What do you need to graduate with an OSSD?
18 compulsory credits
Students must earn the following compulsory credits to obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma:
4 credits in English*
3 credits in mathematics
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:
1 additional credit in English, or a third language, or social sciences and the humanities, or Canadian and world studies, or guidance and career education, or cooperative education**
1 additional credit in health and physical education, or the arts, or business studies,
or cooperative education**
1 additional credit in science, or technological education, or 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. **A maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education can count as compulsory credits. ***May include up to four credits achieved through approved Dual
Credit course.
What do you need to graduate with an Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC)?
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 credits 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)
7 credits selected by the student from available courses
The 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. The Certificate of Accomplishment may be a useful means of recognizing achievements for students who plan to take certain vocational programs or other kinds of further training, or who plan to find employment after leaving school.