High School Diploma Equivalents for Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid please follow all the instructions.

Other Requirements

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA or EQUIVALENT: Federal regulations require students to possess a high school diploma, or its equivalent, to be eligible for federal financial aid. Hampshire College follows the same policy with regard to institutional aid eligibility. The equivalents to a high school diploma are:

• A state certificate or transcript received by the student after the student passed a state-authorized examination (GED test, HiSET, TASC, or other state-authorized examination) that the state recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma. 
• For students who completed secondary education in a foreign country, a copy of the “secondary school leaving certificate” or other similar document.
• An academic transcript that indicates the student successfully completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree.
• If state law requires a home schooled student to obtain a secondary school completion credential for home school (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent), a copy of that credential.
• If state law does not require a home-schooled student to obtain a secondary school completion credential for home school (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent), we need a copy of a transcript or the equivalent, signed by the student’s parent or guardian, that lists the secondary school courses the student completed and includes a statement that the student successfully completed a secondary school education in a home school setting.