OSSD Requirements

The 18 Compulsory Ontario High School Credit Requirements

Broken down into the following components:

4 English (1 credit per grade)

3 Mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)

2 Science

1 French as a Second Language

1 Canadian History (Grade 10) 

1 Canadian Geography (Grade 9)

1 The Arts

1 Health and Physical Education

0.5 Civics

0.5 Career Studies

ONE credit from each of these three 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 (family studies, philosophy, world religions), 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 (Grades 9 to 12), or French as a Second Language, or computer studies, or cooperative education.

High School Diploma and Certificates

The requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma are:

  1. Successful completion of a total of 30 credits. This is broken down into 18 compulsory (as described above) and 12 optional.
  2. Must complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test.
  3. Students must complete 40 hours of Community Involvement and Activities.
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Diploma and Certificates

The requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma are:

  1. Successful completion of a total of 30 credits. This is broken down into 18 compulsory and 12 optional.
  2. Must complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Tests.
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  1. Students must complete 40 hours of Community Involvement and Activities.

Optional High School Credit Requirements

The 12 optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit courses.