What Is the ACE Certificate, and Is It the Same as a High School Diploma?

The Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) Certificate is a Grade 12 equivalency certificate offered through Ontario’s public colleges. It can help adults meet requirements for further education, apprenticeship or employment.

It is different from an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and from the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC). Which option you need depends on the requirement you are trying to meet.

 

What is an ACE Certificate?

The Academic and Career Entrance (ACE) Certificate is a high school equivalency credential offered through Ontario’s public colleges. Durham College offers the ACE Certificate through its Academic Upgrading program.

To earn the certificate, you complete a specific group of ACE courses and meet the required grades.

What do you need to complete the ACE Certificate at Durham College?

To earn the ACE Certificate at Durham College, you need to complete four courses:

 

●       ACE Communications

●       One ACE Math course

●       Two additional approved ACE courses

 

The additional courses can include Biology, Chemistry, Computers and Self-Management.

You need a final grade of at least 70% in all four courses to earn the certificate. Durham College also requires students to complete the certificate within a maximum of 15 semesters, or five years, from the start of their first course.

 

Is the ACE Certificate the same as an Ontario high school diploma?

No. The ACE Certificate is recognized as a Grade 12 equivalent, but it is not an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

An OSSD is the diploma students earn by completing Ontario’s high school graduation requirements. ACE is an alternative pathway that can help adults show Grade 12-level education without completing an OSSD.

An OSSD and an ACE Certificate can both show that you have completed Grade 12-level education, but they are different credentials. If a school, apprenticeship or employer asks for a specific credential, check which one it accepts before choosing your path.

 

What is the difference between the ACE Certificate and the CAEC?

ACE and the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) are both options for adults who need to show high school-level education, but they work differently.

The ACE Certificate is earned by completing courses. The CAEC is earned by passing a set of tests.

 

 

 

	ACE Certificate	CAEC
How it works	Complete required ACE courses	Pass five CAEC tests
Type	Course-based Grade 12 equivalency	High school equivalency assessment

Subjects	Communications, math and approved additional ACE courses	Reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and science
Ontario delivery	Offered through Ontario colleges	Testing provided through TVO ILC
May help with	College, apprenticeship and employment requirements	Education, training and employment requirements

 

In Ontario, the CAEC replaced the GED testing program. To earn an Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate through the CAEC, you need to pass tests in writing, reading, mathematics, social studies and science.

 

Do I need the ACE Certificate to get into college?

No, not always. Whether you need the full ACE Certificate depends on the admission requirements for the college program you want to enter.

If you need Grade 12 equivalency, the full ACE Certificate may be appropriate. If you already meet the general education requirements but are missing a specific prerequisite, you may only need one or two individual ACE courses.

When might I need the full ACE Certificate?

The full ACE Certificate may be appropriate if you do not have an OSSD and need Grade 12 equivalency for college, apprenticeship registration or employment.

Before starting all four courses, confirm that an ACE Certificate meets the requirement for your next step.

 

 

When might I only need one or two ACE courses?

If you already have an OSSD or otherwise meet the general admission requirements, you may only need to complete the prerequisite courses you are missing.

For example, if a college program requires ENG4C and that is your only missing prerequisite, ACE Communications may be enough. If you are missing SBI3C, you may need ACE Biology.

Durham College allows students to take individual ACE courses without completing the full ACE Certificate.

 

 

 

Which ACE courses can I take at Durham College?

If you only need individual prerequisites, Durham College Academic Upgrading offers several ACE courses with Ontario high school course equivalents.

 

Durham College ACE course	High school equivalent
ACE Communications	Grade 12 English (ENG4C)
ACE Apprenticeship Math	Grade 12 Math (MAP4C)
ACE Core Math	Grade 11 Math (MBF3C), *for Durham College programs only
ACE Biology	Grade 11 Biology (SBI3C)
ACE Chemistry	Grade 12 Chemistry (SCH4C)

Durham College also offers ACE Computers, which does not have a listed high school course equivalent.

These equivalents can help you compare Durham’s ACE courses with the prerequisites listed for your intended college program.

How do I figure out which pathway I need?

Start with the requirement you are trying to meet.

 

1.  Identify your goal. Is it college admission, apprenticeship or an employment requirement?

 

2.  Find the exact requirement. Check whether you need Grade 12 equivalency, a specific prerequisite course or both.

3.  Compare the requirement with what you already have. Review your transcript or current credentials.

4.  Confirm the pathway. If you are applying to college, confirm anything unclear with the college’s admissions office before registering.

 

How can Durham College Academic Upgrading help?

Durham College Academic Upgrading helps adults over 18 years old improve their academic skills, complete courses for college admission and prepare for post-secondary education.

The program is free for eligible learners and is currently offered in-person at Durham College’s Oshawa Campus.

Getting started includes:

 

●       completing the Academic Upgrading application

●       taking a short online assessment

●       attending a one-on-one orientation

●       completing your registration paperwork, and

●       starting the courses that fit your learning plan

 

The assessment helps Durham understand your current academic level. During orientation, an Academic Upgrading staff member reviews program expectations, resources and available support with you.

 

Next Step

Not sure whether you need the full ACE Certificate or just one or two Academic Upgrading courses?

Review the requirements for the college program, apprenticeship or employment goal you are working toward. Then explore Durham College Academic Upgrading to find the courses that fit your next step.