It depends on the province: Ontario requires 40 hours of community involvement for its diploma, British Columbia requires 30 hours or more of career-life exploration, and other provinces set their own rules.
- Ontario: Every student needs 40 hours of community involvement activities to earn the OSSD. Hours can be collected from the summer before grade 9.
- British Columbia: The required Career-Life Connections course includes at least 30 hours of experiential learning. Volunteer work, community service, paid work or a personal project can all count.
- Other provinces: Requirements differ and some have no fixed hours. The school counsellor confirms what applies to your child's diploma.
- International students: The same graduation requirements apply to them as to Canadian students. Schools and homestay coordinators usually help newcomers find suitable activities.
- Added value: These hours also give students Canadian references and examples to use in university and scholarship applications.
Official sources: Ontario: High school graduation requirements · British Columbia: Career-Life Connections and WorkSafeBC coverage
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