OSSD

Ontario
Secondary
School
Diploma

IES Portal
Study Abroad or Migrate – Your One-stop Portal!
Empower your children to gain the widely accepted Canadian certificates equivalent to O/A levels either on campus or virtual learning from anywhere in the world! 

The dream

Our children deserves the best, we want them to be successful in every facet of their life. Education builds the foundation to florish and prosper.

The greatest barrier to unlocking your child’s potential rests within their education during the foundational years of their life. And OSSD is a great education pathway and curriculum that helps to achieve their dreams.

OSSD

Canada’s Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) acknowledges the completion of secondary level education( Year 9 to 12) and is designed to deliver a:

  • Holistic education
  • Centered and customized on the needs of students  
  • Prepare them for the local, national, and international opportunities of tomorrow

OSSD is a widely accepted Canadian certificate equivalent to O/A levels and/or IB curriculum. Your child can study virtually/online from Bangladesh as well as move to Canada for on-campus face-to-face learning – the way you want! 

Why Canada?

Canada’s commitment to education is unquestionable and is reflected by its ranking: 

  • Within the OECD’s top 10 for reading & science
  • Global top 3 for excellence in education 

Across all levels, Canada’s educational systems are internationally renowned and recognized as one of the best. 

Expert Teachers

Classrooms are led by highly qualified teachers who are required to

  • Undergo rigorous practical training  
  • Hold a minimum of one bachelor’s degree in education
  • Consistently participate in professional development to learn new techniques to instruct students better 
  • Design course material that is truly engaging as well as relevant

OSSD Curriculum

The OSSD curriculum is focused on: 

  • Granting access to a world of opportunities to students at every stage of their academic journey 
  • Holistically prepare high-school students to excel beyond their peers academically and professionally and not just focus on how to get into their preferred university 
  • Equip students with the necessary analytical, communication & decision-making skills that elevate their opportunities and quality of life after high school

Canada’s unrivaled pro-immigration stance further welcomes international students not only to pursue OSSD but to build their future in Canada as well.  

Unique Advantages for OSSD Graduates

Enrolling in the OSSD course comes with numerous benefits for students in their academic, personal, and professional life.

  • Flexible Curricula
  • Focus on Core Soft-Skills
  • Critical Thinking vs. Memorization
  • Pathway-based Course Selection
  • Social & Cultural Benefits
  • Higher Education & Permanent Residence opportunities

OSSD Requirements

The prime requirement that every aspirant has to meet is 30 high school course credits (18 compulsory and 12 optional/elective courses).

Students will also have to finish 40 hours of community service involvement over a period of 4 years on a mandatory basis. They will also have to pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).

  • No limit to retakes
  • Alternatively, unsuccessful students can complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) to be eligible for a secondary diploma. 

Who is Eligible?

  • Middle school graduates
  • Current course pursuers from Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12
  • Current International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) and O-Level & A-Level students.

Top 5 Reasons

to start education at the school level in Canada

  • Easier to find work and seek migration to Canada
  • A gateway to pursuing excellent courses in top universities in the world
  • Top-notch and affordable education
  • One of the best nations to study, work and settle down
  • One of the safest and politically peaceful countries in the world

Unique Advantages of OSSD


Flexible Curriculum

The OSSD program offers students unparalleled flexibility to pursue other paths such as- 

  • The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB DP)  
  • Advanced Placement (AP)  

The OSSD program prepares students unequivocally for any of the potential options.

Benefits

Intrinsic Curricular Benefits

Focus on Core Soft-Skills

There is an imperative focus on developing students’ communication skills through multiple modes as well as nurturing the interpersonal skills that are needed to be successful in tomorrow’s world.

“It may be surprising, but university never really teaches you how to write, I don’t know how I would complete any of my assignments had my teachers in high-school not taught me the fundamentals of writing reports, essays or making presentations”

~ N. Tabassum (OSSD Graduate)

Critical Thinking vs. Memorization

The OSSD curriculum is designed in such a way that students need not memorise textbooks but rather are required to think deeply about the course material in relation to real life applications which better secures knowledge in their memory in the long run.

“In elementary and middle-school math was my worst subject, there were times when I just left my exams blank. After I moved to Canada in grade 8, classes were so different, my teachers actually taught me the how and why of basic arithmetic & geometry. Without that I would have never been able to get into engineering at UofT”

~ A. Hussain
OSSD graduate, moved to Canada for high-school from Bangladesh

Pathway-based Course Selection

A unique feature of the OSSD is that students can begin their journey on their desired post-secondary career track by selecting courses relevant to them. OSSD offers subjects such as:

  • Computer programming
  • Philosophy 
  • Advanced sciences 
  • Marketing  
  • Accounting for small businesses 

And many others. 

Exposure to these courses helps to:

  • Fast-track the exploration phase of career planning
  • Earn students transfer credits that can directly be added to their bachelor’s degree
  • Head directly into entrepreneurship or any other vocational position 

How will your child choose their courses?

OSSD is firm on allocating well-informed guidance & college counselors to each student to aid in the process of selecting their courses 

Counselors are knowledgeable about admission requirements of specific universities. Their key responsibility is to work closely with students & recommend solutions that will distinguish each student for their desired post-secondary career.  

“Introductory programming courses in university claim that they’re for beginners, but the lectures are so fast that you really can’t cope if you don’t have any background knowledge. I did programming for my OSSD and that saved me.”

