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Exam Overview
Thecanadianadulteducationcredential(Caec)
The Canadian Adult Education Credential is a set of five high school equivalency tests developed by Alberta Education with provincial and territorial partners and delivered through the CAEC Testing Service. The tests measure the reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies skills expected of a high school graduate, set in contexts drawn from Canadian work, community, and civic life. Each participating province or territory administers the tests and issues its own High School Equivalency Certificate to candidates who meet the standard on all five.
The GED is no longer offered in Canada. In the participating provinces and territories, the CAEC replaced it as the route to a high school equivalency certificate, and existing GED credentials remain valid and recognized. Candidates who passed some GED tests but did not finish can ask their province or territory about having those results recognized toward the CAEC during the transition period. Everything in this guide prepares you for the CAEC tests.
Exam Pattern and Structure
The five tests are taken separately, usually on different days, and each is passed on its own. Four tests are multiple choice; the Writing test is a single persuasive writing task. Tests are computer-based at approved test centres, with a paper option in some locations, and every test is available in English or French.
Reading
50
75 min
Content and context (50–55%); structure, elements, and techniques (25– 30%); grammar, syntax, and language conventions (20–25%), using informational texts (60–80%) and literary texts (20–40%)
Mathematics
42 (Part I: 12;
120 min
Part I without a calculator (30 min): operations with fractions, decimals,
Part II: 30)
percents, and integers. Part II with a calculator (90 min): number sense and financial math, patterns and relations, geometry and measurement, data management and probability
Social Studies
40
90 min
Citizenship and government (30–40%); economics and economic systems (15–25%); historical and contemporary Canada (15–25%); geography and environment (15–25%)
Timing, Format, and Test-Day Tools
Computer-based testing: questions appear on screen at a supervised test centre. Paper answers, where offered, are entered into the same scoring platform.
Universal supports: every candidate testing on computer can use a screen colour overlay, a text highlighter, a line reader, and a zoom feature without requesting them in advance.
Calculator: no calculator is allowed on Mathematics Part I. For Part II, an approved scientific calculator is used; approved models include the TI-30XIIS, TI-30Xa, TI-30XS, Casio fx-260, and Casio fx-300MS Plus (2nd Edition). Some centres provide one.
Formula sheet: the Mathematics test includes a formula sheet for perimeter, circumference, area, surface area, volume, distance, simple interest, probability, and the Pythagorean theorem.
No reference aids: dictionaries, thesauruses, and translators are not permitted unless approved as an accommodation.
Accommodations: candidates with documented needs can request special arrangements, such as additional breaks, a reader, a scribe, braille, or a calculator on Part I, through their province or territory well before test day.
Scoring and the Minimum Standard
Each test is reported as a percentage score in one of four performance bands. A score of 55% or higher meets the minimum standard and passes that test. The Writing test is scored by at least two independent markers on three equally weighted categories, each worth up to 3 points.
Exceeds Minimum Standard
80–100%
Pass; strong command of the test's outcomes
Approaching Minimum Standard
40–54%
Not yet passed; eligible to retest
There is no combined total score. Each test stands alone, and you earn the High School Equivalency Certificate when all five tests are at the Meets or Exceeds level. Results for the four machine-scored tests are usually available in about two business days; Writing results take about 20 business days because each response is hand-scored.
Registration, Retakes, and Test Day
Where it is offered: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories. Each jurisdiction runs its own registration, test centres, and schedule.
Eligibility: set by each province or territory. Common requirements are a minimum age (often 18 or 19, with exceptions in some jurisdictions), residency in that province or territory, and not already holding a high school diploma.
Fees: set by each jurisdiction and vary widely, from a small fee per test to a single fee for all five. Rescoring a Writing test is available for a fee.
Retakes: a test that has not been passed can be written once per calendar month, up to three times in a calendar year. A passed test cannot be rewritten. Some jurisdictions add their own waiting period between attempts.
Identification: bring two pieces of valid, unexpired ID, one of them government-issued with your name, date of birth, photo, and signature.
Exam at a Glance
Full name
Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC)
Replaces
The GED tests in Canada
Tests
Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
Questions and time
Reading 50 / 75 min · Writing 1 task / 75 min · Mathematics 42 / 120 min · Science 35 / 90 min · Social Studies 40 / 90 min
Results
About 2 business days; Writing about 20 business days
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