Norway

Compulsory Education Law

Begins the year a child turns 6 (e.g., birthday in November, child must register or be homeschooled by August) and requires the child to have primary and lower secondary education, which lasts for 10 years.

Estimated Number of Homeschoolers

400 

Legal Status

Tuition in the home is regulated in the Education Act, and in this context, some sections are of particular importance, such as § 1–1, which addresses the objectives for education and training, § 1–3 on adapted education, and § 2–1, which states that education can be “otherwise.”

Education "otherwise" is in private schools or home education. Families may begin homeschooling after they notify local school authorities of their intent to do so, and local school authorities are obligated by law to evaluate home education once per semester (§ 2–3, § 2–4). However, tuition in the home is not particularly prevalent in Norway. Some parents choose homeschooling in principle, but most often it seems to be a pragmatic solution to challenges such as illness and dissatisfaction. Some also choose homeschooling for longer stays abroad.

The most common method of evaluation is through semi-annual evaluation meetings, which usually take place at the public school or another public location. Local school authorities may, if they wish, administer relevant achievement tests. The law states that supervision must be “in agreement with the parents.” While a homeschooled child does not have an automatic right to a diploma, some schools let homeschooled children sit for the 10th year exams and will issue a diploma. Although this is an uncommon occurrence that almost rarely happens.

Children have the right and obligation to education for 10 years and the right, but not the obligation, to high school (upper secondary). Students do not need to prove grades from the first 10 years of education in order to be accepted into high school.