Your Expert Guide to: Homeschooling in Mexico
If you’ve ever wondered about homeschooling in Mexico, whether you’re already living in Mexico or are considering moving to Mexico with your homeschooled kids, then this is the article you’ve been searching for. We’re going to share everything you need to know about homeschooling in Mexico.
Please note that this information was correct when published (mid 2024), country laws and requirements can change.
Cordelia’s story: I homeschooled my 2 kids for nearly a decade in three different countries, Thailand, Malaysia, and Mexico, before recently integrating them into the Mexican school system at their request.
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Is homeschooling legal in Mexico?
If you are considering moving to Mexico and want to homeschool your kids, you are in luck. Though not explicitly legal, there is no local law banning homeschooling, and it appears to be a growing popular choice for both foreign and local parents.
The Home School Legal Defense Association (HLDA) states that homeschooling is flourishing legally without clear compulsory attendance laws. As a rule, Mexican families homeschool without significant interference from the government.
It is the legal obligation of every Mexican citizen and individual living in Mexico to ensure their children receive a proper education. The law further states that children must complete primary and secondary education, which ends at the age of 15 with a general certificate of education.
Thereafter, follow three more years, referred to colloquially as Prepa (short for ‘preparatoria’). These are the high school level studies where students prepare for higher education. At the end of these three years, successful students take their bachillerato exams.
How many people homeschool in Mexico?
Honestly, we don’t know. Extensive searching has not brought up any conclusive information. What we do know is that numbers are growing and social media makes communication between homeschooling individuals and groups easier than it’s ever been. This means there’s more of a feeling of community amongst homeschoolers in Mexico than ever before.
Where are the homeschooling families?
Generally the homeschooling families, both Mexican and foreign, live in the larger, more dynamic cities. Home education hasn’t historically been prevalent in Mexico. However, an increasing number of families are choosing this option, particularly when they can’t afford the tuition fees at a private institution but recognize that the quality of education in the public Mexican school system is often lacking.
The biggest cities / places foreigners tend to live in Mexico are:
Mexico City: the capital, huge resources including incredible parks and museums but it’s polluted and there’s a lot of traffic. People do say it’s dangerous although I think that depends on where you are in the city.
Guadalajara: excellent museums & culture. Good opportunities for day trips. Again, there are some safety concerns.
Mérida: a smaller city with a fast growing foreign population. Near the beach and many cenotes. Very hot but generally considered to be one of the safest places in Mexico.
Monterrey: a big city with excellent resources. A famous university town.
San Miguel de Allende: a large and growing American population. Easy to get by without Spanish.
San Cristobal de las Casas: a sleepy town in the mountains with a more ‘alternative’ vibe for foreigners.
Playa del Carmen / Cancun: beach towns with large numbers of foreigners – easy to get by without Spanish.
How do I find homeschooling communities in Mexico?
✅ Check out various Facebook groups in different cities to meet other homeschoolers virtually
Homeschool Mexico – English Speakers
Homeschooling/Unschooling México
✅ Ask in regular Mexico expat/immigrant groups on Facebook if there are homeschooling families in your chosen destination
✅ If you’re using a specific homeschooling program from your home country ask if there are others using the same in Mexico
✅ I have noticed recently that some homeschoolers are avoiding Facebook and setting up WhatsApp groups to share events, coops, activities, and outings. However, you will usually find someone in the FB group who can add you to the local WhatsApp group. Though WhatsApp may not be very popular in the United States, it has been the primary platform used by people and groups in every other country I’ve lived in and is a must-have for homeschoolers living in Mexico.
Having other families nearby to plan cooperatives, field trips, and other academic activities while embracing the local culture is vital for both sanity and socialization of both children and parents.
Considering your goals while homeschooling in Mexico
What is your plan for your kids? Do you want them to attend university, are you hoping to achieve bilingual status, or are you more on the un-schooling end of the homeschooling spectrum? Are you here to travel and see new cultures? Are you considering Mexico for a more affordable and better quality of life? Everything is possible.
And remember that whatever you choose, Mexico is an incredibly diverse country and can be the ideal learning environment for your kids if you’re ready to seize every opportunity.
History – Mexico is a fascinating country with a long and complex history that can be accessed through the incredibly preserved archaeological sites all across the country, museums, classes for kids in museums, public video mapping shows and more
Culture – attending events such as Día de los Muertos (or Janal Pixan in Yucatán) or the Grito de Independencía with locals opens the kids minds to a different culture as will trying the new foods you find as you explore Mexico
Art – think Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Leonora Carrington and so many more incredible artists, remember the Mexican delight in murals— both modern and old & on the streets and in the palacios nacionales—as well as the traditional art galleries
Science – the science museums we’ve been to in Mexico rival anything we’ve explored in Europe & the USA
Nature – take the Chepe train through the Copper Canyon, trek in jungles, kayak the mangroves, climb volcanoes, watch the ants or scorpions scurry about their day, rescue a street dog, swim in rivers, cenotes, oceans, learn to surf, swim with whale sharks
Community service – you’ll find plenty of opportunities to integrate your kids into volunteer programs whether they’re (you’re) interested in helping with animals, beach clean ups or in rural communities, you’re sure to find what you need. In Yucatán, for example, you can have your kids volunteer with the fabulous Yucatán Giving Outreach and really give back to your community
If you’re travelling to Yucatán with kids, don’t forget to pick up a copy of Mexico Cassie’s family friendly guide book to Yucatán.
