US Leads Global Rise in Homeschooling as Interest Grows in France and UK
A December 2025 study by Bright Heart examined global homeschooling trends across 40 countries, focusing on how many students receive home-based education and where interest in homeschooling is strongest.
The research measured the number of homeschooled students per 100,000 residents to allow fair comparison between countries of different population sizes. It also analyzed how often people search for homeschooling-related information in their local languages.
The United States recorded the largest homeschool population in the world, with more than 4 million students educated at home. France, despite requiring official authorization and annual inspections, still counts 63,000 families choosing independent education. In the United Kingdom, parents are increasingly exploring homeschooling, with searches for alternative education options occurring twice as often recently.
How the study compared countries
Bright Heart’s analysis went beyond raw population numbers by adjusting homeschooling figures per 100,000 residents. This method allowed smaller nations to be compared accurately with larger countries like the United States.
The study also reviewed national education spending and overall school quality scores to place homeschooling trends within a broader education context. The Education Index used in the research reflects education accessibility and the proportion of an educated population, not direct classroom performance.
Interest in alternative education worldwide
Search behavior showed that interest in homeschooling is rising in several countries, even where formal education systems remain strong. Researchers found that online searches provide insight into where families are actively exploring alternatives to traditional schooling.
The findings suggest that global homeschooling trends are shaped not only by regulation and population size, but also by growing parental curiosity about flexible and independent learning models.
