Ontario Ministry Requirements

Earning Your High School Diploma

What you need to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and graduate high school in Ontario.

What You Need to Graduate

Requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma depend on the year you started Grade 9. All students must also complete 40 hours of community involvement activities.

Started Grade 9 in 2023 or earlier

  • 18 compulsory credits
  • 12 optional credits
  • Literacy graduation requirement
  • At least 2 online learning credits
  • 40 hours of community involvement
View compulsory credits

Started Grade 9 in 2024 or later

  • 17 compulsory credits
  • 13 optional credits
  • Provincial secondary school literacy requirement
  • Provincial financial literacy graduation requirement
  • At least 2 online learning credits
  • 40 hours of community involvement
View compulsory credits

If You Started Grade 9 in or Before Fall 2023

You need the following 18 compulsory credits to earn your OSSD:

  • 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
  • 3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
  • 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
  • 3 credits for group 1, 2 and 3 courses (1 credit in each group)

Group 1, 2 and 3 Compulsory Credits

Of the 18 compulsory credits, you must complete 1 credit 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 studies 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

Additional notes on compulsory credits

  • You can use Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
  • You can use Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.
  • English language learners: You may count up to 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) towards the 4 compulsory credits in English. Your fourth credit must be a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
  • In groups 1, 2, and 3, you can count a maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language as compulsory credits — 1 from group 1 and 1 from either group 2 or group 3.
  • If you have taken Native languages in place of French as a second language in elementary school, you may use a Level 1 or 2 Native languages course to meet the compulsory credit requirement for French as a second language.
  • The Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde course is only available in French-language schools.

Optional Credits

You must earn 12 optional credits by successfully completing courses from your school's program and course calendar. Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.

If You Started Grade 9 in Fall 2024 and After

If you started Grade 9 in 2024 or in later years, you need the following 17 compulsory credits to earn your OSSD:

  • 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
  • 3 credits in mathematics (Grade 9, Grade 10 and 1 credit in Grade 11 or 12)
  • 2 credits in science
  • 1 credit in technological education (Grade 9 or Grade 10)
  • 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
  • 1 credit from the STEM-related course group

STEM-Related Course Group

Of the 17 compulsory credits, you must complete 1 credit from the following group:

  • Business studies
  • Computer studies
  • Cooperative education
  • Mathematics (in addition to the 3 compulsory credits currently required)
  • Science (in addition to the 2 compulsory credits currently required)
  • Technological education (in addition to the 1 compulsory credit required)

Additional notes on compulsory credits

  • You can use Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
  • You can use Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.
  • You can use a Level 1 or 2 Native languages course to meet the compulsory credit requirement for French as a second language if you have taken Native languages in place of French as a second language in elementary school.
  • English language learners: You may count up to 3 credits in ESL or ELD towards the 4 compulsory credits in English. Your fourth credit must be a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
  • You can count a maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education as compulsory credits from any of the above groups.

Financial literacy: Students who began Grade 9 in the 2025–2026 school year or later must earn a financial literacy graduation requirement as part of their compulsory Grade 10 Career Studies course. This requirement takes effect in the 2026–2027 school year. Learn more below.

Optional Credits

You must earn 13 optional credits by successfully completing courses from your school's program and course calendar. Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.

Literacy Graduation Requirement

You must meet the literacy graduation requirement to earn your high school diploma.

For most students, this means passing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).

If you do not pass the OSSLT, there are other ways to meet the literacy graduation requirement — including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OLC4O). Contact your school principal to find out about these options.

Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement

Students who started Grade 9 in 2024 or later must complete the provincial financial literacy graduation requirement to earn their high school diploma.

Students complete the requirement by earning a mark of at least 70% on the financial literacy modules delivered during the Grade 10 Career Studies course. This mark makes up 5% of the final mark in Grade 10 Career Studies. You will have 2 attempts to complete the requirement.

If you do not pass the financial literacy modules during your Grade 10 Career Studies course, there are other ways to meet the requirement. Contact your school principal to learn more about these options.

Adult learners: If you enter the secondary school system starting in the 2028–2029 school year or later, you must earn a financial literacy graduation requirement. You may complete this requirement through the Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) for Mature Students process.

Online Learning Graduation Requirement

If you started Grade 9 in the 2020–2021 school year or later, you must earn at least 2 online learning credits to get your high school diploma.

Adult learners: If you entered the secondary school system starting in the 2023–2024 school year or later, this requirement also applies to you.

Credits Earned During COVID-19

If you were in Grade 9 and learning remotely when all schools were closed (from April 2021 to June 2021), you can count 1 of the high school credits you earned towards the 2 online learning credits you need to graduate.

Opting Out

If you want to opt out of the online graduation requirement you must be:

  • 18 years of age or older, or
  • 16 or 17 years of age and have withdrawn from your parent or guardian's control

If you meet this requirement, you can complete the exemption form available from your school board. Otherwise, your parent or guardian needs to ask for this exemption by completing the form for you.

Credits earned through Oakville Schooling Systems count as online learning credits toward this graduation requirement.

Community Involvement Activities

You need to have at least 40 hours of community involvement activities (volunteering) to graduate and earn your OSSD.

You can start collecting volunteer hours in the summer before you begin Grade 9.

When looking for volunteer opportunities, check your school board's website for eligible and ineligible activities, and tools to help you record hours and find volunteer activities. If you are under 18, ask your parents to help you plan and select your activities. Talk with your guidance counsellor or principal about other ways your school can help you earn community involvement hours.

Volunteering in your community helps you learn about civic engagement and understand your role as a citizen. By being involved in your community and serving others, you develop transferable skills, explore different sectors and potential career opportunities, and understand more about yourself and your role in society.

How Oakville Schooling Systems Can Help

We offer 74+ Ministry-aligned OSSD credit courses online — including compulsory subjects such as English, mathematics, sciences, and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course. Our flexible online format helps you earn credits toward your diploma, including credits that count toward the online learning graduation requirement.

To discuss a personalized plan for your success, please contact our Student Success Advisors at Connect@oakvilleschoolingsystems.ca.

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Requirements based on the Ontario Ministry of Education. View the official Ontario.ca page (updated June 18, 2026).