About dual credit programs

Dual credit programs allow eligible students in high school to take college courses or Level 1 apprenticeship training that counts towards both:

  • their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
  • a postsecondary certificate, diploma, degree or a Certificate of Apprenticeship

High school students taking ministry-approved dual credit courses or training are supervised and supported by an instructor and the dual credit teacher at their high school, with access to a variety of supports and services from the institution.

Benefits of dual credit programs

Participating in a dual credit program can help you:

  • complete your high school diploma (OSSD)
  • transition successfully to college or an apprenticeship program
  • increase your awareness of the college and apprenticeship pathways
  • plan next steps after high school

Eligibility

You may be eligible if you are:

  • at risk of not graduating from high school
  • enrolled in a Specialist High Skills Major
  • enrolled in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
  • returning to high school to get your diploma
  • interested in exploring career pathways, including apprenticeships
  • looking for help with the transition to college or an apprenticeship program

To find out if you are eligible, your first step is to contact your high school principal or guidance counsellor.

The school board, school principal or guidance department oversees which students can take a dual credit program on a case-by-case basis.

Types of dual credit courses

You can choose to take a dual credit course or training from:

College-delivered dual credit courses

Students can earn up to 4 optional high school credits by completing college courses or Level 1 apprenticeship training delivered by participating publicly funded colleges.

Find out what colleges offer dual credit courses. 

Team-taught dual credit courses

These are college courses or Level 1 apprenticeship training that are delivered jointly by college instructors and high school teachers.

Students taking this type of dual credit course learn material from the secondary school curriculum and college or apprenticeship curriculum. Paired high school and college courses have significant content overlap.

Apprenticeship training includes the secondary school curriculum and the in-class Level 1 apprenticeship curriculum.

Typically, these programs are delivered in a 2-period block at the high school.

There is no limit on the number of compulsory or optional high school credits that students can earn through team-taught dual credit courses.

Contact your high school principal or guidance counsellor to learn about team-taught dual credit courses.

Approved training delivery agents

Students can earn up to 4 optional high school credits by taking dual credit Level 1 apprenticeship training such as:

  • publicly funded college
  • an employer or union training centre
  • a career college
  • a non-profit organization
  • an Indigenous organization

Contact your high school principal or guidance counsellor to learn about participating colleges and approved non-college training delivery agents in your region.

Find a dual credit program

Contact your guidance counsellor for details on what dual credit courses are available at your high school and to determine your eligibility.

All publicly-funded school boards with secondary schools, all Ontario colleges of applied arts and technology and some non-college Training Delivery Agents are involved in providing high school students with opportunities to earn ministry-approved dual credits.

Resources for school boards and educators

Find program requirements and guidance for school board staff, administrators and educators who are involved in developing and delivering dual credit programs.

If you have any questions about this policy document, please contact skillsdevelopmentandapprenticeshipbranch@ontario.ca

Learn about the School College Work Initiative for resources for school boards and educators to administer their dual credit programs, including information about reporting, monitoring and dual credit course codes.