The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is a standardized test for Canadian and international secondary students who are enrolling in the Ontario Curriculum. Completing the test is one requirement for secondary students to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). The test is accredited and assessed by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO).
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is divided into 2 parts: reading and writing tests. The reading section will include questions designed to assess the student’s comprehensive level. The selections used in OSSLT consist of common reading materials, including information materials (instructions, newspaper articles,..), graphic materials (tables, diagrams,…), and literary materials (stories, poems,…). Similarly, with the writing test, students must express their main idea by linking information in the text with paragraphs, and make sure to use correct vocabulary and grammar.
According to the high school graduation standards of the Ontario Ministry of Education, students must earn enough credits from Grade 9 to Grade 12 (30 credits, which include 18 compulsory credits and 12 elective credits), and pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. At the same time, they also have to do at least 40 hours of community service.
International students completely participate in the OSSLT exam to be able to own the prestigious OSSD degree through online learning with the same curriculum as native students. By getting the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, students can unlock more opportunities to be accepted into top universities around the world.