Spanish learning – a note
🗣 If linguistic skills are your primary goal for your kids, consider putting your kids in a local school. It is the easiest way to get them on the bilingual track. Of course, this is easier said than done, depending on your kids’ age and your budget.
Immersion, Immersion, Immersion—this is the only way. I’ve met plenty of homeschooled and alternatively schooled kids who have lived here for several years, but they end up socializing and connecting with other English-speaking families and don’t acquire a strong level of Spanish.
Kids in preschool and primary school will be the easiest to integrate. You can pull them out once they have a good base and integrate into the Spanish-speaking homeschooling community.
📚 However, acquiring a new language is only one perk of living in a foreign country and, if the stars don’t align to make that happen, there are still many great reasons to homeschool in Mexico and many options for English-speaking homeschoolers.
Cordelia’s homeschooling in Mexico story
When we moved to Mérida, I didn’t want to stop homeschooling but I was also determined that my seven and nearly ten-year-olds would learn Spanish asap.
I found an ecologically focused educational community that helped immerse them in Spanish, but like so many “idealistic” communities, everyone had a different definition of what love and respect are, and it imploded within months of our arrival.
Next, I organised my own cooperative and hired a Mexican Montessori teacher. I learned that if you have too many expat children, it becomes tough for the teacher to immerse them.
This solution worked for my younger child but not for my older one, as I didn’t find kids her age to join the group. She dropped out. The result is that my younger child speaks like a local, and my older one is way more insecure with her Spanish despite living in Mexico for nearly seven years now.
Options for English homeschooling in Mexico
As you will have noticed above, there is a Facebook group for English-speaking homeschoolers in Mexico. If travel, culture, quality of life, safety etc are the reasons you are considering moving to Mexico, you are in luck, because Mexico is still a great option!
There is a growing number of English-speaking homeschool families moving to Mexico. They are organizing alternative coops and meetups.
⭐️ In Mérida, the Merida Teen Club (MTC) has in-person classes available on a drop-in basis or as part of a regular alternative school. The club also has regular social meet-ups including games nights, mall meet-ups and an annual Halloween party and even a Spring Formal.
⭐️ Across Mexico you will find that there are volunteering opportunities and many English-speaking tutors. Many places are willing to work with home school families to organize extracurricular activities during regular school hours.
Homeschooling in Mexico – what about materials?
🛍 Amazon delivers to Mexico smoothly and promptly so you’ll never be too far from what you need.
⭐️ However, if you are using a particular curriculum, I recommend buying it ahead of time before you move to Mexico.
📚 Many Mexican bookstores do have an English section but it is usually fairly limited, even in bigger cities. You can find English language bookstores in some cities, particularly where there are larger numbers of English speaking people living.
➕ I highly recommend making sure your home library card is up-to-date as many libraries now lend digital books even when you live overseas. Of course, this also means investing in a Kindle or similar e-reader, or app on a tablet.
Home schooling in Mexico – accreditation
✅ If accreditation is something that matters to you, you could choose to work with umbrella schools such as Royal Hollow which will issue your child a high school diploma. This can simplify a transition back to formal school or if your child decides to apply to university.
✅ Many international educational platforms make it easier for new homeschoolers to feel like they are covering the necessary educational bases.
Homeschooling in Mexico – attending university
While the United States offers different paths to getting to college/university, such as umbrella school diplomas, enrolling in community college classes and transferring, or getting your GED, Mexico has their own system of accrediting students.
There are great systems in place to help homeschooling kids be “certificate-ready” to integrate into formal schooling or attend university should they wish to do so.
✅ INEA (Instituto Nacional para la Educación de los Adultos or National Institute for Adult Education) has a testing system to help people acquire their basic education at any age.
➕ You can take the primary school equivalency exam starting ten-years-old and up and the Secundaria exam from 15 years old. There are two options: you can do it test by test (12 in total) or do one global one.
➕ For the equivalent of a high school certificate, there is something called “Prepa Abierta”. This is run by SEP, but you do need to have the Secundaria certification to enrol. This requires 33 tests in total to graduate.
➕ Lastly, there is a global exam called CENEVAL, which is similar to the US GED.
What if homeschooling in Mexico doesn’t work out?
If you give homeschooling in Mexico a try and then decide it isn’t for your family, you can always integrate your kids into formal school.
The options include Mexican private schools, international schooling in Mexico (although this is really only available in the bigger cities such as Mexico City) online school via your home country or using the Mexican public education system.
Family adventures while homeschooling in Mexico
No matter where you decide to settle in Mexico, know that you will be surrounded by colour and culture, history and beautiful nature. There are many wonderful trips and activities to do with your kids. Mexico is a wonderful homeschooling destination whether you are looking to move short term or for the long haul.
And don’t worry, you’ll always be supplementing and educating every time you step outside in Mexico. Let’s take a look at some awesome places to visit with kids in Mexico:
Family adventures on the Yucatán Peninsula
➡️ Mérida with kids & Museums in Mérida
➡️ Ruins in Yucatán, in Quintana Roo, in Campeche
➡️ Free things to do in Mérida
➡️ Day of the Dead in Mérida, Christmas & Carnaval in Mérida
➡️ Best things to do in Valladolid, in Progreso, Playa del Carmen and Campeche
➡️ Pueblos Magicos on the Peninsula
Family adventures in Southern Mexico
Family adventures in Central Mexico
Family adventures in Northern Mexico
Family fun in Mexico
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