Home education in Portugal (2026)

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026

In short: Compulsory schooling runs from 6 to 18. Home teaching is allowed under Decreto-Lei 70/2021 if the parent enrols the child at a school, the school director approves, and a yearly collaboration protocol is signed. The person teaching at home must hold at least a bachelor's degree.

RuleWhat applies
Legal status of home educationChildren of compulsory school agePermitted with prior authorisation [1]
Nature of the parental dutyChildren of compulsory school ageDuty to attend or be enrolled at school [2]
Approval or notification neededChildren of compulsory school ageThe parent (encarregado de educação) applies in writing to the director of the school in the area of residence that offers the wanted course, stating the grounds; the director decides within 15 working days and the enrolment becomes effective once a collaboration protocol with the school is signed. The protocol normally lasts one school year and must be renewed. The person doing the teaching (a family member or someone living in the household) must hold at least a bachelor's degree (licenciatura), and the language of teaching is Portuguese. [1]
Compulsory schooling ageChildren of compulsory school ageCompulsory schooling covers ages 6 to 18; it ends on obtaining a secondary diploma or when the pupil turns 18 during the school year. [2]

Notes

  • Decreto-Lei 70/2021 as published (3 August 2021). The home-teaching regime keeps the child enrolled in a school (the 'escola de matrícula') that signs a yearly collaboration protocol with the parent.
  • Lei 85/2009 as published (27 August 2009); the home-teaching decree lets the duty be met through enrolment and home teaching under a school protocol.

Sources

  1. Presidência do Conselho de Ministros, Diário da República: Decreto-Lei n.º 70/2021, de 3 de agosto (regime jurídico do ensino individual e do ensino doméstico), Diário da República, 1.ª série, n.º 149 (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  2. Assembleia da República, Diário da República: Lei n.º 85/2009, de 27 de agosto (regime da escolaridade obrigatória), Diário da República, 1.ª série, n.º 166 (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources

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