The Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) is a

diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offi ...

granted to

secondary school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., b ...

graduates in the

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

province of

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

. It is part of the publicly funded province-wide school system. It is awarded to all students who complete the Ontario education curriculum, including students in Special Education, the TOPS program, MaCS program, IB Program, and other focused secondary school programs. Adults who did not complete an Ontario Secondary School Diploma may take the Canadian Adult Education Credential battery of high school equivalency tests to receive an Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate.

Diploma requirements

The academic credit system applies to students from Grades 9 through 12. To obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, one must earn the following compulsory credits: * 4 credits in one's first language ( English or French) (from Grade 9 - 12, one credit per year), * 3 credits in

Mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

, with at least one credit in Grade 11 or 12, * 2 credits in

Science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

, one in Grade 9 and one in Grade 10, * 1 credit in Grade 10

Canadian History The history of Canada covers the period from the arrival of the Paleo-Indians to North America thousands of years ago to the present day. The lands encompassing present-day Canada have been inhabited for millennia by Indigenous peoples, with di ...

, * 1 credit in Grade 9 Canadian Geography, * 1 credit in the

arts The arts or creative arts are a vast range of human practices involving creativity, creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. The arts encompass diverse and plural modes of thought, deeds, and existence in an extensive ...

, * 1 credit in Health and physical education, * 1 credit in one's second language, either French or English, * 1 credit in technological education in Grade 9 or Grade 10 (starting in the 2024–2025 school year) * 0.5 credits in Grade 10

Career A career is an individual's metaphorical "journey" through learning, work (human activity), work and other aspects of personal life, life. There are a number of ways to define career and the term is used in a variety of ways. Definitions The ...

Studies * 0.5 credits in Grade 10

Civics In the field of political science, civics is the study of the civil and political rights and obligations of citizens in a society. The term ''civics'' derives from the Latin word ''civicus'', meaning "relating to a citizen". In U.S. politics ...

Additional provincial requirements

One must also earn 1 credit from each of the following three areas: *Group 1: 1 additional credit in a second language (either French or English), an aboriginal language, a classical or international language, or

social sciences Social science (often rendered in the plural as the social sciences) is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of society, societies and the Social relation, relationships among members within those societies. The term was former ...

and the

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...

, or

canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

and World studies, or guidance and career education, or

cooperative education Cooperative education (or co-operative education) is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op" or work-study program, provides a ...

*. *Group 2: 1 additional credit in health and

physical education Physical education is an academic subject taught in schools worldwide, encompassing Primary education, primary, Secondary education, secondary, and sometimes tertiary education. It is often referred to as Phys. Ed. or PE, and in the United Stat ...

, or the

, or

business studies Business studies, often simply called business, is a field of study that deals with the principles of business, management, and economics. It combines elements of accountancy, finance, marketing, organizational studies, human resource manageme ...

, or

*. As of March 2010, 1 additional credit in a second language (either French or English) can be used instead**. *Group 3: 1 additional credit in

science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

in Grade 11 or 12, or technological education, computer studies, or

*. As of March 2010, 1 additional credit in a second language (either French or English) can be used instead.** Note that *, only 2 credits in cooperative education can be counted as compulsory credits, and that **, only 2 additional second language (either French or English) credits can be counted as compulsory: one in group 1, or one in either group 2 or group 3. In addition, students must also have completed: *12 optional credits (4 of which may be obtained through approved dual-credit courses and coop), *40 hours of community service, *meet the provincial secondary school literacy requirement, *2 eLearning courses. Note that a student can receive their community service from the start of Grade 9 (including the summer between Grade 8 and 9) until the April of Grade 12, with summer break and weekends included. The provincial secondary school literacy requirement can be met through passing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test with a score of 75.0% or above. If one fails the Literacy Test, they must rewrite the test the following school year, or complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OLC 3O or 4O) in grade 11 or 12. In Grade 9 and 10 (years 1 and 2, respectively), a student must complete 16 credits in total, 8 each year. In Grade 11 and 12 (Year 3 and 4, respectively), one must complete the 14 remaining credits, with no less than 6 attempted credits each year in accordance with

compulsory education Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at home or other places. Compulsory school attendance or compulsory sc ...

law. In total, 30 credits must be achieved. One can stay in high school until all 30 credits are achieved, or to obtain any additional or required credits for post-secondary admission.

Ontario Secondary School Certificate

The Ontario Secondary School Certificate may be requested by students who leave school before earning their OSSD if they have earned a minimum of 14 credits distributed over the following courses: * 2 credits in English * 1 credit in Canadian history or geography * 1 credit in mathematics * 1 credit in science * 1 credit in health and physical education * 1 credit in the arts, technological education, or computer studies * 7 additional electives

References

{{reflist Education in Ontario Student assessment and evaluation High School Diploma Secondary school qualifications

Diploma requirements

Additional provincial requirements

Ontario Secondary School Certificate

See also

References