High School Equivalency Options Summary
The Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma (CSSD) is a high school equivalency credential available to Pennsylvania residents who do not possess a high school diploma and who have met criteria specified in the Pennsylvania Code (22 PA Code §4.72).
Eligibility Criteria
The Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma may be issued to an applicant who:
- Is a resident of Pennsylvania;
- Is at least 18 years of age;
- Does not possess a secondary school diploma from the United States;
- Is not enrolled in a public, licensed private, registered accredited, or licensed nonpublic secondary school; and
- Has completed 30 semester hours of study at a U.S. accredited institution of postsecondary education OR
- Has either scored a passing score on a high school equivalency test in either language. Individuals must pass:
- All four subtests of the GED® test OR
- All five subtests of the HiSET® exam OR
- A combination of subtests from the GED® test and HiSET® exam that covers all subject areas.
Equivalency Options
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Description
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Test in five subjects
- Language Arts Reading
- Language Arts Writing
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
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Test in four subjects
- Reasoning through Language Arts
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Science
- Social Studies
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Alternative for eligible applicants with at least 30 semester hours from an accredited postsecondary institution in the United States
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Requirements
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Passing score of 8 on each subtest, 2 on the essay and a minimum score of 45 on the complete battery.
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Passing score of 145 on each subtest
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Submit the following to PDE:
- 30-College Credit Option application
- Proof of PA residency
- Official college transcripts
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Cost
| Visit www.hiset.org
Prices vary by test format
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Visit www.ged.com
Prices vary by test format |
Cost of 30 college credits at the postsecondary institution
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Test Format
| - Paper-based
- Computer-based
- Online/Remote
- English, Spanish
| - Computer-based
- Online/Remote
- English, Spanish
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N/A
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Additional Information
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www.hiset.org
*Additional fees may apply
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www.ged.com
*Additional fees may apply
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Go to
www.education.pa.gov and search for “high school equivalency”
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Diplomas/ Transcripts
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www.diplomasender.com
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www.diplomasender.com
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www.diplomasender.com
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For more information: ra-edhse@pa.gov