OSSD REQUIREMENTS
To earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Earn a total of 30 high school credits, including the minimum requirements in each subject area.
- Pass the literacy requirement (or take a literacy course).
- Complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities.
A maximum of 23 high school credits (14 required and 9 elective) can be transferred from another high school, which means a minimum of 7 credits must be taken at Ontario International High School. However, most international students must take more than 7 courses. Namely:
- All international students must take at least one ESL course (more if necessary).
- Curricula in other countries usually does not include the career studies half-course and the civics and citizenship half-course in the Ontario curriculum.
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is given only in Ontario and international students who cannot take this test must take a course instead.
As a result, most international students end up taking at least 9 courses at Ontario International High School, which means they get to transfer 21 courses from their local high school. Some students may take more than 9 courses. For example, a student may need more than one ESL course from the sequence ESLAO, ESLBO, ESLCO, ESLDO and ESLEO, or a student may pass the ESLEO course with a low mark that might require the student to take Grade 11 English prior to Grade 12 English. Also, a Grade 10 student starting the program may have to take Grade 11 English and Math as a prerequisite for Grade 12 English and Math courses. The 40-hour community involvement activity can be completed at a private company, a government agency, or an NGO at the student's home country. The activity must be approved by the Principal of OIHS in advance.
