FAQs

A High School Diploma is the official certificate awarded to students in the United States when they complete their secondary education, usually from Grade 9 to Grade 12 (ages 14–18, UK Y10-13).

It shows that a student has met the minimum academic requirements set by their state’s education department or a private school/umbrella school.

There are no universal number of requirements (the minimum is set by the state or school) but students generally need to earn passing grades in:

• English (4 years)

• Mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, etc.)

• Science (e.g. Biology, Chemistry)

• Social Studies/History (e.g. U.S. History, Civics, Human Geography)

• Physical Education

• Electives (e.g. Art, Foreign Language, Technology)

Students accumulate number of credits (e.g. 20–24 depending on those state or umbrella school requirements) across different subjects, with one full-year course in one subject usually counting as 1 credit. (This works out as ~5/6 credits a year.)

In many U.S. states, homeschooling parents or umbrella schools can issue a diploma if the student has met comparable requirements. A parent-issued diploma is legally valid in the States and widely accepted by colleges, employers and the military, particularly when supported by transcripts, SAT/ACT/AP exam scores and/or a portfolio. I recommend that home educators in the UK use an umbrella school for at least the senior year so that the diploma can be externally verified and easily recognised by UK workplace and educational groups.

[Please note that a HSD is not the same as a GED. The GED (General Educational Development) is a separate test for those who didn’t finish high school traditionally but who want to demonstrate equivalent academic ability.]

A credit is a way of measuring how much coursework a student has completed in a given subject. It’s like a unit of academic currency. Schools require a certain number of credits in each subject—and overall—to issue a High School Diploma.

Yes. UK home-educated students are not required to follow the National Curriculum or UK exam pathways. Families are free to choose an alternative educational route, including an American-style high school programme, provided a suitable education is being offered.

Recognition is about outcomes, not systems. Universities assess qualifications based on what they represent academically, not where they originate.

→ Read more about legality, recognition, and ENIC statements

Many UK universities do, provided the diploma is supported by appropriate academic evidence such as SAT or AP exam results, transcripts, or subject-specific preparation.

Admissions decisions are made by individual universities, and requirements vary by course and competitiveness. In practice, this route is already used successfully by both UK and international students.

→ See how UCAS and UK universities assess US qualifications

The High School Diploma (HSD) route is a way of structuring secondary education using the American high school model. Instead of GCSEs and A-levels, students earn credits over time across a broad but flexible curriculum.

Learning can be home-based, online, tutor-led or a mix — with progress recorded on a transcript rather than through a single set of exams.

→ Learn how credits, courses and timelines work

The HSD suits students who benefit from flexibility, breadth and steady progress over time. It works well for many home-educated learners, including those who are academically strong, creatively inclined or even those who struggle with high-pressure exams.

It may not be the best fit for families who want a fully prescribed syllabus, minimal parental involvement or a strictly UK-based exam route.

→ Explore suitability by learning style, goals and temperament

In the US system, transcripts are typically created by the school. For home-educated students, this role is often taken by parents, sometimes with the support of an umbrella school or programme provider.

American universities are accustomed to reviewing parent-issued transcripts, provided they are clear, consistent and academically credible. In the UK, however, an ENIC Statement of Comparability is particularly helpful to show equivalency. I strongly advise using an umbrella school (using records kept by the parent) to issue the transcript and diploma as ENIC will not consider parent-issued transcripts from UK.

→ See what goes into a transcript and how records are kept

• High school credits can begin earlier than many UK parents expect

• Starting around Year 8 or 9 allows time to complete a full diploma calmly

• Early credits should be at GCSE-preparatory (Key Stage 4) level

• Once a child is high school age, all genuine learning counts

• Progress does not need to be uniform or perfect to be valid

There is no single “right” timeline — only a framework that adapts to your child.

→ See what goes into a transcript and how records are kept

No. Exams are optional tools, not automatic requirements. Some students take several exams, others take very few (or none)! It really is dependant on their goals and chosen universities.

For many families, the appeal of this pathway is that assessment can be proportionate and tailored — rather than dominated by exams.

→ Understand when exams are useful — and when they aren’t

This pathway can support applications to UK universities, US and international universities, gap years, portfolio routes and apprenticeships or alternative qualifications.

Its strength lies in keeping options open while allowing students to specialise gradually, rather than locking decisions in early.

→ Explore post-16 and post-18 options

The Diploma Path is an informational resource created by me — a second-generation home educating mother— in response to all the questions I have had about the way I navigated the high school years with my four children. My aim is to help families understand how this pathway works and how to steer it confidently. I am not a school, exam board or diploma-issuing body. 

The website is parent-focused and designed to complement — not replace — your own home educating decision-making.

→ Read more about the purpose of this site