Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
OSSD Meaning / What is an OSSD?
An OSSD is a diploma that is granted to successful secondary school graduates in the province of Ontario.
OSSD Requirements / To earn an OSSD diploma in Ontario, the student must earn
- 18 compulsory credits
- 12 elective credits
- Pass the literacy requirement
- Earn at least two online learning credits
- Complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities
Compulsory credits:
- 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
- 3 credits in Math (at least 1 credit in Gr. 11 or 12)
- 3 credits for group 1, 2 and 3 courses (1 credit in each group)
- 2 credits in Science
- 1 credit in Canadian History (Gr. 10)
- 1 credit in Canadian Geography (Gr. 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 credits in Civics and Citizenship
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
Community Involvement Hours
The community involvement graduation requirement is 40 hours
Students can start accumulating their community involvement hours in the summer before entering Grade 9.
