OSSLT or OSSLC:
the test or the course?
The OSSLT is the province-wide literacy test. The OSSLC is a Grade 12 credit course, course code OLC4O, that schools offer to students who have not yet passed the test. Passing either one meets Ontario's literacy requirement for the high school diploma.
| Question | OSSLT the test | OSSLC the course |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A province-wide literacy test, run by EQAO | A Grade 12 credit course, course code OLC4O, taught by a school |
| Who takes it | Students working toward an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, first in their second year of secondary school | Students who have had two chances at the OSSLT and were not yet successful at least once. A principal can allow it sooner, and mature students can enrol directly |
| When | Fall window: November 3 to 30, 2026. Spring window: March 30 to April 19, 2027 | When a school offers it: during the school year, or in night, summer or online programs where the board offers the course |
| Format | Two online sessions of about 65 and 75 minutes, with 37 scored questions | A full course, taught and assessed by a teacher |
| Result | A scale score from 200 to 400. A score of 300 or higher is successful | A course mark. Passing the course meets the requirement |
| Counts as a credit | No | Yes, one credit: the Grade 11 or Grade 12 compulsory English credit, or a Group 1 credit |
| Cost | Free, written at school | Free at publicly funded schools. TVO’s Independent Learning Centre charges an administrative fee |
For the current test windows, see OSSLT dates for 2026–27.
After two chances at the test
- Students become eligible after two opportunities to write the OSSLT, with a result of not yet successful at least once.
- A principal can allow a student to enrol sooner when it is in the student’s best interest.
- Mature students can enrol directly, without writing the test first.
- Students in their graduating year who could not write the test or take the course, through no fault of their own, may qualify for their board’s adjudication process.
One credit toward the diploma
The OSSLC is a Grade 12 course worth one credit. It can be used as the Grade 11 or the Grade 12 compulsory English credit, or count toward the Group 1 compulsory credits.
Passing the course meets the literacy graduation requirement, the same requirement a successful OSSLT result meets. The OSSLT itself is not a credit.
Write the test again, or take the course?
Both routes lead to the same requirement. The decision is made with your school, and a guidance counsellor can look at your results and your timetable with you.
Writing the OSSLT again
Suits students who want to finish the requirement in the next test window, and who can spend the weeks before it practising the tasks that cost them marks. Your Individual Student Report shows where to start.
Taking the OSSLC
Suits students who want a full term of teaching and support, and a credit that counts toward their English requirements. Start with your school's guidance office: they know where the course runs in your board, including any night, summer or online programs.
TVO's Independent Learning Centre also offers OLC4O online. Students already at an Ontario high school arrange it through their school.
Practice for either route
Before a retake
Reading and writing practice built around the OSSLT's tasks, with every piece of writing marked in seconds against the OSSLT rubrics, so students can see what to fix before the next window.
Alongside the course
OLC4O teachers use Litguide's lessons and marked practice next to their own teaching. Litguide is practice; the credit always comes from the school.
If your school already licenses Litguide, it is free for you.
Common questions about the OSSLC
Is the OSSLC a credit?
Yes. The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OLC4O) is a Grade 12 course worth one credit. It can be used as the Grade 11 or Grade 12 compulsory English credit, or toward the Group 1 compulsory credits, and passing it meets the literacy graduation requirement.
Do I have to fail the OSSLT before taking the OSSLC?
Students become eligible after two opportunities to write the OSSLT with at least one result of not yet successful. A principal can allow a student to enrol sooner, and mature students can enrol directly.
Can I take the OSSLC online?
Some school boards offer it through online, night or summer programs, and TVO’s Independent Learning Centre offers OLC4O online. Your school’s guidance office can tell you what is available to you.
What is OLC4O?
OLC4O is the course code for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course, the Grade 12 course that meets the literacy graduation requirement.
Can I write the OSSLT again instead?
Yes. Students who are not yet successful can write the OSSLT again in a later test window. Mature students who enrol in the OSSLC can also meet the requirement by passing the OSSLT.
What is adjudication?
A school board process for students in their graduating year who, through no fault of their own, could not write the OSSLT or enrol in or complete the OSSLC, for example because of illness or injury. The school decides whether a student qualifies.
