Understanding the OSSD
This page explains Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) requirements for reference. COLA's focused launch consists only of ENL1W and CHV2O. COLA is not currently authorized to grant credits and does not issue an OSSD.
What an OSSD is
The Ontario Secondary School Diploma is the credential awarded by Ontario secondary schools upon meeting the Ministry of Education's graduation requirements: 30 credits, a literacy requirement, community involvement hours, and (for eligible cohorts) online-learning and financial-literacy graduation requirements.
Other Ontario secondary credentials
A diploma or certificate is issued only by the responsible school or authority after the applicable requirements are verified. COLA's focused launch does not include issuing an OSSD, OSSC or Certificate of Accomplishment.
Compulsory-credit requirements (general reference)
Optional-credit requirements
Optional-credit requirements depend on the student's Grade 9 entry cohort: generally 12 optional credits for students who entered in 2023 or earlier, and 13 for students who entered in 2024 or later. These credits allow students to pursue interests and postsecondary prerequisites.
Online-learning graduation requirement
Students working toward the OSSD in eligible cohorts are generally required to earn a portion of their diploma credits through online learning, with an opt-out available for students and families who prefer not to. Every COLA course, once authorized, would be delivered fully online.
Financial-literacy graduation requirement
Students in applicable entry cohorts must meet Ontario's financial-literacy graduation requirement through the Ministry-prescribed Grade 10 process. The responsible diploma-record school should confirm the requirement that applies to the individual learner. This is general diploma information and is not an additional COLA launch course.
Literacy requirement procedures
Students normally meet the provincial literacy requirement through the OSSLT, and eligible students may meet it through the OSSLC. COLA does not offer the OSSLC in the focused launch. Responsibility for administering and recording the literacy requirement is confirmed with the verified diploma-record school or through written Ministry direction.
Community involvement procedures
Students working toward the OSSD must complete 40 hours of eligible community involvement. Approval and official recording normally remain with the verified school or authority responsible for the learner's diploma record.
Course-selection guidance
Guidance support will help students choose courses that satisfy compulsory requirements, prerequisites, and postsecondary pathway needs, based on their specific entry-cohort requirements.
Prerequisites
Each course page lists its required prerequisite, if any. Admissions verifies completed prerequisites against submitted transcripts before enrollment is confirmed.
Transfer credits & equivalent credits
COLA may review prior learning evidence securely for placement, course suitability and future prerequisite decisions. Formal transfer-credit equivalency and remaining diploma requirements are coordinated with the verified diploma-record school or handled according to written Ministry direction.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
PLAR challenge, equivalency, mature-student assessment and overall diploma planning are not part of COLA's focused launch. A prerequisite review or waiver for a future course is separate from PLAR and does not itself grant a credit.
Compulsory-credit substitutions
A principal may approve up to three substitutions for compulsory credits to respond to a student’s needs, interests, or special circumstances, within Ministry limitations. The decision is made in consultation with the student and parent or guardian where applicable, documented in the OSR, and recorded on the OST. A substitution does not reduce the total number of credits required.
Ontario Student Transcript (OST)
The OST is the official cumulative record of credits and grades. For a concurrent Ontario student, COLA will securely provide required report-card and course-result information to the verified OSR-holding school. For a homeschooled learner without one, COLA will establish the applicable OST arrangement or follow written Ministry direction before reporting an inspected credit.
Full disclosure
Ontario's full-disclosure policy records Grade 11 and 12 course attempts, repeats, and withdrawals on the official transcript, subject to the Ministry's withdrawal-reporting deadline. This applies to COLA courses once authorized.
Ontario Student Record (OSR)
The OSR is the official record of a student's educational progress through Ontario schools. Ontario requires the principal responsible for a student to establish and maintain the OSR according to the applicable student-record rules.
COLA's model: COLA does not automatically hold or establish an original Ontario Student Record merely because a learner takes one supplementary course. For a student concurrently enrolled at another Ontario school, COLA will securely provide the required report card and course-result information to the verified OSR-holding school.
For a homeschooled learner with no verified OSR holder, COLA will maintain the required course-level record and establish the applicable Ontario Student Transcript arrangement, or follow other written Ministry direction, before reporting an inspected credit.
COLA will not claim that an OSR or transcript holder exists unless verified. Student information remains confidential, and no credit result is reported before written authorization and the required records arrangements.