primary level) — approval + exams |
| Italy | Compulsory schooling with option | Allowed — annual exams |
| France | Compulsory schooling | Only with annual approval, narrow grounds |
| Portugal | Compulsory schooling with option | Heavily regulated — incl. university degree required of parent |
| Malta | Compulsory schooling with option | Possible since 2022 — approved + accredited program |
| Hungary | Compulsory schooling | Formally possible, very restrictive |
| Switzerland | Cantonal | Depends on canton — curriculum and language requirements |
| Spain | Compulsory schooling | Gray area, legally unresolved |
| Germany | Compulsory school attendance | Practically banned |
| Netherlands | Compulsory school attendance | Practically not possible |
| Greece | Compulsory school attendance | Not provided for; situation unclear for foreigners |
| Turkey | Compulsory school attendance | Banned (criminal penalties); law refers to Turkish children |
| Cyprus | Compulsory school attendance | No dedicated regulation; situation unclear |
| UAE | Compulsory schooling for citizens only | Free for foreign families |
Now What?
The legal situation is one half of the decision. The other is the question of which model fits your child, your daily life, and your concept of life — and how you handle it when people around you think they know better. We tell that part of the story on our Learn page. And if you’d like to talk to someone who’s walked this path: Get in touch.
As of July 2026. Compiled from, among other sources, country analyses by the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), legal texts, and documented reform processes; for Greece and Cyprus, the assessment is partly based on anecdotal reports. Legal situations change — this overview is meant as orientation, not legal advice. What applies to your family is best clarified with experts for the specific country.
© Image: Generated with AI