Homeschooling Lucca

Homeschooling in Italy

Is homeschooling legal in Italy? Requirements & laws for expat families

Yes — homeschooling is legal in Italy. Education is compulsory, but school attendance is not. Italians call it istruzione parentale (parental education), and it is protected by Article 30 of the Italian Constitution, which gives parents the right and the duty to educate their children.

Here is how it works in practice, written for international families moving to Italy — and to Lucca in particular.

Who the rules apply to

Education is compulsory in Italy for ten years, roughly from age 6 to 16. The rules apply to every child who is resident in Italy, whatever their nationality. So if you move to Lucca and register your residence with the Comune, these Italy homeschool laws apply to your family too.

The two yearly requirements

1. The annual communication (comunicazione preventiva)

Every year, parents send a written communication on paper to the head teacher (dirigente scolastico) of a state school in their area of residence. It must arrive by the national school enrolment deadline — usually late January or mid-February (for the 2026/27 school year it was 14 February 2026).

  • You declare that you are able to provide your child's education.
  • You outline the educational plan (progetto didattico-educativo) you intend to follow that year.
  • It is a communication, not a request for permission — the school takes note of your choice.
  • If your child is currently enrolled in a school, you also withdraw them from that school.

2. The annual exam (esame di idoneità)

Each year the child sits an assessment exam to move up to the next class, as an external candidate at a state or officially recognised (paritaria) school. The exam must take place by 30 June, and families apply to the chosen school in spring. The exam follows the Italian national curriculum and is normally held in Italian.

Stricter checks since December 2025. On 17 December 2025 the Italian Ministry of Education (MIM) published new national guidelines for istruzione parentale, confirming the yearly communication and the annual exams and strengthening how schools supervise them. Always check the current year's ministerial note before the deadline.

Homeschooling in Italy: a simple checklist for expats

  1. Register your residence with the Comune (e.g. Comune di Lucca).
  2. Find the state school (istituto comprensivo) that covers your address.
  3. Prepare and deliver the paper communication with your educational plan before the enrolment deadline.
  4. Choose your curriculum — many families blend their home-country curriculum with Italian language and the Italian programme.
  5. In spring, apply for the esame di idoneità; sit it by 30 June.
  6. Repeat every year, and find a community so you and your children are not doing it alone.

Frequently asked questions

Is homeschooling legal in Italy?

Yes. In Italy education is compulsory, but going to school is not. Parents may educate their children themselves (istruzione parentale), as long as they send a written communication to a local state school every year and the child passes an annual assessment exam (esame di idoneità).

Can expat families homeschool in Italy?

Yes. The rules apply to children who are resident in Italy, whatever their nationality. Once your family is registered as resident with the Comune, you follow the same procedure as Italian families.

What are the requirements for homeschooling in Italy?

Every year: (1) a paper communication to the head teacher of a state school in your area of residence, by the school enrolment deadline, declaring that you can provide the education and outlining your educational plan; (2) an annual esame di idoneità at a state or officially recognised (paritaria) school, held by 30 June.

Do we need permission from the school?

No. It is a communication, not a request: the school takes note of the family's choice. The school and the mayor (sindaco) then supervise that the duty of education is fulfilled.

Does my child need to speak Italian?

The annual exam is set by an Italian school and is normally held in Italian, based on the Italian national curriculum. Many expat families combine their home curriculum with Italian language support.

Is a homeschool group or hub like Homeschooling Lucca a school?

No. A community hub is a place where homeschooling families meet, learn and do projects together. Each family remains responsible for its own children's education, communication and annual exam.

This page is general information written by a homeschooling family, not legal advice. Rules and deadlines are confirmed every year by the Ministry of Education (MIM) — check with your local school or the ministry before you act.

Homeschooling in Lucca? You don't have to do it alone

Homeschooling Lucca brings local and expat families together in Lucca's historic centre for shared study time, projects, Italian and English support and real friendships.

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