Graduation Requirements

If you started Grade 9 in or before fall 2023 you will need the following to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD):

To receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), students must earn 30 credits - 18 compulsory credits, and 12 optional credits.

Students must earn the following compulsory credits:

4 credits in English
3 credits in Mathematics (1 credit in Senior Math)
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 international language
social sciences and the humanities
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)
technology education
French as a second language computer studies
cooperative education

In addition, students must complete:

12 optional credits
40 hours of community involvement activities
Provincial literacy requirement
2 online learning classes

Community Involvement Hours

Students require 40 hours of Community Service to graduate High School in Ontario. There are many benefits to volunteering, including giving back to the community, learning new skills, developing awareness about civic responsibility, deepening their understanding of their role in society and networking opportunities for potential future employment.

Community Hours Form

Students can earn community involvement hours through virtual or in-person volunteering activities that are:

Completed outside scheduled class time
Not part of a credit course
Unpaid
An activity that benefits the community

Students can start earning hours in the summer before Grade 9!

Eligible

An event or activity designed to benefit the community in general.
An event or activity to support a not-for-profit agency, institution or foundation that meets ethical standards of the Board and the Ministry of Education.
Any program that promotes tutoring, mentoring, visiting or coaching, or assists others in need.
Participation in an event or activity that supports ethical work of a global nature or that promotes positive environmental awareness.
Participation in an event or activity that contributes to the health and well-being of others.
That is affiliated with a club, religious or political organization, arts or cultural association that seeks to make a positive and ethical contribution in the community.

Some examples of eligible activities are, but not limited to:

coaching minor sports team
reading buddy or tutoring outside of school time
assisting at a charity walk-a-thon
participating in environmental projects (e.g. community clean up, tree planting)
helping to organize a community event such as a summer fair or winter carnival
volunteering at a food bank
assisting at a senior's residence
assisting in local parks and recreation facilities
timing, scoring keeping or managing a school team
organizing the school art show
Office work for a non-profit organization
Committee work (e.g. literacy committee at local library)
Leading others in your faith community
Advisory board
Youth programs or Mentorship programs

Not Eligible

An activity that is a requirement of a class, course, or program in which the student is enrolled (e.g., cooperative education course, experiential learning activities)
An activity that takes place during regular class time on a school day. However, an activity that takes place during the student's lunch breaks or “spare” periods is permissible
Contravenes the minimum age requirements to work in or visit a workplace stated in regulations made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act
Contravenes any other applicable legislation, regulation or policy
Contravenes the policies and procedures of the organization that is supervising the student’s community involvement activities
Would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace
Involves the operation of a vehicle, power tools, or scaffolding
Involves the administration of any type or form of medication or medical procedure to other persons
Involves handling of substances classed as “designated substances” under the Occupational Health and Safety Act
Requires the knowledge of a tradesperson whose trade is regulated by the provincial government
Involves banking, the handling of securities, or the handling of valuable items such as jewellery, works of art, or antiques
Consists of duties normally performed in the home (i.e., daily chores) or personal recreational activities
Involves activities for a court-ordered program (e.g., community-service program for young offenders, probationary program)
Involves activities that promote discrimination, harassment, or puts the safety of the student or others at risk.

Literacy 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. Contact your school principal to find out about these options.

2 Online learning Requirement

The cohort of students who entered grade 9 in 2020-21 and after will be required to complete 2 online courses as part of their secondary school requirements. Parents/guardians can request to opt out of this requirement through the Parent Portal.

New Graduation Requirements

If you started Grade 9 in the fall of 2024 or after you will need the following to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD):

17 Compulsory Credits
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

The following apply to compulsory credit selections:

The Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices course can be used to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
The Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures course can be used to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts. Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement Starting in September 2025, students will complete this requirement as part of the compulsory Grade 10 mathematics course. A mark of 70% or higher is required to pass this new requirement and earn a high school diploma.

1 STEM-related Course Group Credit

Of the 17 compulsory credits,1 credit from the following group is required: 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).

13 Optional Credits
Students must successfully complete 13 optional credits from your school’s program and course calendar. Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.

2 Online Learning Credits
Students who started Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year or later, must earn at least 2 online learning credits to get their high school diploma. Credits earned during COVID-19: If students were in Grade 9 and learning remotely when all schools were closed (from April 2021 to June 2021), count 1 of the high school credits earned towards the 2 online learning credits needed to graduate. Opting Out: Parents or guardians may withdraw their student from the online learning credits requirement. This can be done through the Parent Portal of with the paper form available in Guidance Depts. Students 18 years of age or older may opt out on their own.

Community Involvement Activities
40 hours of community involvement activities (volunteering) are required to graduate and earn an OSSD. Students can start collecting volunteer hours in the summer before they begin Grade 9.

Please see the downloadable and editable Community Hours Tracking Form and Fact Sheet for a list of eligible and ineligible activities and to record hours earned, as well as a checklist for completing community involvement hours.

Submitting Community Involvement Hours Community Hours:

Forms can be submitted to the high school guidance department or through the parent portal. Students are encouraged to try to complete their 40 hours by the end of Grade 10 if possible. Students do not need to wait to hand in their hours until they have all 40 hours. Students are encouraged to keep a copy of the hours they submit and submit their form regularly.
Parents and guardians can submit up to the first 40 hours of Community Involvement through the Parent Portal. To log in to your parent portal, please visit https://schoolapps2.tvdsb.ca/parents/tvdsb_parents/.

If you have any questions regarding community involvement, please contact your student’s guidance department.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) 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. Contact your school principal to find out about these options.