International Students (USA)
Open a World of Possibilities
Online Ontario High School Courses for US Students
With engaging online content and unparalleled flexibility, Virtual High School was designed to allow each student to study from the comfort of their own home, wherever that home may be. As an Ontario Ministry of Education inspected private school, we’ve been developing online high school courses for students across Canada and around the world since 2001. VHS students work at their own pace, learn from the best minds, and have the opportunity to get involved in our tight-knit community. We celebrate the different experiences and cultures that make us all unique, and we strive to reflect this diversity in everything we do.
Sign up today to become part of the oldest and most respected online high school in Ontario!
Admission Requirements
At VHS, students who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents of Canada are considered to be international students. Students who have completed prerequisite material in another country that covers topics similar to those included in the Ontario curriculum may be eligible to have waivers for courses that do have prerequisites. For courses without prerequisites, international students are welcome to register and begin anytime.
Looking to complete credits without earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma?
Fill out a Prerequisite Waiver Application. The application and all supporting documentation must be submitted and approved by our Guidance Team before a student can complete the registration process.
Looking to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma?
Fill out an Equivalent Credit Assessment Application. Successfully completing any level of high school outside of Ontario may enable a student to receive equivalent credits that can count toward the OSSD. After an application has been reviewed, our Guidance Team will provide a detailed list of both the equivalent credits that have been granted and the credits that still need to be completed to fulfil the diploma requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- No, a student visa or study permit is not necessary for enrolment at VHS. Our courses are fully accessible online, and all of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements can be completed in any country.
- A prerequisite is a course that must be completed before a student can proceed to the next level in a subject area. If a student has not attended an Ontario curriculum high school before, they will need to complete a Prerequisite Waiver Application. Our Guidance Team will review the student’s academic documentation to determine if they have covered topics similar to those included in the Ontario curriculum in the selected subject area. If approved, a student may be granted a waiver to enrol in their chosen course.
- Students who plan to earn the Ontario Secondary School Diploma and wish to receive credits for courses that they completed at an international high school must submit an Equivalent Credit Assessment Application. This process allows our Guidance Team to appropriately place students into the Ontario education system as seamlessly as possible without having students repeat prerequisite material. Once an Equivalent Credit Assessment has been completed, the expectation is that all remaining OSSD requirements will be fulfilled through an Ontario high school.
Without an Equivalent Credit Assessment, any courses that a student has previously completed at a school in their home country will not count toward the OSSD.
- No. The Ontario Ministry of Education requires each student to complete credits through a mixture of coursework and final assessments. There is no option to do a final assessment, such as an exam, on its own without the coursework as may be found in other international education systems.
- We want to make sure that our students can get started on their courses as soon as possible, so we guarantee that Prerequisite Waiver Applications will be reviewed within 3–5 business days and Equivalent Credit Assessment Applications will be processed within 5–7 business days.
- Students who enrol at Virtual High School have the opportunity during registration to provide information about their English language learning proficiency. This information provides our teachers and guidance advisors with the background knowledge they require to adjust their teaching strategies and implement accommodations to support students.
Please contact the Guidance Team at iep.support@vhs.ucourses.com with any inquiries related to English language learning support.
- Yes, international students are charged a slightly higher tuition rate at the checkout point of the registration process. The tuition fee covers all costs associated with the completion of a VHS course. We also offer an International Student Bursary to help offset the cost of tuition for students seeking financial aid.
There are a few additional services which some students may require depending on their circumstances. Additional fees may apply in the following scenarios:
- Equivalent Credit Assessments
- Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) account creation
- Post-secondary document requests
- Courier fees for document transfers
- Course transfers
- Course extensions
We do our best to make sure that we provide the most cost-effective solutions for our students where possible.
What Our Community Has to Say
Next Steps
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Equivalent Credit Assessment
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