[ group of high school students studying in classroom[/caption]
What do you need graduation?
This publication is also available as a (PDF, 234 KB).
18 compulsory credits
Students must earn the following 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
Plus one credit from each of the following groups:
Group 1:
- English or French as a second language**
- a Native language
- a classical or an international language
- social sciences and the humanities
- Canadian and world studies
- guidance and career education
- cooperative education***
Group 2:
- health and physical education
- the arts
- business studies
- French as a second language**
- cooperative education***
Group 3:
- science (Grade 11 or 12)
- technological education
- French as a second language**
- computer studies
- cooperative education***
In addition to the compulsory credits, students must complete:
- 12 optional credits†
- 40 hours of community involvement activities
- the provincial literacy requirement
*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 for graduation
†The 12 optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit courses.