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Homeschool Registration Experience

HEA has seen a number of changes in homeschooling regulations during 2025 and 2026. Consequently, HEA has been working hard on your behalf with the regulatory authorities in each state and territory. Part of this advocacy work involves collecting valid data about homeschooling, enabling home educators to have a voice. Thank you to everyone who has participated in the survey about your registration experiences. We have analysed the baseline data for New South Wales and the next step will be to undertake interviews with those who have volunteered. The NSW report is available HERE.

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We will continue to collect data about experiences with the homeschool registration process in ALL states and territories. The next state we hope to report on will be Western Australia. No matter which state or territory you live in, your experiences of registration are very valuable because it helps us to advocate for improvements where needed. The more data we collect, the more effective we can be in advocating.

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This survey is open to both members and non-members of HEA. We encourage you to participate and invite other home educators to participate.

 

The questions below should take about  15 minutes to complete.

What we will ask you in the survey

This survey will ask you about your experiences with registering your child to be homeschooled. We will ask about why you decided to homeschool and how long it took to register. We will ask you to rate your experiences and there is an option to tell your story. We will ask for your email to ensure each respondent is unique. We will not use your email for any other purposes unless you indicate you would like to be part of the interviews.

 

Before we process the data, your contact details and your name will be separated from the rest of your responses to ensure that the information you provide remains as anonymous as possible. Responses will also be de-identified by removing any names or locations. Anonymised quotes and aggregated data may be used in advocacy to regulatory authorities.

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If you choose to complete the questions, but still have more that you want to say, HEA will be conducting interviews after the data has been gathered. If you would like to participate in an interview, you can indicate your interest at the end of the questionnaire and a member of the HEA Advocacy team will contact you when we are ready to schedule interviews.

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Information will be kept by HEA's Advocacy Sub Committee, in accordance with HEA's Privacy Policy. The data will be kept for 7 years, after which time we will destroy it.

 

While some HEA members have had positive experiences with the registration process, we are also aware that some have not. So, if this questionnaire raises any concerns or worries and you would like to talk to someone, please call HEA’s Helpline 1300729991.

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Participation in this questionnaire is completely voluntary, so you should only answer the questions if you want to. By filling in the questionnaire you are agreeing to participate.

 

We look forward to learning about your experiences!

 

HEA Committee

Section 1: Background information.

2. In which state or territory are you currently living?
ACT
NSW
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
5a. What is the status of your most recent homeschooling application?

Section 2: Reasons for choosing to homeschool and early experiences.

There are many reasons why families choose to homeschool. In this section we will ask you about why you chose to homeschool and start the process of registration.

6a. What were your reasons for homeschooling? (Select all that apply)
7. What were your main reasons for registering with the governing state body?

8. When you first decided to homeschool, how did you feel? Please rank how you felt/feel (1 is strongly disagree, and 4 is strongly agree).

a. I felt anxious that I did not know enough about learning
b. I felt excited about the opportunity to support my child's learning
c. I was confident to develop a learning program for my child
d. I felt unsure about whether I would be able to teach my child effectively
e. I knew that I needed to register for homeschooling with the governing body
f. I was aware of the process involved in applying for homeschooling registration

Section 3: The registration process.

This section will ask you about the registration process. For this survey, we would like you to think about your most recent application for registration.

9a. What type of application for registration best describes you?
10. When did you submit your most recent application for registration?(if unsure of the day enter "10")
Day
Month
Year
11a. Has a decision been made about your most recent application?
Yes, it was approved
No, I withdrew my application
Yes, it was refused
No, I am waiting for a decision
Yes, it was approved with concerns or issues
12a. What registration period was recommended or approved by your regulatory authority?
13a. How long did it take from the time you submitted until your application was fully approved?

Questions 14-15 are addressed only to applicants who belong to states containing an Authorised Person or Moderator. If this is not you, please skip to Q16.

15. How long did it take from when you submitted your application to when you had your appointment with your Authorised Person / Moderator?
16a. Did the governing body request additional documentation or information?
Yes
No
Not yet
16b. If yes, what type of information was requested?
17. During the application process, was your child enrolled in school?

Section 4: Your experience of the registration process.

In this section we will ask you some question about your experiences of the homeschool registration application process.

18. The following are statements about different experiences that you may have had. Please rank how you feel (1 is strongly disagree, and 4 is strongly agree).

a. The application for registration process was clear
b. The application for registration process was complicated
c. I had to jump many hurdles to get through the registration process
d. The registration process was anxiety producing
e. The registration process felt rewarding
f. I easily found all the information I needed on the Department of Education website
g. I sought help from groups on social media
h. I received help from HEA during the registration process
i. The plan I produced will be helpful in teaching my child
j. I was comfortable having a home visit from an Authorised Person / Moderator
20. What was your experience with the school upon notifying them of your intention to homeschool?

Section 5: Volunteering for interviews.

HEA will be conducting interviews with people who would like to share their experience of the registration process.

Would you like a HEA advocacy volunteer to contact you for an interview?
Yes
No
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