GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
OSSD, OSSC, Certificate of Accomplishment
OSSD – Ontario Secondary School Diploma
OSSC – Ontario Secondary School Certificate
COA - Certificate of Accomplishment
Ontario Secondary School Diploma Requirements
The following requirements must be successfully completed in order to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD):
30 credits including 18 compulsory credits and 12 optional credits*
40 hours of community involvement
Successful completion of the EQAO Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OLC)
Compulsory credits
Students must earn the following 18 compulsory credits to obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma:
4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)*
3 credits in Mathematics (1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
2 credits in Science
1 credit in Canadian History
1 credit in Canadian Geography
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****
4 credits in religion education
Plus one credit from each of the following groups:
Group 1: 1 additional credit in English, or French as a Second Language,** or a Native language, or a Classical or an International language, or Social Sciences and the Humanities, or Canadian and World Studies, or Guidance and Career Education, or Cooperative Education***
Group 2: 1 additional credit in Health and Physical Education, or the Arts, or Business Studies, or French as a Second Language,** or Cooperative Education***
Group 3: 1 additional credit in Science (Grade 11 or 12), or Technological Education, or French as a Second Language,** or Computer Studies, or Cooperative Education***
* A maximum of 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) may be counted towards the 4 compulsory credits in English, but the fourth must be a credit earned for a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
** In groups 1, 2 and 3, a maximum of 2 credits in French as a Second Language can count as compulsory credits, one from group 1 and one from either group 2 or group 3.
*** A maximum of 2 credits in Cooperative Education can count as compulsory credits.
The 12 optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit courses.
The Ontario Secondary School Certificate
The Ontario Secondary School Certificate will be granted on request to students who leave school before earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, provided that they have earned a minimum of 14 credits distributed as follows:
Compulsory Credits (total of 7)
2 credits in English
1 credit in Mathematics
1 credit in Science
1 credit in Canadian History OR Canadian Geography
1 credit in Health and Physical Education
1 credit in the Arts OR Technological Education
The Certificate of Accomplishment
Students who leave school before fulfilling the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the Ontario Secondary School Certificate may be granted a Certificate of Accomplishment. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievement for students who plan to take certain vocational programs or other kinds of further training, or who plan to find employment after leaving school.
CREDIT SUBSTITUTION
In order to ensure that all students can qualify for the OSSD or the Certificate of Education, principals may substitute among the compulsory credits as follows:
Up to three compulsory credits may be replaced by additional courses from the remainder of those listed as compulsory.
A maximum of one credit earned for a learning strategies course may be used through substitution to meet a compulsory credit requirement.
Each substitution shall be noted on the Ontario Student Transcript.
Full Disclosure
Full disclosure applies to all Grade 11 and 12 courses. Full disclosure means that if a student withdraws from, repeats or fails a Grade 11 or 12 course, it must be recorded on the OST.
Repeated Grade 11 and 12 courses both show on the transcript with their recorded mark; however, only one credit is granted and the lower mark has an "R" in the credit column.
Failed Grade 11 and 12 courses show on the OST.
Withdrawals from Grade 11 and 12 courses show on the OST, if they are dropped five instructional days after the first report card of the semester or later.
Withdrawals do not show if they are dropped before the five instructional days following the first report card.
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, is a provincial assessment which measures whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9.
Successful completion of the literacy test is one of the graduation requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
***OSSLT REQUIREMENT HAS BEEN WAIVED FOR 2022 GRADUATING CLASS***
COMMUNITY HOURS
Every student must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as one of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
40 hours will be restored in 2022-23 for students working towards their OSSD.
