To earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), students specific compulsory credits and optional credits, pass the literacy requirement, earn at least 2 online learning credits and complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities. Click here to find a full breakdown of credits the Ministry of Education website.
Graduation Requirements
What you need to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma depends on the year you started Grade 9. Click the drop-down buttons below the chart for a full breakdown of credits.
If you started Grade 9 in 2023 or in prior years, you must earn:
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If you started Grade 9 in 2024 or in later years you must earn:
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If you started Grade 9 in or before fall 2023:
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.
If you started Grade 9 in fall 2024 and after:
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.
Community Involvement
You need to complete 40 hours of community involvement activities to receive an OSSD. You can begin completing the requirement in the summer going into Grade 9. Community involvement opportunities can be accessed from your guidance counsellor and submitted to student services as soon as completed. Click here to learn more.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
The formal evaluation and credit-granting process whereby students may obtain credits for prior learning. Prior learning includes the knowledge and skills that students have acquired, in both formal and informal ways, outside secondary school. Students may have their knowledge and skills evaluated against the expectations outlined in the Ontario curriculum in order to earn credits towards their OSSD.
Secondary students and families who are interested in learning more about Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) are encouraged to review the attached supporting documents. Supporting documents include an Infographic, a slide deck, and an application package. Interested families and students are encouraged to contact their guidance counsellor to express their interest in the PLAR process, and to ask questions.
Learning to 18
Provincial law passed in 2005 that requires students to continue learning until age 18 or graduation.
If you are 18 or older and leave school before earning an OSSD, you may be eligible to receive an Ontario Secondary School Certificate.
Student Records
Student Records, including transcripts and diplomas can be obtained through the Hill Park Learning Centre. For more information, please visit the Student Records webpage.
Updated on Friday, October 11, 2024.