PLAR: Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) may provide a quicker way for adults to earn
credits towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students may earn up to 16
junior (grades 9 and 10) credits and/or 10 senior (grades 11 and 12) credits through an
assessment of transcripts and/or the completion of assessments. The number of credits that
may be earned is determined by several factors including the number and type of courses
previously taken in Ontario or elsewhere.
PLAR has two components:
1. equivalency process (assessment of documents)
2. challenge process (completion of assessments)
Students may take part in one or both of these processes.
You may be eligible to earn credits through PLAR if any one of the following
applies:
- You started Grade 9 in Ontario in 1999 or later, but you did not earn the Ontario
Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
- You have earned senior credits (grades 11 and 12) in English and Math but are missing
junior credits (grades 9 and 10) in compulsory subject areas.
- You completed some or all of your high school education outside Ontario or Canada and
you have academic documents to indicate what educational level you completed.
- You attended high school outside Ontario or Canada but you do not have any documents to
show what educational level you have completed.
