Before any private, church, community, cooperative, or foundation-run school can open its doors in Timor-Leste, the entity behind it must be licensed by the State. Under the Education System Framework Law (Law No. 14/2008), private and cooperative education functions under its own statutes, and it falls to the State to license, evaluate, and monitor it in legal terms (Article 3). Licensing is the authorisation to operate; it is the first step a new school takes, and it precedes the quality recognition granted through accreditation.
Licensing and Accreditation
The two are related but distinct. Licensing establishes that an entity is legally constituted, that its premises are fit and safe, and that it may lawfully deliver education at a given level. Accreditation is the formal recognition by the State of the quality of an educational establishment, following a continuous, objective, and contextualised evaluation (Article 43). A school is licensed to operate; it is then accredited on the strength of what it delivers. Both remain subject to State inspection under Article 45.
Legal Basis
- Article 3 — Private and cooperative education functions under its own statutes; the State licenses, evaluates, and monitors it in legal terms.
- Article 42(4) — A private or cooperative school may adopt the curricular plans and programmes used in public schools, or adopt its own; where it adopts its own, they are recognised case by case through a positive evaluation of the curriculum and the pedagogical conditions for teaching.
- Article 43 — Defines accreditation as formal State recognition of an establishment’s quality, based on continuous evaluation.
- Article 45 — The education system, including private and cooperative schools, is subject to State inspection.
The full text of Law No. 14/2008 is available in the Legislation section. Application forms, fees, and processing times are set by the Ministry through complementary regulations — confirm the current requirements with the Ministry before applying.
Who Needs a Licence
- Any entity preparing to open a new private, church, community, cooperative, or foundation school
- An operating school that is extending to a new level of education — for example from basic to secondary general, or adding a technical-vocational track
- A school moving to new premises, or opening an additional site
- A school changing its owning entity, its name, or its legal form
- A school whose licence is due for renewal
The Licensing Process
- Application. The entity submits a written request to the Ministry of Education, through the municipal education directorate where the school will operate, together with the supporting documents listed below.
- Document review. The Ministry verifies the entity’s legal constitution and statutes, its right to use the premises, and the level and type of education proposed.
- Curriculum check. A school following the national curriculum is assessed against it; a school proposing its own plans has them evaluated case by case, as provided under Article 42(4).
- Site inspection. A Ministry team visits the premises to confirm that classrooms, water and sanitation, safety arrangements, and teaching resources meet the standards for the level of education requested.
- Decision. Where the requirements are met, the Ministry issues the licence to operate; where they are not, the entity is advised of the gaps to address before re-applying.
- Registration. The licensed school is entered in the national register of schools and included in EMIS reporting, and becomes subject to ongoing monitoring and inspection.
What You Will Need
Final requirements are confirmed by the Ministry for each application, but an entity should generally be prepared to provide:
- The statutes and registration documents of the entity that will own and run the school (association, foundation, cooperative, church body, or company)
- The level(s) and type of education the school intends to deliver, and the curriculum it will follow — the national curriculum or its own proposed plans
- Proof of the right to use the premises (title, lease, or equivalent), with plans of the classrooms and facilities
- Evidence that the site meets safety, water, and sanitation requirements
- A list of teaching staff with evidence of their qualifications, and the name of the proposed school director
- The school’s internal rules, organisational structure, and the fees it intends to charge
Qualifications and documents issued abroad may first need to be legalised — see Document Legalisation.
After the Licence Is Granted
A licence authorises the school to operate at the level and on the premises for which it was granted. Any material change — a new level of education, a change of site, or a change of owning entity — must be notified to the Ministry, and may require the licence to be amended before the change takes effect. Licensed schools remain subject to State inspection under Article 45, including auditing and control of legality and checks on the quality of education and teaching, and should apply for renewal in good time to avoid any interruption to enrolment or certification.
Where to Get Help
For guidance on preparing an application, contact the Ministry of Education through the Contact Us page or your municipal education directorate, present in all 13 municipalities and the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno. Forms and related guidance are published in the Publications section as they become available.