Is homeschooling legal in the Philippines?
Yes. Home education is recognised as an alternative delivery mode of basic education, and thousands of Filipino families homeschool each year. In practice, almost all families homeschool through a provider — a DepEd-recognised school or learning centre that enrols your child, supplies or approves the curriculum, keeps official records, and issues report cards.
How it works in practice
- 1. You enrol with a provider. Your child becomes an officially enrolled learner of that school under its home education program.
- 2. You teach at home. The parent (or a hired tutor) is the day-to-day teacher. The provider gives lesson plans, materials, or a full online platform depending on the program.
- 3. You submit requirements. Typically quarterly portfolios, attendance or progress logs, and assessments or exams set by the provider.
- 4. The provider issues records. Report cards (Form 138), school records (Form 137), and eventually a diploma — the same documents a regular school issues.
DepEd accreditation basics
This is the single most important thing to check. A provider's records only count if the provider itself is a DepEd-recognised private school with a permit to operate, and its home education program is covered by that recognition.
- Ask for the permit or recognition number for each level your child will study (elementary, junior high, senior high are granted separately).
- Confirm who issues the report card. If the provider is a partner or reseller of a foreign curriculum, ask which Philippine school will actually record your child's grades.
- Verify with the DepEd division office covering the provider's address if anything is unclear. A quick call is worth it.
- Foreign-only programs (US, IGCSE, etc.) can be excellent, but if you plan to transfer into a Philippine school or university later, ask how equivalency and transcripts will be handled.
On this site, accreditation status is shown as “DepEd accredited”, “pending”, or “not stated”. Where we could not confirm a detail from public sources, the listing is marked “unverified — needs confirmation”. Always verify directly with the provider before paying.
What it costs
Tuition for homeschool programs in the Philippines commonly runs from around ₱15,000 to over ₱120,000 per school year. The lower end usually means you supply most materials and teaching yourself; the higher end includes international curriculum, online classes, learning consultants, and campus activities. Budget separately for books, printing, internet, field trips, and any tutors.
Choosing a provider
Beyond price and accreditation, the fit questions that matter most are:
- Curriculum style — structured textbook/ACE, literature-rich Charlotte Mason, hands-on Montessori, or a DepEd-aligned general program.
- Faith formation — how central religion is to the daily lessons, or whether the program is secular.
- How much support you want — full online teaching versus you teaching with light guidance.
- Community — meetups, co-ops, and campus days matter a lot for many families.
- Flexibility — important for OFW families, athletes, performers, and children with special needs.
Records and going back to a regular school
Keep every report card, school record, and portfolio. When transferring to a traditional school, the receiving school will ask for Form 137 from your provider and may give a placement test. Families whose provider was properly recognised rarely have problems; those with informal or unrecognised arrangements sometimes need to sit validating exams such as the PEPT.
Your first steps
- 1. Shortlist three providers that fit your budget and curriculum preference.
- 2. Ask each for their permit/recognition details and a full fee breakdown.
- 3. Join their orientation or a parent community group and ask real parents.
- 4. Prepare enrolment documents: PSA birth certificate, previous Form 138/137, photos.
- 5. Enrol, then plan a simple weekly rhythm before you buy anything else.