Graduation Information

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 (needs to be pre-approved from student services before you start)

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

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
  • Native languages
  • First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies
  • classical 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 three groups:

  • 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, selected from any of the above three groups.

Please note that the Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde course is only available in French-language schools.

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.
  • Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs
De Franco, RobGraduation Information