To earn a standard high school diploma in Georgia, you need 23 units of credit distributed across seven subject areas, and you have to take the Georgia Milestones end-of-course assessment in four core classes. The Georgia high school diploma requirements are set by the State Board of Education, and every public high school in the state has to offer the courses that satisfy them.
The 23 Credits You Need
The credits break down like this:
- English/Language Arts: 4 credits, including literature and composition
- Mathematics: 4 credits, covering algebra, geometry, and higher-level courses
- Science: 4 credits, including biology, chemistry, and physics or physical science. The fourth science credit can also count as an elective.
- Social Studies: 3 credits, including U.S. history, world history, economics, and American government
- CTAE, Modern Language/Latin, or Fine Arts: 3 credits in any combination of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education, foreign language, or fine arts
- Health and Physical Education: 1 credit
- Electives: 4 credits
A course counts once. You cannot use the same class to satisfy two different subject requirements, with the single exception of that fourth science credit, which can double as an elective.1Cornell Law Institute. Georgia Comp. R. and Regs. R. 160-4-2-.48
How Georgia Milestones End-of-Course Tests Count
Georgia law authorizes the State Board of Education to run a student assessment program that includes end-of-course exams in four core high school subjects.2Justia. Georgia Code Title 20 Chapter 2 Section 20-2-281 Those are the Georgia Milestones End-of-Course (EOC) tests, given in one designated course each for English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Here is where families get confused. Georgia used to make students pass these exams as a standalone graduation gate. That rule is gone. The EOC score now folds into the final course grade and counts for at least 10 percent of the numeric grade. A weak Milestones score can pull a course grade down, but it will not by itself block you from graduating. You still have to pass the underlying course to earn the credit.
The Foreign Language Catch for College-Bound Students
Two years of the same foreign language is not required to graduate from a Georgia public high school. It is required to be admitted to a University System of Georgia institution as a freshman.3GAfutures. Georgia Graduation Requirements This distinction routinely catches families off guard. A student can meet the 3-credit CTAE/language/fine arts block entirely with fine arts or CTAE courses, walk across the graduation stage, and then find out their transcript does not qualify them for admission to a state university. If a USG college is on the list, plan the foreign language slot early.
CTAE Pathways Within the 3-Credit Flex Block
The three credits in CTAE, modern language, or fine arts give students real flexibility, and the CTAE route is worth understanding because it is more structured than a typical elective. Georgia organizes career and technical courses into 17 career clusters, each containing specific pathways of sequenced classes. To complete a CTAE pathway, a student takes three units within the same pathway and finishes an end-of-pathway assessment.3GAfutures. Georgia Graduation Requirements
Completing a pathway does more than fill a graduation slot. It often produces an industry-recognized credential, and the assessment result can support a résumé or a technical college application. Fields include healthcare, information technology, engineering, and agriculture, among others.
Grades Also Set Up Scholarship Eligibility
The courses you pick and the grades you earn while meeting the diploma requirements decide whether you qualify for Georgia’s merit scholarships, so the two conversations are really one.
The HOPE Scholarship requires a minimum 3.0 calculated HOPE GPA at graduation and covers a portion of tuition at eligible Georgia colleges and universities.4GAfutures. Initial Academic Eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship
The Zell Miller Scholarship is the more generous version, and the bar is higher. Students need a minimum 3.7 HOPE GPA, at least four rigor credits from the state’s Academic Rigor Course List, and a qualifying test score: at least 1200 on the SAT or a 25 composite on the ACT. Students who graduate as valedictorian or salutatorian qualify with a 3.0 GPA and four rigor credits, without the test score requirement.5GAfutures. Initial Academic Eligibility for the Zell Miller Scholarship
Both scholarships require students to maintain their GPA in college to keep the funding, so the initial award is not a lifetime guarantee. The Georgia Student Finance Commission administers these programs along with the HOPE Grant, which supports students pursuing certificates or technical diplomas at eligible institutions.6Georgia Student Finance Commission. HOPE
If the Standard Diploma Is Not the Right Path
The requirements above apply to a standard diploma earned by completing high school. Georgia also offers two nationally recognized equivalency tests for adults and older teens who have left traditional high school: the GED and the HiSET. Passing either earns a credential the state treats as equivalent to a high school diploma.7Technical College System of Georgia. High School Equivalency Information
You must be at least 18 to test in Georgia. If you are 16 or 17, you qualify as an underage youth and must enroll in a state-approved adult education program and get approval before sitting for the exam. The GED is computer-based and typically costs between $120 and $140 for all four subtests. The HiSET runs about $155 at a test center or roughly $200 for remote proctoring, and test takers can retake each subtest up to six times per calendar year.8HiSET. Georgia HiSET Testing Requirements
The Technical College System of Georgia also offers a Career Plus High School Diploma, which combines adult education coursework with career training and is worth a look for adult learners who want a diploma tied to a specific occupational skill.9Technical College System of Georgia. Adult Education
For federal financial aid, a GED or HiSET credential meets the same eligibility threshold as a traditional diploma. The FAFSA requires a high school diploma or recognized equivalent, and both Georgia equivalency credentials satisfy that requirement.10Federal Student Aid. School-Determined Requirements (2025-2026 Federal Student Aid Handbook)
Check In With Your Counselor
School counselors handle course sequencing to meet both graduation and college admission requirements, identify CTAE pathways that match a student’s interests, and track progress toward HOPE or Zell Miller eligibility. Students who check in at least once a semester tend to avoid the scheduling mistakes that force an extra year of high school or close off scholarship money.