Yes, homeschooling is legal in Nova Scotia (along with every province and territory in Canada). You can homeschool in Nova Scotia with little hassle. Here’s what you need to know for getting started homeschooling in Nova Scotia.
When to start homeschooling in Nova Scotia
All children ages 5 to 16 who are starting to homeschool at the beginning of the school year must be registered for homeschooling in Nova Scotia by September 20th (although you may choose to hold your 5-year-old back a year and start homeschooling them the year they turn 6 years old instead). If you’re pulling your child out of public school and starting to homeschool mid-year, this date doesn’t apply. You can start homeschooling at any time. Your homeschool registration must include:
(a) if the child has previous public school experience, the last grade level attained;
(b) if the child has previous home education experience, the program level of achievement and estimated equivalent public school grade level; and
(c) identification of the proposed home education program. (Regulations Section 32 (2))
Fill out the Registration form offered by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development here to register. If you don’t already have a PDF reader, you’ll need one to fill out the form – download Adobe’s free PDF reader here. Or you can print it out instead (remember, your local library offers free printing with a library card).
In each of the program description boxes, add the curriculum you’re using for each subject and/or a couple sentences about what you are planning to cover. You may add your own subjects (e.g. Japanese, co-operative education, the sky’s the limit). If you are registering your child for the first time in Nova Scotia, the DEECD wants a copy of your child’s birth certificate, so include one with registration.
What about a homeschool curriculum?
In the Education Act Regulations, it only refers to providing your child with an “educational program”. There are no stipulations what the “educational program” must be. It can be whatever you feel is appropriate to give your child a well-rounded education. This gives you complete freedom to choose whatever materials (religious or secular) you want and to design your own program that meets your child’s needs. The cost is up to you. Use free resources on the internet and at the library, or you can purchase a homeschool curriculum, or do a bit of each.
You may choose to refer to the Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Documents available at the DEECD website but there is no obligation to follow the Nova Scotia curriculum. Curriculum materials (books, textbooks, etc.) are not available for purchase through the DEECD (although they only have a few textbooks available for loan). You can use any homeschool curriculum or method you wish, including Montessori, Classical, Waldorf, or unschooling.
The DOECCD recently made available Independent Online Learning (NSIOL) classes for Grades 10 through 12 here. Although courses are free when you register through your local high school, keep in mind there is no teacher and they provide a mentor only to clarify instructions. Personally, I do not recommend them (too much busy work and no teacher feedback), and there aren’t anywhere near enough classes to complete a full year of study at this time.
The yearly homeschooling in Nova Scotia report
Homeschoolers are also required to submit a report to the DEECD. each June…
“in a manner consistent with the type of program provided and that accurately reflects the child’s progress.” (Regulations, Section 33 (b)).
There is a form you can use for the report on the DEECD website, or you can make your own. Reports can be as simple as: Subject name – sentence describing progress – Grade (number or letter). Some families prefer to write a paragraph on each subject in the box provided on the form instead, especially if they don’t award grades.
Learn more about submitting your annual Nova Scotia homeschool report here.
We always made the entire process easy by placing our registration for the following year in the envelope with our June report. Then we only had to think about the requirements once a year!
Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschooling in Nova Scotia
Yes. Homeschooling is legal in Nova Scotia. Parents are required to register with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and submit a yearly progress report.
If you are homeschooling for the full school year, your registration form is expected by September 20.
Yes. If your child started the year in public or private school but you want to begin homeschooling, you can register at any time throughout the year.
No. Nova Scotia homeschool regulations require you to identify your proposed home education program, but they do not require you to follow the public school curriculum.
No. You can buy a homeschool curriculum, use free resources, borrow library books, create your own plan, or combine several approaches.
The Nova Scotia government says families should include a copy of the birth certificate for children entering Grade Primary or children who are new to the province.
The Nova Scotia government says children entering Grade Primary must be at least five years old on or before December 31.
Yes. A progress report is required once a year in June.
You can include the subjects studied, resources used, books read, projects completed, skills practiced, and/or a short summary of your child’s progress. You can use grades if you want to, but many families prefer short written descriptions. You may choose to use the form provided by the NS DEECD or your own format. A brief report-card style report or a letter-style report are equally acceptable.
Yes. Nova Scotia does not require homeschoolers to use a specific curriculum. Families may choose the materials and methods that fit their beliefs, goals, and children’s needs.
Yes, many families use relaxed, child-led, or unschooling approaches. Your registration and June report should still clearly describe the learning taking place in a way that reflects your own personal home education program.
No. The Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development does not provide funding for homeschooling. Nor is there a tax credit for homeschooling in Nova Scotia.
You can contact Kimberly Charron, Homeschool Coach here. You may also choose to contact a homeschool support group (see links in the sidebar under Resources & Support) or the Homeschool Legal Defence Association for support.
Also check out the rest of the Homeschooling in Nova Scotia website for articles, resources, and curriculum reviews.
Happy homeschooling!
Love, Luck &
Laughter,
Updated May, 2026.