Secondary School Diploma Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma Requirements
- English (4 credits - one credit per grade)
- Mathematics (3 credits, with at least one in Grade 11 or 12)
- Science (2 credits)
- French as a second language (1 credit)
- Canadian geography (1 credit-Grade 9)
- Canadian history (1 credit-Grade 10)
- The arts (1 credit)
- Health and physical education (1 credit)
- Civics (1/2 credit-Grade 10) Careers (1/2 credit-Grade 10)
- Technology (1 credit-grade 9 or 10) *Only valid for students entering high school beginning in September 2024
- One credit from each of the group selections listed below
One of the following choices (Group 1):
Additional English, or French as a second language, or 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, cooperative education.
One of the following choices (Group 2):
Additional health and physical education, or the arts, or Business studies, or French as a second language, or cooperative education One of the following choices: Additional science (Grade 11 or 12), or technological education, or French as a second language, or cooperative education
One of the following choices (Group 3):
Additional science (Grade 11 or 12), or technological education, or French as a second language, or Cooperative Education
You must also complete:
- 4 religion credits
- 8 optional credits
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (Grade 10)
- 40 hours of community service over four years
Literacy Requirement
During the Grade 10 year, students will be given the opportunity to write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Students must pass this test (or the OSSL course) in order to graduate. Students who have been eligible to write the OSSLT at least twice, and who have been unsuccessful at least once are eligible to take the Grade 12 Ontario School Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC). When these students successfully complete the OSSLC, they will have met the provincial literacy requirements for graduation. An adjudication process exists at the end of the school year to provide certain students with an additional opportunity to meet the literacy graduation requirement. These students include those who would otherwise be eligible to graduate in June but, through no fault of their own, have not been able to take advantage of the normal opportunities to write the OSSLT and/or have not been able to enrol in or complete the OSSLC, owing to unforeseen circumstances.
As part of the diploma requirements, students are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities. These activities may be completed after completion of grade 8 or at any time during their years in the secondary program. The community involvement requirement is designed to provide an opportunity for students to meet the Catholic Graduate Expectations, to encourage students to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play in supporting and strengthening their communities. The requirement is to be completed outside students’ normal school instructional hours. Students will maintain and provide a record of their community involvement activities. The principal will decide whether the student has met the requirements for both the Ministry and the Board for these activities.
Eligible Activities for Community Service Hours
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 Canadian geography or Canadian history
- 1 credit in mathematics
- 1 credit in science
- 1 credit in health and physical education
- 1 credit in the arts or technological education
Optional credits (total of 7)
Seven credits selected by the student from available courses, including one religious education credit per year.
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. This 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.
