Homeschooling in Colombia
Grey area: Legal via parental rights, no registration needed, validation pathway to formal credentials.
Homeschooling in Colombia is not explicitly regulated or prohibited by national law, operating under Article 68 of the Constitution which grants parents the right to choose their children's education. Families homeschool without registration but use the validación process under Decree 2832 of 2005 for official grade certification and university access via the ICFES Saber 11 exam. No ongoing supervision or curriculum mandates apply during homeschooling.
Quick Reference
School Days
-
No minimum
Hours Required
-
No minimum
Subjects
0
required
Notification
No
n/a
Key Requirements at a Glance
- Saber 11 exam required for university admission in Colombia.
- ICFES administers Saber 11 for grade 11 students.
- No official homeschooling regulations in provided results.
- Compulsory education referenced in existing data as 5-16.
Legal Framework
Colombian Constitution Article 67 establishes education as a right and public service with a social function. Article 68 grants parents the right to choose the type of education for their children. Ley 115 of 1994 (General Education Law) declares the family as the first responsible for education. Decreto 1075 of 2015 (Sole Regulatory Decree of the Education Sector) consolidates sector regulation, as amended by Decreto 1411 of 2022 and Decreto 459 of 2024 regarding family participation. Constitutional Court rulings T-132/21 and T-004/24 address rights associated with family education and validation. Home education is typically channeled through the 'grade validation' (validacion de grados) procedure regulated in the corresponding chapter of Decreto 1075 of 2015. Responsible authority: Ministry of National Education.
Filing Requirements
What to file
n/a
When
n/a
Where
n/a
How to submit
n/a
What to include
- • n/a
No notification needed to start homeschooling.[1][3]
How to Get Started
- 1
Begin homeschooling immediately without notification.
- 2
Maintain records and align to standards if planning validation.
- 3
Contact local secretaría de educación for validación process if needed.
- 4
Prepare for ICFES Saber 11 in grade 11 equivalent.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓High flexibility
- ✓Low regulation
- ✓Legal parental choice
Cons
- •Uncertain local acceptance
- •Manual validation effort
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Last updated: 2026-05-06 · CO homeschool law guide