~ A. Maheer (OSSD Graduate)

“When I first heard about OSSD, it certainly intrigued my curiosity. I believe the existence of such counselors during my high-school days could have had a positive impact on my wonderful journey to the Canadian postsecondary system”

~ R. Zaman (A-Levels Graduate, now at The University of Toronto)

Social & Cultural Benefits

Full English Curriculum

The entire OSSD curriculum is delivered in English as the native language, and as such ensures that students are highly proficient in all styles of the language.

OSSD graduates may not need to do IELTS for their university applications (depending on the university). 

Networking

OSSD in Canada allows students to build a community that can become a life-long network, helping later in their personal or professional lives.

Assimilation

Working towards the OSSD, the student will effectively grow up in a Canadian environment and as such enhance their naturalization process. 

“This country is so big, it can be tough to walk away from the familiarity and networks of Bangladesh and start all over again in Canada for university. I wish I went to high-school here so I could know more people who did different things, as a business student who wants become an entrepreneur, I struggle to find people I can work with”

~ S. Chowdury (University of Toronto student, came to Canada for university)

“I’ve noticed that many Bangladeshis that come to Canada at a later stage in their life struggle to connect with others beyond their own Bengali communities (or social circles). This can make it hard for them to connect to their colleagues or classmates in university. For example, knowing the rules of hockey, the Canadian national sport, can make it easier to participate in conversations even if you do not personally play the sport.”

~ M. Ryeeda (Bangladeshi raised in Canada, OSSD graduate)

Contact us

Call us at +8801884335888 or at +8801810003898 or fill up the following form and we will get back to you.

Schooling in Canada

Higher Education & Permanent Residency 

Easy Application & Early Acceptance to Canadian Universities

Local universities prefer OSSD graduates & operate on a minimum grade requirement model where attaining a given grade for OSSD automatically enhances acceptance probability. 

OSSD also allows students to apply early to universities using predicted final grades and receive conditional offers or guaranteed acceptance within the first semester of grade 12. 

Easy Application to Foreign Universities

Universities in the USA, UK & Australia  display a degree of preference for OSSD graduates 

The reason is their high-school qualifications are effectively viewed as being of the same standard as the local curriculum.  

Get Ahead On Your PR Journey

The key to attaining PR in Canada is to meet the residency obligation which mandates that you must be a permanent resident (physically) in Canada for a minimum of 5 years. Undergoing the 4-year OSSD program will make the individual eligible to partially claim those years as part of their residency obligation. 

Even if OSSD is achieved outside of Canada, the Canadian certification still strengthens one’s case.

“All my friends from Bangladesh came to Canada for university, so, even after graduating they will have to wait a few years to even apply for PR. However, because I went to a Canadian high-school, I can claim partial years and apply soon after I graduate university.”

A. Mohsen

Comparative Matrix

The most common alternatives to the OSSD curriculum are the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) & the O/A levels (from Cambridge or Edexcel) which are most popular in Bangladesh. The following compares each of these curricula with OSSD.

OSSDO/A LEVEL
Graduation RequirementsSuccessfully Pass All Subjects Complete 40 Hours of Volunteering Successfully Pass OSLTGraduation Requirements
DurationGrade 9-12Grade 9-12
Standardized ExaminationsOntario Secondary Literacy TestO Level – End of Grade 10
A1 – End of Grade 11
A2 – End of Grade 12
Academic FocusTo equip students with applicable skills & knowledge that will enable them to tackle any pathway of their choosing.To thoroughly prepare students
with life skills, knowledge skills &
subject disciplines
Key-Advantage in University ApplicationA range of specialized courses
offered such that graduates are
well prepared for their desired
major often eligible for a number
of transfer credits.
A historically well-known curriculum recognized for graduates enhanced in their subject disciplines.
International
Transferability
All course credits are transferable to alternative curricula & recognized by universities. levels.All course credits are transferable to alternative curricula & recognized by universities. examinations & no imperative for specialized support at the curriculum level, students often require additional coaching depending on their level.
Dependence on
Tutors/External Resources
None. The curriculum requires adequate teacher-student ratios in all classrooms such that all students receive sufficient support across all levels.Some The reliance on frequent examinations & no imperative for specialized support at the curriculum level, students often require additional coaching depending on their level. examinations & no imperative for specialized support at the curriculum level, students often require additional coaching depending on their level.

Life After OSSD

The holistic nature of the OSSD curriculum implies that graduates are prepared for any post-secondary pathway of their choosing. The traditional pursuit of higher education is most common amongst graduates but pursuing entrepreneurial ideas or vocational training are both real options for graduates in Canada.

OSSD Acceptance by Universities

UniversityLocationInternational RankingOSSD
Acceptance
University of TorontoToronto, Canada18✔️
McGill UniversityMontreal, Canada44✔️
University of British ColombiaVancouver, Canada37✔️
Harvard UniversityBoston, USA2✔️
Stanford UniversityStanford, USA4✔️
University of ChicagoChicago, USA10✔️
University of OxfordLondon, UK1✔️
University of CambridgeOxford, UK5✔️
Imperial College LondonCambridge, UK12✔️
The University of MelbourneMelbourne, Australia33✔️
The University of SydneySydney, Australia58✔️
Macquarie UniversitySydney, Australia192✔️

Let’s Discuss

Call us at +8801884335888 or at +8801810003898 or book an appointment.