Home education in Austria (2026)
Last reviewed: 30 October 2026
In short: In Austria, compulsory schooling can be met by home teaching if it is at least equivalent to school teaching. Parents must notify the education directorate each year, and the child's progress is tested. Compulsory schooling starts after the sixth birthday and lasts nine school years.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Legal status of home educationChildren of compulsory school age | Permitted with prior notification [1] |
| Nature of the parental dutyChildren of compulsory school age | Duty to provide education, at school or at home [1] |
| Approval or notification neededChildren of compulsory school age | Parents notify the education directorate (Bildungsdirektion) by one week after the end of the previous school year, with the teacher's details, place of teaching, the last school report or external-exam certificate, the curriculum and school year, and a summary of the teaching concept. Adequate progress is shown each year by an exam between 1 June and the end of the school year at a corresponding school, and by a reflection talk on the child's level within two weeks after the semester holidays. The directorate must prohibit home teaching if equivalence is more likely than not missing. [1] |
| Compulsory schooling ageChildren of compulsory school age | Compulsory schooling begins on 1 September after the child's sixth birthday and lasts nine school years. [2] |
Notes
- The Act speaks of general compulsory schooling (allgemeine Schulpflicht), which can be fulfilled by home teaching (§ 11 Abs. 2) if it is at least equivalent to the school types named in § 5.
Sources
- Bundeskanzleramt (Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes, RIS): Schulpflichtgesetz 1985 § 11 - Bundesrecht konsolidiert, tagesaktuelle Fassung (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
- Bundeskanzleramt (Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes, RIS): Schulpflichtgesetz 1985 § 2 - Bundesrecht konsolidiert, tagesaktuelle Fassung (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
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General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.