Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) 

Requirements (30 Credits)

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

Online learning graduation requirement

Beginning with students that entered Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year, students must earn at least two online learning credits to get their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The online learning graduation requirement also applies to adult learners that will be entering the Ontario secondary school system starting in 2023-24 school year.

Credits earned during COVID-19

Students can count one secondary school credit that was earned during the province wide school closures (from April 2021 to June 2021) towards the two online learning credits that they need to graduate. This applies to all Grade 9 students who were learning remotely due to the province wide school closures.

Opting out

Parents who wish to opt out or exempt their child from the online graduation requirement must complete the opt-out form available from their child’s school board. Exemption from the online learning graduation requirements may be requested by:

  • the parent or 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  • students who are 16 or 17 years of age and have withdrawn from parental control