Leaving school When can I leave school for good? Can I choose to be home schooled instead?
This section provides information about leaving school voluntarily before the end of Year 13.
If you want more information about being kicked out of school (which is leaving school involuntarily), please see the stand-down, suspensions, and being kicked out of school section.
You can choose to leave school if you are 16. However, before you leave school you need to think about what you will do next. For example, will you get a job, start tertiary study, do an apprenticeship, or travel?
You may be able to leave school at 15 if you get permission from the Ministry of Education (called an early leaving exemption). Early leaving exemptions are usually only agreed by the Ministry of Education in exceptional circumstances.
Your parents or caregivers can apply to the Ministry of Education for you to be home schooled. However, you need to show the Ministry that you will be taught as well and as regularly at home as you would at school.
For more information see the Te Kura Correspondence School website.