All maps › Homeschooling › Netherlands

Is homeschooling illegal in the Netherlands?

Partly. Homeschooling is restricted in the Netherlands. Only via an exemption the top court narrowed in April 2026.

Compulsory Education Act 1969 Art. 5(b) exempts children whose parents object to every school nearby; the Supreme Court (ECLI:NL:HR:2026:658-659, 21 Apr 2026) held that against public schools this works only in exceptional cases; prosecutors resumed 5(b) cases (OM, 12 Jun 2026).

Source: Hoge Raad, Apr 2026

• The Netherlands is one of 9 countries where homeschooling is banned, and 9 more restrict it.
• Its neighbours: banned in 1 of 2 (Germany).
• In Europe: banned in 4 of 39 countries.

Watch on YouTube

Other countries that ban homeschooling

CubaChinaTürkiyeNorth MacedoniaRomaniaGreeceBrazilGermanySouth KoreaAll 9 on the map ›

What else is banned in the Netherlands