One component of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) graduation requirements is the accumulation of 30 credits. A breakdown of the credits is listed below.

Compulsory Credits

Students must earn the following 19 compulsory credits in order to obtain the OSSD:

  • 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
  • 1 credit in French as a second language
  • 3 credits in mathematics (at least 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
  • 0.5 credits in civics
  • 0.5 credits in career studies
  • 1 credit in Technological Education (in grade 9 or 10) (Introduced by the MOE for Sept. 2024)

Plus

  • 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 co-operative education *
  • 1 additional credit in health and physical education, or the arts, or business studies, or co-operative education *
  • 1 additional credit in science (grade 11 or 12), or technological education (grades 9-12), or co-operative education *

* a maximum of 2.0 credits in co-operative education can count as compulsory credits

Optional Credits

In addition to the 19 compulsory credits, students must earn 11 optional credits selected from the courses listed as available in the school course calendar.

Online Learning Graduation Requirement

The Ontario Ministry of Education introduced an online learning graduation requirement for students receiving an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

Students receiving an OSSD must:

  • Complete two online credits of the total 30 credits required for their OSSD

Which Students Does This Requirement Include?

This new requirement applies to:

  • Students who entered Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year
    • In other words, it applies to Grade 9 and 10  students in the 2024-25 school year

Online Courses and Credits

How are online courses delivered?

  • Online courses or credits are delivered using the internet
    • Online courses are also sometimes called eLearning courses
  • They do not require students to be physically present in a school
    • Exceptions to this include:
      • Examinations or final evaluations
  • Students may attend a school for access to:
    • Internet connectivity
    • Learning devices
    • School-based supports

How can I tell what online courses are available?

  • Schools will communicate the online courses that are available
    • This may take place through the course calendar and course selection process

How To Opt-Out

Parents or caregivers of students can choose to opt-out of the online learning graduation requirement.

If your child started Grade 9 on or after September 1, 2020 and you wish to opt them out of the online graduation requirement:

School-Day Form

  • Complete the WRDSB Online Graduation Requirement Opt-Out Form using your School-Day account
    • It can found under “Forms” on the left hand side after you log in to School-Day

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