The GED (General Educational Development) is the Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate issued by the Ministry of Education. Employers and colleges recognize it as equivalent to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)

The GED Tests are for adults who did not finish high school in Canada or in the United States of America. The Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate is awarded following successful completion of five standardized tests in the areas of reading, social studies (reading), science (reading), writing and mathematics. Except for part of the mathematics and the essay, all questions on the GED Tests are multiple choice.

The GED recognizes that learning always continues and allows someone to get the maximum value from the skills he or she has gained from:

• original schooling

• upgrading

• lifelong learning

• on-the-job experiences

• industry training

• college courses

• union courses

To pass the GED Tests, you need:

• to be able to read

• to be able to think about what you have read

• to be able to express an opinion in an essay

The GED is:

• for Ontario residents 18 years or older who have been out of full-time high school for at least a year.

• for people who have the skills to move on with their lives, but who are held back by not having the certificate to prove it. The GED is that proof!

The GED is the only official diploma/certificate of high school equivalency in all provinces and territories in Canada and in all states and territories in United States. By contract, the GED Testing Service in Washington DC controls the development of the GED and its exclusive use by all of these provinces, states and territories:  

If you require general information about the GED Tests, including testing schedules and policies in Ontario, please call the Independent Learning Centre (Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in Toronto (416) 484-2737, 1-800-573-7022  or online: