A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.

Education systems based on the British model have independently marked national examinations instead of a High School Diploma - General Certificate of Secondary Education in England, School Leaving Certificates in Ireland, Higher Grade Examination in School and IGCSE/AICE internationally.

Florida uses the British A-level program (called Advanced International Certificate of Education) for advanced students while a number of schools in Virginia use the IGCSE.

European system use the Baccalaureate system and the International Baccalaureate (IB) is becoming increasingly popular in the USA and worldwide.

Students who attend high school and do not pass the 12th grade, or pass the 12th grade but do not meet the standard graduation requirements will not receive a high school diploma, but will instead receive a certificate of attendance.

Past Diploma Styles

The graduation diploma was originally made of sheepskin as paper was not very durable and was difficult to create. The sheepskin, however, was paper thin and information was handwritten. Soon, parchment was used for the diploma and at the turn of the century, the diploma became bound in leather.

School qualifications | Education in Canada | Education in the United States | High School Diploma