–Learn what you need to earn your Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Ministry of Education changed two of the requirements for students graduating in the 2020-2021 school year. Students:
- are not required to complete the literacy graduation requirement
- must complete a minimum of 20 hours of community involvement (reduced from 40 hours)
What you need to graduate
To earn a high school diploma in Ontario, students must:
- earn 18 compulsory credits
- earn 12 optional credits
- pass the literacy requirement
- complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities (volunteer)
What are compulsory credits
Students must earn the following 18 compulsory credits to get their Ontario Secondary School Diploma:
- 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
- 3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
- 3 credits for group 1, 2 and 3 courses (1 credit in each group)
- 2 credits in science
- 1 credit in Canadian history (Grade 10)
- 1 credit in Canadian geography (Grade 9)
- 1 credit in the arts
- 1 credit in health and physical education
- 1 credit in French as a second language
- 5 credit in career studies
- 5 credit in civics
Group 1, 2 and 3 compulsory credits
Of the 18 compulsory credits, students must complete one from each of the following groups:
Group 1:
- English (including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course) or French as a second language
- a Native language
- First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies
- a classical or an international language
- social sciences and the humanities
- Canadian and world studies
- guidance and career education
- cooperative education
Group 2:
- health and physical education
- the arts
- business studies
- French as a second language
- cooperative education
Group 3:
- science (Grade 11 or 12)
- technological education
- French as a second language
- computer studies
- cooperative education
The following conditions apply to compulsory credit selections from the above three groups:
- In groups 1, 2, and 3, a maximum of 2 credits in French as a second languagecan count as compulsory credits, one from group 1 and one from either group 2 or group 3.
- A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative educationcan count as compulsory credits, selected from any of the above three groups.
English as a second language (ESL) and English literacy development (ELD)
Students may count a maximum of 3 credits in ESL or ELD towards the 4 compulsory credits in English.
The fourth credit must be for a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
Optional credits
Students must earn 12 optional credits by successfully completing courses offered in their school’s program and course calendar.
Literacy graduation requirement
This requirement is waived for students graduating in the 2019-2020 and the 2020-2021 school years.
All students must meet the secondary school literacy graduation requirement to earn their high school diploma.
For most students, this means passing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).
Students who do not successfully complete the OSSLT have other opportunities to meet the literacy graduation requirement. Students can contact their school principal to find out about these options.
Community involvement hours
For students who are graduating in the 2020-2021 school year, we reduced the graduation requirement to a minimum of 20 hours of community involvement activities.
Students can start accumulating the required 40 hours in the summer before entering Grade 9.
Students who are looking for community involvement opportunities should:
- make sure they know which activities qualify for the community involvement requirement
- check their school board’s website for a list of eligible and ineligible activities, as well as, resources to help them record hours and find volunteer activities
- visit the Ontario Volunteer Centre Networkto find opportunities through a centre in their community
- browse SPARKOntarioto discover volunteering opportunities and connect with local community organizations
- ask their principal or guidance counsellor for more information
If approved by your school’s principal, students may count the following towards their community involvement hours:
- up to 10 hours of paid employment if a student is 14 years or older and completes a reflection exercise demonstrating how their work contributed to their community
- community involvement during school time, for example, walking a younger child to and from school or helping younger siblings with school work
- duties normally performed at home, for example, helping an elderly relative with errands or providing after school care for a sibling
