The Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) Certificate is a high school equivalency certificate offered by Ontario's public colleges that allows individuals to access further education, training, and employment in Ontario. Recognized as a Grade 12 equivalent, the ACE Certificate serves as a pathway for adults who need to meet the academic requirements for college admission, apprenticeship registration, and some job applications.  

The ACE Certificate is for: 

• Adults who left high school before completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).   

• Individuals who need to gain the foundational skills for college programs or apprenticeships.   

ACE Courses 
To earn your ACE Certificate, you must complete:  

• ACE Communications  

• One ACE Math course  

• Two additional approved ACE courses  

You do not need to complete the full ACE Certificate; you can take individual ACE courses to meet specific college program admission requirements. Colleges recognize ACE courses as equivalent to high school credits, and accept individual ACE courses to satisfy specific prerequisites for postsecondary programs. You should review the specific requirements for your desired college program and contact the college's admissions office to confirm the courses needed.   

 
Important  

You will have a maximum of 15 semesters (5 years) from the start date of your first course to complete the ACE Certificate.  

A final grade of at least 70% in all four courses is required for attainment of the ACE Certificate.  

No more than 75% of the required ACE courses can be obtained through credit transfer and used towards the ACE Certificate.  

How to request your ACE Certificate

If you completed the four required ACE courses with Academic Upgrading at Durham College… 

• Complete the Academic Upgrading - Application for ACE Certificate form. 

If you completed some of your ACE courses at another college in Ontario: 

• Request the Application for Credit Transfer/Internal Equivalency form from transfers@durhamcollege.ca.  
• Attach an official transcript showing a grade of 70% or above for each course.  Attach the course outlines/syllabi. Outlines/syllabi must be from the year courses were taken.  
• Pay evaluation/processing fee for courses completed at other colleges ($16 per request).  

If you completed the four required ACE courses with ACE Distance at Durham College… 

• Apply to graduate by completing the online Graduation Application for Part-time, PPL, or Off-Track Students.  

Receiving your ACE Certificate

Your ACE Certificate will be mailed to the address you provided on the Application to ACE Certificate form. Please allow two to three weeks from the time you submit your application for the Office of the Registrar to audit your records and approve and issue your certificate.  

Questions?

If you are an Academic Upgrading student and have questions about applying for the ACE Certificate, please contact the Academic Upgrading office at academicupgrading@durhamcollege.ca or 905.721.3131.  

If you took your ACE courses with ACE Distance, please contact the Professional and Part-Time Learning office at ppl@durhamcollege.ca or 905-721-3052.  

If you have questions about transferring ACE courses from another college, please contact the Credit Transfer office at transfers@durhamcollege.ca or 905.721.2000 ext. 7605.