Enlightium Academy is a private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. As K-12 education policies are different in each country, it is a parental responsibility to check on their country’s requirements and fulfill them as applicable. To assist parents with this process, Enlightium provides basic information about some countries’ requirements. Parents are also encouraged to review their country’s requirements at hslda.org/legal/international and/or the Cayman Islands Department of Education Services, as educational policies are subject to change over time.
Homeschooling is legal in many countries; however, with the freedom to educational opportunities comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, yet you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! As you review your country’s homeschooling requirements, keep in mind that Enlightium Academy is a U.S.-based school and holds dual accreditation through Cognia and ACSI. Although not registered in the Cayman Islands, this accreditation allows Enlightium to serve students worldwide and provides a high school diploma recognized nationally and internationally. For families living in countries that require an apostille to validate foreign educational records, Enlightium can help guide you through the apostille process should you choose to pursue official recognition of your student’s U.S. studies.
Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research the Cayman Islands’ requirements.
Homeschooling Options
Enlightium Academy is a U.S.-based, online, accredited school, rather than a Cayman-registered institution, providing full-time schooling on the Islands. Families should apply to the Department of Education Services for homeschooling approval and treat the program as home education rather than an independent/private school in Cayman.
Cayman Islands’ Requirements at a Glance
Parent Notifies Country = Yes
Country Educational Funds = No
Academic Calendar Requirement = Yes
Subjects Required = Yes
Age Requirement = 5-17
Instructor Qualifications = Yes
Standardized Assessment = Required by Enlightium
Immunization Requirement = Unknown
Keep a Portfolio = Yes
Enlightium Parents App with Group for Cayman Islands Families = Yes
Country Educational Funds
There do not appear to be any educational funds in the Cayman Islands at this time.
Notifying the Country
Parents must apply to the Director of the Department of Education Services for approval to homeschool their children before beginning instruction. Approval must be renewed annually by August 1st of each school year, or within ten days if commencing home instruction after the start of the school year. You can find the Homeschool Request Form on the Cayman Islands Department of Education Services page; on the “Registration” dropdown, select “Registration Forms”. Once approval has been granted, you will need to formally withdraw from your current school, using the Student Withdrawal Form found on this page.
The notification process involves creating an Individual Homeschool Plan (IHSP), which is a written description that informs the Department of Education Services of:
- The curriculum and materials to be used for each subject,
- The methods for evaluating student progress, and
- The location where learning will occur
Click here for a sample IHSP.
Calendar Requirements
The Cayman Islands Department of Education Services defines a full-time education as 185 days of instruction with at least 5 hours each school day.
Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays, allowing them to easily reach 185 days of instruction.
Required Subjects
The Cayman Islands Department of Education Services requires students to “develop basic knowledge and skills” in:
- Literacy, listening, speaking, reading, and writing
- Numeracy, mathematics, analysis, problem solving, and information processing
- Critical and creative thinking skills
- An understanding of the role of technical and vocational education and training
- Science and technology in society, together with scientific and technological skills
- An appreciation and understanding of creative arts
- Physical development, personal health, and fitness
- The creative use of leisure time
After you enroll/re-enroll and before your student starts courses at Enlightium Academy, your student’s counselor will send you an email with a recommended course schedule consisting of core courses and, if applicable, courses that fulfill Enlightium’s graduation requirements. Your student can also select from Enlightium’s elective courses.
Age Requirement
The Cayman Islands Department of Education Services requires students to receive an education between the age of five until they turn 17 years old.
Ages four or younger:
Students are not required to attend school, but can enroll in primary school at Enlightium Academy to have a head start and be ready for Kindergarten.
Aged five until they turn 17:
They must attend school during that academic year; this includes enrolling at Enlightium Academy. Students must continue their education at a school of their parents’ choice until they graduate or turn 17.
Instructor Qualifications
The Cayman Islands Department of Education Services requires the instructor to be a licensed teacher. Documentation will need to be provided.
The Department of Education Services reviews each home education application to ensure that instruction is appropriate. Families may be asked to provide information about the individual responsible for instruction and their ability to support the student’s education.
As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state* and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields.
*For students living in the U.S., this does not necessarily mean that their teachers are certified in the student’s state of residence, but instead in the teacher’s state of residence. For most states, this distinction is not important to the student’s academics.
Standardized Assessment
The Cayman Islands Department of Education Services does not appear to require a standardized test for homeschooled students; however, a record of evaluations of the students’ progress should be maintained and will need to be provided to the Department of Education Services. Additionally, Enlightium Academy requires students to take an annual assessment to keep track of how students are progressing. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:
- Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment. We recommend the IXL diagnostic assessment, as it provides more flexibility in scheduling and does not have an additional fee.
- Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT
Keep a Portfolio
A semi-annual progress report should be submitted to the Department of Education services with additional information, so please keep a digital record every year you are enrolled at Enlightium Academy, which should include:
- Attendance - Enlightium provides your family with progress reports via email. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
- Curriculum information and samples - Enlightium provides its families with both curriculum overviews by grade level and samples by course.
- Academic plans - Enlightium Academy counselors provide academic plans during the admission process for each of our four divisions of grades: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
- Grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students at the end of each quarter. Transcripts are available upon request.
- Test scores - This can include occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores.
- Academic Awards - Enlightium provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, Outstanding Improvement, and the Presidential Award.
- Social/Competition Achievements - Enlightium holds social events and competitions throughout the school year, such as art competitions and involvement in the Student Council.
Enlightium Parents App with Group for Cayman Islands Families
Enlightium Academy has an app and a desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in the Cayman Islands to inform and support each other in fulfilling their country’s homeschooling requirements. Your family will be provided a link to download the app after enrolling.
Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?
- Explore Enlightium Academy’s website
- If you have any questions:
- Chat with a team member
- Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
- Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
- Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the “Enroll Now” button.
Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, online, and book-based program K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.
We review country requirements and regulations annually; however, each country may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your country’s board of education.
Sources reviewed in May 2026:
