TL;DR
To homeschool high school in Vermont, send your enrollment notice to the Secretary of Education each year, complete the end-of-year assessment and keep it on file, set your own graduation requirements, keep a transcript, and issue the diploma yourself. Vermont sets no graduation requirements and does not issue a diploma, so a parent-issued Vermont home study diploma is what your student carries, and it is valid for college, work, and the military. The Dual Enrollment Voucher covers tuition for up to two college courses at participating Vermont colleges for eligible high school students, home study included, and you pay only for materials and textbooks. Vouchers are awarded by semester and unused ones expire, so use them on a schedule. VSAC grants can help pay for college after graduation. Confirm each program's rules.
Verified July 2026 against Vermont Agency of Education home study rules, including the enrollment notice and end-of-year assessment, and VSAC Dual Enrollment Voucher terms. Confirm current voucher availability and deadlines at education.vermont.gov and vsac.org before relying on this.
Vermont High School at a Glance
| Legal basis | Written enrollment notice to the Secretary of Education each year, 10+ days before starting |
|---|---|
| End-of-year assessment | Required, but you keep the records rather than submitting them |
| State graduation requirements | None set for homeschoolers; you set your own |
| Who issues the diploma | You do; the state does not |
| Dual Enrollment Voucher | Home study students get up to two free college courses; you pay only materials |
| College admission | Parent transcript plus a test score if your colleges want one |
How Homeschool High School Works in Vermont
Vermont calls homeschooling home study, and it runs on a yearly enrollment notice sent to the Secretary of Education at least ten days before you begin, plus an end-of-year assessment for each student. A recent simplification matters here: you keep those assessment records on hand rather than mailing them to the Agency of Education, so the yearly load is lighter than it once was. Vermont sets no graduation requirements, so through high school you decide what your diploma requires, you keep the transcript, and you issue the diploma. A parent-issued Vermont home study diploma is valid for college, work, and the military, with no GED required. We cover the enrollment notice and the assessment in the Vermont homeschooling guide.
Set Graduation Requirements and Build the Transcript
Because Vermont sets no requirements for homeschoolers, you set your own, often modeled on a standard college-prep pattern: four years of English, three or four of math, three of science and social studies, plus electives, the arts, and physical education. Write the plan at the start of ninth grade and build the transcript as you go, listing each course, its credits, and the grade, with a cumulative grade average. Keep it clean and signed. If your student takes dual enrollment courses, note that college credit on your own transcript and keep the college record, since those grades strengthen both admission and any scholarship applications later. Check the free reading assessment here so you can see where your student stands before you map the four-year plan.
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Free College Courses Through the Dual Enrollment Voucher
This is Vermont's best offer for home study families, and it is easy to miss. The state's Dual Enrollment Voucher, administered by VSAC, covers tuition for a college course at any participating Vermont college, and eligible high school students, home study included, can receive up to two vouchers over their high school years. Your student pays only for materials and textbooks, not tuition, and the credit counts toward both high school and a degree. Two details shape how you use them: vouchers are awarded on a semester-by-semester basis, and an unused voucher expires at the end of its semester, so plan which term each course lands in rather than saving them for later. Contact VSAC or the participating college to confirm how home study students apply and which courses qualify. Two free college courses is a real head start, and it pairs well with a transcript you are already building carefully. We link the details in our Vermont homeschooling guide.
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The Diploma, Grants, and College Admission
Vermont colleges admit homeschool graduates on a parent transcript, and the University of Vermont, the Vermont State University campuses, and private colleges like Middlebury take home study applicants. A well-built transcript is the foundation, and a voluntary SAT or ACT score gives admissions an outside measure, so plan the test if your target schools want it. After graduation, VSAC administers Vermont grants and scholarships that a home study graduate can pursue by filing the FAFSA, so treat VSAC as your one-stop resource for both the dual enrollment voucher during high school and aid after it. When your student meets the requirements you set, you issue the diploma, dated and signed, and it stands for college, employment, and the military. Our step-by-step guide is a useful resource for planning the high school years.
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Students With Learning Differences
If your student had an Individualized Education Program in public school, those services end when you move to home study, and that includes high school. You can build accommodations into your own program, and college disability services open once your student enrolls, including through dual enrollment. Plan documentation early, since colleges and testing accommodations can ask for recent records.
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☕ Buy us a coffee ($5)A Note from Homeschool Teacher Guide: What This Really Means for You
Vermont asks for a yearly notice and an assessment you keep on file, and that light load leaves room to focus on what pays off: the Dual Enrollment Voucher. Two free college courses are sitting there for home study students, and because the vouchers expire by semester, the families who benefit are the ones who plan which term each course fills. So map them into the high school years, pay the small cost of books, and let your student earn transferable credit early. Build a clean transcript alongside it, add a test score if your colleges want one, and lean on VSAC for grants after graduation. Our Vermont homeschooling guide covers the notice and assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Vermont Home Study Diploma Valid?
Yes. Vermont sets no graduation requirements for homeschoolers, so you set your own and issue the diploma. It is valid for college, work, and the military, and no GED is required.
Can Vermont Home Study Students Get Free College Courses?
Yes. The Dual Enrollment Voucher covers tuition for up to two college courses at participating Vermont colleges, home study included, and you pay only for materials and textbooks.
What Does Vermont Require to Homeschool High School?
A written enrollment notice to the Secretary of Education each year, at least ten days before starting, plus an end-of-year assessment you keep on file rather than submit.
Do the Vermont Dual Enrollment Vouchers Expire?
Yes. Vouchers are awarded by semester, and an unused voucher expires at the end of its semester, so plan which term each course fills.
Do Vermont Colleges Accept a Homeschool Diploma?
Yes. The University of Vermont, Vermont State University, and private colleges admit home study graduates on a parent transcript, and a test score strengthens the application.