Applying for an Exemption

In order to legally home educate and keep your child from school you must first obtain a Certificate of Exemption. This official document allows you to take responsibility for your child’s education instead of enrolling them in a registered school. Its full title is the Certificate of Exemption from Enrolment at a Registered School and it basically gives you permission not to enrol your child in school.

Even though many people in Aotearoa NZ send their children to school from five years of age, an exemption only applies from when a child turns six as the law is that a child must be in school (or exempted) from 6-16 years of age. You can submit your application any time after your child’s 5th birthday. If your child’s 6th birthday is in late December, January or early February then it is a good idea to submit your application early due to the public/school holidays.

The exemption pack is available online from the Ministry of Education (MoE). You may write your application in te reo Māori or in English, using any format that suits as long as you answer all of the questions. The MoE will want to see an individualised programme for each child, including twins (though of course some aspects of the application will be the same as you will likely be using the same family routines, daily rhythms, resources and community facilities).

At first glance, the exemption requirements can look somewhat daunting. Don’t be discouraged, it’s a process that can really help you to develop your approach to home education and your plans for the first year and beyond. You will readily find other homeschoolers willing to assist you if you ask for help in one of the online discussion groups or from people you know who are already home educating. It’s also worthwhile having an experienced homeschooling coach or consultant critique your application before you send it to the MoE, ask in online groups for a recommendation

If you decide to look at examples of others’ exemption applications which have already been approved, we recommend you don’t do this until you have your own draft written.

You are not required to follow the NZ Curriculum or any other particular programme, however you are unlikely to get an exemption if you do not at least cover the basics (reading, writing, math, etc). The MoE officer who evaluates your exemption will need to be satisfied that you will educate your child as well as if the child was attending a registered school. Of course, that is a benchmark which is open to wide interpretation – see the MoE definition here.

You must state in your application whether or not your child has any special education needs. A child with special education needs may require a more comprehensive application to meet the standard: “at least as regularly and well as in a special class or clinic or by a special service”

Your exemption application should be emailed or posted to your local MoE office. We recommend you submit the application by email for a number of reasons: the MoE prefers it, they receive it immediately, and it provides you proof of submission. Do not email and post your application- only submit it via one or the other.

Approval typically takes less than six weeks. While the MoE rarely declines requests for an exemption, NCHENZ has noticed that about a third of applicants are asked for additional information. If you prefer to be contacted via email for any questions about your submission, you can specify this preference when you apply.

Once you have received an Exemption Certificate for your child it is valid until your child’s 16th birthday unless you cancel it at any point (or unless the MoE revokes your exemption, which happens only very rarely).

Twice a year (in about May and November) the MoE requires home educators to sign a Declaration confirming that they are continuing to home educate in accordance with the law. Read more about that here.