Royal Ontario Academy (ROA) is an Ontario Ministry of Education accredited online private high school. ROA offers students in Canada and abroad the opportunity to earn an OSSD entirely online. ROA students can complete their credits online from anywhere around the world. The OSSD earned at ROA is equivalent to an OSSD earned through a publicly funded secondary day school.
The following requirements must be successfully completed in order to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD):
What you need to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma depends on the year you started Grade 9.
If you started Grade 9 in 2023 or in prior years, you must earn:
- 18 compulsory credits
- 12 optional credits
- the literacy requirement
- at least 2 online learning credits
If you started Grade 9 in 2024 or in later years you must earn:
- 17 compulsory credits
- 13 optional credits
- the literacy requirement
- at least 2 online learning credits
Everyone needs 40 hours of community involvement activities (volunteering) to get their high school diploma.
English language learners: You may count up to 3 credits in English as a second language (ESL) or English Literacy Development (ELD) towards the 4 compulsory credits in English. It does not matter what year you started Grade 9.
Your fourth credit must be a Grade 12 compulsory English course.
If you started Grade 9 in or before Fall 2023
If you started Grade 9 in 2023 or earlier, you need the following to get your OSSD.
Compulsory credits
You need the following 18 compulsory credits to get your OSSD:
- 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
- 3 credits in mathematics (at least 1 credit in Grade 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 (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
The following also apply to compulsory credit selections.
- You can use the Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices course to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
- You can use the Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures course to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.
Group 1, 2 and 3 compulsory credits
Of the 18 compulsory credits, you must complete 1 from each of the following groups:
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
The following conditions apply to compulsory credit selections from the above 3 groups.
- In groups 1, 2, and 3, you can count a maximum of 2 credits in French as a second language as compulsory credits, 1 from group 1 and 1 from either group 2 or group 3.
- If you have taken Native languages in place of French as a second language in elementary school, you may use a Level 1 or 2 Native languages course to meet the compulsory credit requirement for French as a second language.
- You can count a maximum of 2 credits in cooperative education as compulsory credits from any of the above 3 groups.
The Langue des signes québécoise langue seconde course is only available in French-language schools.
Optional credits
You must earn 12 optional credits by successfully completing courses from your school’s program and course calendar.
Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.
If you started Grade 9 in Fall 2024 and after
Note: Starting in September 2025, you must earn a new financial literacy graduation requirement as part of your compulsory Grade 10 mathematics course. You will need to achieve a mark of 70% or higher to pass this new requirement and earn your high school diploma.
If you started Grade 9 in 2024 or in later years, you need the following to get your OSSD.
Compulsory credits
You need the following 17 compulsory credits to get your OSSD:
- 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.
- You can use the Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices course to meet the Grade 11 English compulsory credit requirement.
- You can use the Grade 9 Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures course to meet the compulsory credit requirement in the arts.
STEM-related course group
Of the 17 compulsory credits, you must complete 1 from the following group:
- 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)
Optional credits
You must earn 13 optional credits by successfully completing courses from your school’s program and course calendar.
Optional credits may include up to 4 credits earned through approved dual credit programs.
Literacy graduation 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.
Online learning graduation requirement
If you started Grade 9 in the 2020-21 school year or later, you must earn at least 2 online learning credits to get your high school diploma.
Adult learners: If you entered the secondary school system starting in the 2023-24 school year or later, this requirement also applies to you.
Community involvement activities
You need to have at least 40 hours of community involvement activities (volunteering) to graduate and earn your OSSD.
You can start collecting volunteer hours in the summer before you begin Grade 9.
When looking for volunteer opportunities:
- make sure you know which activities qualify in your school board and meet the Ministry of Education’s guidelines
- check your school board’s website for:
- eligible and ineligible activities
- tools to help you record hours and find volunteer activities
- ask your principal or guidance counsellor for more information
If you’re under 18, ask your parents to help you plan and select your activities. Talk with your guidance counsellor or principal about other ways your school can help you earn community involvement hours.
Volunteering in your community helps you learn about civic engagement and understand your role as a citizen. By being involved in your community and serving others, you:
- develop transferable skills
- explore different sectors and potential career opportunities
- understand more about yourself and your role in society
Learn more about getting your high school volunteer hours.
