Graduate

Compulsory credits

You need the following 18 compulsory credits to get your OSSD:

• 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
• 0.5 credit in career studies
• 0.5 credit in civics and citizenship

The following also apply to compulsory credit selections.

• You can use the Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices course to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
• You can use the Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures course to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.

Group 1, 2 and 3 compulsory credits

Of the 18 compulsory credits, you must complete 1 from each of the following groups:

Group 1

• English (including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course) or French as a second language
• Native languages
• First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies
• classical studies and international languages
• social sciences and the humanities
• Canadian and world studies
• guidance and career education
• cooperative education
• American Sign Language as a second language
• Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde

Group 2

• health and physical education
• the arts
• business studies
• French as a second language
• cooperative education
• American Sign Language as a second language
• Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde

Group 3

• science (Grade 11 or 12)
• technological education
• French as a second language
• computer studies
• cooperative education
• American Sign Language as a second language
• Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde

The following conditions apply to compulsory credit selections from the above 3 groups.

• In groups 1, 2, and 3, you can count a maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language as compulsory credits, 1 from group 1 and 1 from either group 2 or group 3.
  • If you have taken Native languages in place of French as a second language in elementary school, you may use a Level 1 or 2 Native languages course to meet the compulsory credit requirement for French as a second language.
• You can count a maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education as compulsory credits from any of the above 3 groups.

The Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde course is only available in French-language schools.

Optional credits

You must earn 12 optional credits by successfully completing courses from your school’s program and course calendar.

Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.

Compulsory credits

You need the following 17 compulsory credits to get your OSSD:

• 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
• 3 credits in mathematics (Grade 9, Grade 10 and 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
• 2 credits in science
• 1 credit in technological education (Grade 9 or Grade 10)
• 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
• 0.5 credit in career studies
• 0.5 credit in civics and citizenship
• 1 credit from the STEM-related course group

The following apply to compulsory credit selections.

• You can use the Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices course to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
• You can use the Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures course to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.

Note: Starting in September 2025, you must earn a new financial literacy graduation requirement as part of your compulsory Grade 10 mathematics course. You will need to achieve a mark of 70% or higher to pass this new requirement and earn your high school diploma.

STEM-related course group

Of the 17 compulsory credits, you must complete 1 from the following group:

• business studies
• computer studies
• cooperative education
• mathematics (in addition to the 3 compulsory credits currently required)
• science (in addition to the 2 compulsory credits currently required)
• technological education (in addition to the 1 compulsory credit required)

Optional credits

You must earn 13 optional credits by successfully completing courses from your school’s program and course calendar.

Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.