Denmark

Compulsory Education Age

10 years of education (age not stipulated in law, but generally 6 or 7 to 16).

Estimated Number of Homeschoolers

Unknown

Legal Status

The right of parents to educate their children at home has long been fundamental in Denmark, although the availability of a variety of smaller schools has made it rare for parents to do so. In fact, Friskole, private schools entitled to state aid, have their roots in the practice of household education.

The Danish Constitution guarantees parents the right to choose where education is received in §76 of Chapter VIII of 1849. According to the Danish Ministry of Education, “Provided a certain minimum standard [of education] is obtained, it is a matter of choice for the parents whether the education is received 1) in the publicly provided municipal primary and lower secondary school, 2) in a private school, or 3) at home.”

The 1995 education law provides a broad exemption from the requirement to attend a public school, including a homeschooling provision which exempts children in the following educational settings from participation in the teaching of the Folkeskole:

• In a registered free elementary school
• In a private upper secondary school
• In a state upper secondary school
• In a municipal or county upper secondary school
• In a 24-hour institution in pursuance with the Social Assistance Act
• Receiving home tuition in pursuance with provisions in the Act on Free Schools and Private Elementary Schools

Parents are required, however, to ensure that their children receive an education equivalent to that provided in the Folkeskole. Homeschoolers are supervised by individuals from the local municipality, who make sure that homeschooled children are receiving an equivalent education. In practice, supervision can vary a great deal, and practices differ from one municipality to the other.

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