What you need to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma depends on the year you started Grade 9. In order to graduate with a secondary school diploma, everyone needs:
Course Credits
If you started Grade 9 in 2023 or in prior years, you must earn:
If you started Grade 9 in 2024 or in later years you must earn:
Literacy Requirement
In grade 10, students take the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), which measures whether or not a student is meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. If students are unsuccessful the first time the test is written, they will have another opportunity to write. Schools also have the option of offering students a course in place of the test (Ontario Literacy Course - OLC). For more information about provincial testing visit EQAO.
Students who wish to prepare for the OSSLT may wish to consider writing a practice test. Practice tests provide students with the opportunity to become familiar with the online test format and platform.
EQAO - Practice Tests
Online Learning Graduation Requirement
Students are required to earn two online learning credits to graduate from secondary school. The graduation requirement is intended to support students in developing familiarity and comfort with learning and working in a fully online environment, as well as developing digital literacy and other important transferable skills that they will need for success after secondary school, including in post-secondary education and the workplace.
Opting Out
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their children out of the mandatory online learning credits required for graduation. To opt out, a parent/guardian must submit the Secondary Online Learning Graduation Requirement Opt-out Form. Exemption from the online learning graduation requirements may be requested by:
- the parent/guardian of the secondary student
- students who are 18 years of age or older
- students who are 16 or 17 years of age and have withdrawn from parental control
OPT OUT Form