The Cost of Homeschooling vs. Private School in Ireland

We are a US-accredited international online school that coexists with local schooling. Families are responsible for ensuring compliance with any local education requirements applicable to their situation.

The Constitutional Right to Homeschool in Ireland

Article 42 of the Irish Constitution is where Irish homeschooling law starts. The Irish Constitution states that the family is the primary and natural educator of the child – and that the state acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the family and guarantees to respect the inalienable right and duty of parents to provide for the religious and moral, intellectual and social education of their children.

The Irish Constitution recognizes parents as the primary and natural educator of the child explicitly. That’s not a policy interpretation – it’s constitutional language. Ireland’s education system was built around this principle, which is why homeschooling has always been a legal pathway.

Section 14 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 operationalizes this. Parents must apply to Tusla – Ireland’s Child and Family Agency – and satisfy an assessor that the child is receiving a certain minimum education. That legal framework is the registration process every homeschooling family in Ireland must complete.

“You have the right to educate your child at home, but you must make sure they get a certain minimum education and register with Tusla’s Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS).”

— Citizens Information

What Does Homeschooling in Ireland Actually Cost?

The cost of home education in Ireland breaks down into several categories – and most families underestimate at least one of them.

Curriculum materials. Ireland does not require homeschooled families to follow the national curriculum. That’s a genuine advantage – you can source materials from anywhere. But structured curriculum programs cost money. A comprehensive K-12 curriculum through an accredited US provider runs €1,500–€3,000 per year. Piecing together resources independently costs less but takes more time.

External tutors. Many Irish homeschoolers use tutors for subjects where the parent lacks confidence – secondary school mathematics, science, languages. Grinds (as they’re called in Ireland) typically run €30–€60 per hour in Dublin. Two subjects, one session per week each: that’s €250–€500 per month.

Examination fees. Homeschooled pupils who want to sit state examinations register as external candidates with the State Examinations Commission. The Leaving Certificate examination fee for external candidates in 2026 is higher than the standard school-based fee of €116 – additional per-subject charges apply. Junior cycle fees are separate.

Tusla registration. The application to Tusla’s Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service is free. No fee for the assessment process itself.

Total realistic range. A lean home education program in Ireland – parent-led, minimal external tutoring, self-sourced materials – can cost under €1,000 per year. A structured program with curriculum subscription, regular tutors, and examination fees runs €3,000–€5,000. Neither figure includes the opportunity cost of a parent’s time.

What Does Private School Cost in Ireland?

Private secondary schools in Ireland – fee-paying schools – charge annual fees that typically range from €4,500 to €12,000 per year in Dublin, with some boarding schools considerably higher. Most fee-paying schools are secondary level; primary education is almost entirely free through the state system.

Beyond fees, private school families pay for uniforms, books, school trips, and extracurricular activities. Add €500–€1,500 per year. Some schools charge additional levies for capital building funds.

State secondary schools are free – but they’re not the same as private schools in ethos, class size, or resources. The comparison most families actually face is between homeschooling and the local free secondary school, not a fee-paying institution. A free secondary school costs nothing in fees – but class sizes are larger, curriculum flexibility is zero, and AP courses aren’t on the timetable.

Homeschooling Registration: The Tusla Process

Before any cost calculation matters, the registration process has to happen. Parents homeschooling their children in Ireland must apply to Tusla’s Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS). The home education application form is available on the agency’s website.

The application requires a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, a description of the curriculum approach, and supporting materials. Once submitted, an assessor visits to conduct a preliminary assessment – a conversation about the child’s education, not an inspection. If the assessor is satisfied, the child is placed on the Section 14 Register.

Tusla’s AEARS coordinates assessments across Ireland, including Dublin. The assessment process checks whether the child is receiving a certain minimum education – age-appropriate, covering literacy and numeracy, supporting intellectual and social development. The assessor will check the child’s progress against these broad criteria, not against the national curriculum.

Most families who prepare coherently don’t face a comprehensive assessment. It’s triggered when the preliminary assessment raises questions.

“The Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS) Tusla is responsible for the regulation of provision for education in places other than recognized schools. Its function is to carry out an assessment of the educational provision for children, in order to determine if a child can be placed on the statutory register of children educated outside of a recognized school.”

— Tusla

State Examinations for Homeschooled Children

Homeschooled children placed on the Section 14 Register can sit the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations as external candidates. Results are converted into the same grades as school-based candidates. CAO points work identically – a homeschooled leaving cert student applying to UCD or University College Cork through the Central Applications Office is assessed on the same basis as any other applicant.

This matters for the cost calculation. Homeschoolers who want university entry through the Irish system need to plan their curriculum around leaving cert subjects from early in secondary education. That typically means structured resources in six or more subjects – which pushes curriculum costs toward the higher end of the range.

Irish homeschoolers who also want US university options can add Advanced Placement (AP) courses through an accredited online school like Legacy. AP exam scores are accepted for college credit at over 500 universities worldwide. That’s a separate cost – but for families targeting American universities, it’s a cost with a clear return.

The Home Education Network

The Home Education Network (HEN) is Ireland’s voluntary organisation for home educating families. HEN helps parents find curriculum resources, connects families with similar approaches, and provides information on the registration process and state examinations. It’s not a statutory body – Tusla remains the authority – but for families starting homeschooling across Ireland, HEN is a practical resource. Particularly for families outside Dublin who don’t have a local home education community.

Where Legacy Fits

Legacy Online School is a WASC–accredited private online school – not a homeschooling platform. Some Irish homeschoolers use Legacy for structured curriculum delivery, particularly at online middle school and online high school level, as part of their Tusla-registered home education plan.

The O’Sullivan family in Cork began homeschooling their daughter Méabh at age twelve. Annual costs before Legacy: approximately €2,200 – tutors, books, exam prep materials. After enrolling Méabh in Legacy’s part-time courses for two AP subjects, the total rose to €3,400. When Méabh applied to a US university at seventeen, her Legacy transcript and AP scores were submitted directly. She received a merit scholarship that covered more than the three years of additional enrollment cost. Net cost: lower than four years of a fee-paying secondary school.

Using Legacy does not replace Tusla registration. Families homeschooling in Ireland must complete the AEARS process regardless of which curriculum they use.

Ready to explore how Legacy works as part of a home education plan? Book a free trial class or speak with our admissions team.

Top Tips from Our Expert

Maya Robinson, College Prep Advisor at Legacy Online School

• Map your curriculum costs against your child’s likely university destination before you start. If Irish universities are the goal, you need leaving cert subjects – and that drives specific curriculum choices. If US universities are in the picture, AP courses add cost but also add scholarship potential.
• The examination fee for external candidates sitting the Leaving Certificate is higher than the school-based fee. Budget for it from the start of senior cycle, not the year of the exam.
• HEN runs regular meetings across Ireland – including in Dublin – where experienced homeschoolers share curriculum recommendations and exam prep strategies. The information there is practical and current in a way that no website fully replaces.
• If your child is homeschooled and targeting both Irish and US university options, Legacy’s college guidance program coordinates both application tracks simultaneously. The deadlines and requirements diverge significantly – managing them separately is harder than it looks.

We are a US-accredited international online school that coexists with local schooling. Families are responsible for ensuring compliance with any local education requirements applicable to their situation.