Germany

Compulsory Education Age

6–18 (inclusive; in some states, the age has changed from 6 to 5)

Legal Status

Article 6 of the Constitution provides that “(1) Marriage and family are under the special protection of the state. (2) Care and upbringing of children are the natural right of the parents and primarily their duty. The state supervises the exercise of the same.” German law, while recognizing this priority of parental responsibility, does not permit homeschooling based on the religious or pedagogical convictions of parents; it is allowed only for medical reasons, and even then is rarely permitted.

There are, however, a certain number of Germans, including some associated with Christian communities, who are educating their children at home, though not without legal difficulties. There was an international conference in home education in 2012. Although homeschooling is growing, more families are experiencing difficulties homeschooling in Germany and have to flee the country.