High School Diploma

Earn high school and college credit

Since 1987, Indiana high school students have been empowered by the state legislature to earn concurrent high school and college credit by taking approved college courses.

Today, state law has further established the Postsecondary Enrollment Program (IC 21-43-4). Under this program, high school students statewide in grades 11 and 12 can receive college credit AND credit toward high school graduation by successfully completing college classes at eligible Indiana colleges or universities.

Each school corporation will determine which course(s) will meet a student's requirement for high school graduation. Students who are interested in earning high school credit for courses taken through IUPUI SPAN Division's early college program should talk with their school's guidance counselor.

Please note that SPAN applicants who are currently pursuing the Core 40 and the academic honors diploma are given special consideration.

Updated graduation requirements

The Indiana Department of Education has updated the Indiana high school graduation requirements to include the Graduation Pathways (additional information can be found below).

Course and credit requirements

Graduation Pathway Resources

The Indiana General Assembly made completion of Core 40 a graduation requirement for all high school students as of fall 2007. The legislation includes an opt-out provision for parents who determine that their student could benefit more from the general diploma. The legislation also makes Core 40 a minimum college admission requirement for the state's public four-year universities, effective fall 2011.

Learn more

Learn more about Indiana's high school course and credit requirements.

If taken in high school, one high school credit takes one semester to complete (except for physical education where half a credit is earned each semester).

However, a one-semester college course taken through the SPAN Division's early college program often counts as two high school credits. Once again, each school corporation will determine which course(s) will meet a student's requirement for high school graduation.