resources – send in my application – learningourownway.co.nz

Resources

How to send in my application and what happens next?

Find out about the process involved in sending off a homeschool application in New Zealand.

Once you finally complete the mammoth effort of writing down how you envision your unschooling journey will go, you probably breathe a huge sigh of relief! But then you realise you still have to complete supporting documents and send the application in for processing and approval. Here are some tips on how this process works.

STEP ONE – The Official Application

You will need to complete the Official NZ Homeschooling Application (only pages 1-4 if you have written your application separately).

You need to remember to choose the date your child will begin homeschooling, which will be either from the date of their 6th birthday, or a date of your choice if your child is older.
You will need to include any supporting documents such as birth certificates / passports and so on. A photo is fine!
If you have received help from people like myself, you need to write as much in the declaration section on page 4. You may say something like “I received help from xyz in editing and proofreading my exemption, but that all of the content and ideas are my own.”
Don’t forget to sign page 4! You can do this via programs like Adobe, there is even an extension in Google Docs which can help you create digital signatures. Alternatively, you can just print it out, sign it and scan it back onto your computer.

STEP 2 – Sending it off

Email your local MOE office with:

The official home education application (pages 1-4)
Your completed home education application in PDF form
Supporting documents such as your child’s birth certificate

A simple email saying you are applying to home educate your child and letting them know you have attached the relevant documents is sufficient.

STEP 3 – What happens after?

After emailing your application off, you should hear back from your local office within about one week, max two, receiving confirmation they have received it and giving you a rough timeframe for processing wait times.

If you don’t hear back, definitely follow up with another email or phone call.

There is a chance you may hear back from them with some additional questions. This does not mean you need to panic, nor does it mean you will be declined. You simply need to answer their questions, being as specific as possible. It is okay to ask for help with this – let me know if I can be of help!

Once they have finished processing your application and assuming it is approved, you will receive another email with your child’s official certificate of exemption. Congratulations, you are officially homeschooling! You will also be eligible to receive the homeschool allowance (more info here).

There can be some variations, but this is the general process to expect.