Free Homeschooling in South Africa: What's Genuinely Free
Registering for homeschooling in South Africa is free, and many CAPS resources are free too — DBE workbooks, every past matric paper and memo, open textbooks and public libraries. What doesn’t exist is a free, complete homeschooling programme with teaching, marking and a route to matric. Free resources can carry a committed parent a long way in the primary years. By Grades 10 to 12 they run out, because School-Based Assessment has to be set, marked and moderated through a registered provider.
Registering for homeschooling in South Africa is free, and many CAPS resources are free too — DBE workbooks, past papers and memos, and open textbooks. But there's no free, complete homeschooling programme with teaching, marking and a route to matric. Expect to pay for structure, assessment and exam entry.
"Free homeschooling" is a common search, and an understandable one. Homeschooling can cost far less than school. But it's worth knowing exactly what's free, what isn't, and where free resources run out — especially in the later grades.
What's genuinely free
Registration. Applying to your provincial education department to register your child for home education costs nothing.
Past exam papers and memos. Every National Senior Certificate paper and memo is free from the Department of Basic Education and the Western Cape Education Department's archive — plus Grade 10 and Grade 11 common papers.
DBE workbooks and curriculum documents. The Department of Basic Education publishes CAPS curriculum documents and learner support material.
Open textbooks. Free, CAPS-aligned textbooks exist for some subjects — for example, Siyavula's Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
Public libraries. Books, study space and, in many libraries, internet access.
Free video lessons. General maths and science explainers are widely available, though they don't follow the CAPS term plan.
What isn't free
A structured programme — lessons for every subject, organised into a year
Teacher marking and reports — an outside check that your child is on track
End-of-phase assessment — a competent assessor's fee at the end of Grades 3, 6 and 9
Matric entry — a provider registered with SACAI or the IEB, and exam board fees
Devices, internet and stationery
Your time — the biggest cost of all
Where free resources run out
Grades R to 6: free resources can carry a committed parent a long way, with planning.
Grades 7 to 9: free materials help, but planning a full Senior Phase programme across nine subjects is a big job.
Grades 10 to 12: free past papers are invaluable, but they can't replace School-Based Assessment, which must be set, marked and moderated through a provider registered with SACAI or the IEB for the NSC.
Low-cost structured options
If free isn't enough, low-cost structure is the next step. At Teneo in 2027:
Without Classes and Reports — content modules for every subject lesson, on a schedule, from R800 a month (Grades 4 to 6)
Without Classes — the same, plus teacher-marked assessments, termly reports and group tutorials, from R1,333.33 a month
Single subjects — from R145 a month, to add structure only where you need it
See homeschooling at Teneo and the 2027 fees.
Frequently asked questions
Is homeschooling free in South Africa? Registration is free, and many resources are free. Structured programmes, marking, assessment and matric entry cost money.
How do I apply for free homeschooling? Apply to your provincial education department to register your child for home education — it's free. There's no free government homeschooling programme.
Are there free CAPS homeschool resources? Yes — DBE curriculum documents and support material, past papers and memos, open textbooks and public libraries.
Can my child do matric for free if homeschooled? No. Matric needs a provider registered with SACAI or the IEB and exam board fees.