Homeschooling in Belgium:
What Parents Need to Know in 2026-2027
A clear, simple guide for families exploring their options.
Homeschooling in Belgium is growing
Across Europe, more and more families are choosing to educate their children from home — for the flexibility, for travel, for wellbeing, or simply because it fits their child better than a traditional classroom.
In Belgium, educating your child from home — known locally as Huisonderwijs (Flanders) / Enseignement à domicile (Wallonia & Brussels) — comes with its own rules, which we walk through below. Increasingly, families meet them by enrolling in an accredited online school, so their child still gets live teaching, structure, and real friendships.
If you’re exploring your options, here’s what you need to know — and how bina can help if you’d rather not figure it all out on your own.
Is schooling from home legal in Belgium?
Yes. Belgium has compulsory education (leerplicht / obligation scolaire), not compulsory schooling, for children aged 5 to 18. Your child must learn, but does not have to sit in a school building. Education is run separately by three communities — Flanders, the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (Wallonia and French-speaking Brussels), and the German-speaking Community — so the exact procedure depends on where your child is domiciled.
If you teach your child outside a recognised school, you file a yearly home-education declaration with your community's education authority. In Flanders this goes to AGODI, by the third school day of September at the latest; in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles it is submitted via MonEspace by 5 September. The declaration must be renewed every school year, and your child takes the official Examination Board tests at set ages — in Flanders, the CEB primary certificate (registered in the school year the child turns 11, obtained by the year they turn 13) and a first-stage secondary certificate by the year they turn 16; in Wallonia-Brussels, the CEB, then the CE1D and CE2D at the end of the relevant secondary stages.
Enrolling in a recognised distance or online school is the cleaner route for most families: your child follows a structured, accredited programme and you satisfy compulsory education directly, without filing a home-education declaration. Note the reverse — a foreign or online school not officially recognised by your community is treated as home education, so the declaration and exam obligations still apply. Rules are tightening: in May 2026 the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles advanced a reform requiring a detailed pedagogical project and a yearly training plan with closer follow-up (not yet final law), so always check your community's current guidance.
What are the steps to school from home in Belgium?
- Confirm which community's rules apply — Your procedure is set by where your child is domiciled: Flanders (huisonderwijs via AGODI), the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (enseignement à domicile via MonEspace), or the German-speaking Community. Check that community's official education page first.
- Choose your route: declared home education or a recognised school — Decide whether to educate independently or enrol in a structured online school. Enrolling in a community-recognised distance school gives you an accredited curriculum and live teaching while satisfying compulsory-education law directly.
- File the yearly home-education declaration — If your child is not in a community-recognised school, submit the declaration on time each year — by the third school day of September in Flanders, or by 5 September via MonEspace in Wallonia-Brussels. In Flanders you also indicate a CLB (student guidance centre).
- Register for and sit the official exams — Plan for the Examination Board assessments at the required ages: the CEB primary certificate, plus the secondary first-stage certificate in Flanders and the CE1D / CE2D stages in Wallonia-Brussels. A recognised online school like bina prepares your child for these milestones with a full curriculum.
- Keep records and renew annually — Hold on to your declaration, learning plan and your child's progress and results, and be ready for follow-up by the inspection or examination services. Renew the declaration each new school year for as long as you school from home.
An accredited online school like bina makes much of this simpler: we provide the curriculum, the live teaching, and the progress records your authority may ask to see — so you can focus on being the parent.
What is bina and how is it different?
bina is a global, accredited online school designed for children ages 4–12. We offer live, interactive, small-group learning that brings the energy and connection of a great classroom into your home.
Small, live classes with caring teachers
As much personal attention as homeschooling, but with more structure and support. In classes of just 8 kids, teachers know your child's name, learning style, and interests. You stay as involved as you want to be while we handle the teaching.
A curriculum that actually fits your child
Your child learns at a pace that works for them, with room to explore their interests and get the support they need. Our fully accredited program exceeds state requirements and is designed to give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing they're learning what matters, in a way that works for them.
Real friendships in a safe space
Homeschooling doesn't have to be lonely. Your child makes genuine friends with kids from around the world, all from the safety of home. They build confidence and social skills in small groups where everyone belongs.
You stay in the know
You'll get weekly updates on what your child is learning and how they're doing, plus quarterly progress reports. Your personal learning success manager works with you to make sure everything fits your family's goals. You're the parent, we're the support team.
With bina, you’re not figuring out Belgium’s rules on your own. We provide the accredited curriculum, the live lessons, and the teaching — plus the records and reports your authority may ask for — so you can just be the parent again.
What parents say
“bina has helped us navigate SEL in a fun way and develop her independence and confidence!”
“My grandson is a hands on and visual learner. Where we live there are no real learning programs geared towards different learning styles. bina has been a blessing for Aydin and our family. The worry and stress have eased tremendously.”
“Lily's love for learning and creativity really gets to shine at bina. As her parents, we are inspired knowing her weekly goals and progress as discussed with us by her teachers and support team.”
“We spent all of 2023 traveling through all 7 continents. We tried homeschooling, world schooling and even unschooling. Finding bina helped us to bridge the gap we were missing with the other education options we tried.”
Find out if bina is right for you
Book a free consultation to see how bina can fit your family's goals, schedule, and lifestyle.
Join a bina adventure with your child and walk away with tailored growth insights — no strings attached.
We're happy to answer your questions and help you figure out what's possible for your family. Whether you're ready to make a change or just gathering information, we're here to help.
The questions we hear most from parents like you
Yes. Belgium requires compulsory education, not compulsory school attendance, for ages 5 to 18, so you may educate your child from home. You do so under your community's rules — Flanders, Wallonia-Brussels, or the German-speaking Community — which include a yearly declaration and official exams.
Homeschooling can feel overwhelming. It doesn't have to.
If you want flexibility without having to do it all yourself, let's talk.
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