HSE Testing Program

The Massachusetts Board of Education has instituted a policy that community college students must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend classes on campus. Several of the community colleges have extended this mandate to include all participants of campus activities including High School Equivalency testing.

The following HSE test sites have indicated that you must produce proof of vaccination for COVID-19 before you will be allowed on campus to take the HiSET^® or GED^® exams.

• Bristol Community College
• Bunker Hill Community College
• Greenfield Community College
• Holyoke Community College
• Massasoit Community College
• Mount Wachusett Community College
• Quinsigamond Community College
• Roxbury Community College

The DESE HSE team is working with HiSET^® and GED^® to communicate this to candidates in order to prevent them from being turned away because they cannot produce a proof of COVID-19 vaccination which would then result in paying a retest fee to reschedule the test.

We will continue to keep the field informed of updates to this situation.

GED^® and HiSET^® offer a remote (at home) proctored testing option to Massachusetts candidates. To schedule an exam at home, visit the vendor websites: Introducing the Official Online GED Test - GED; HiSET Exam at Home.

If you have questions you may send an email to HSET@mass.gov with your name and phone number and someone will call you back with information.

Below is a comparison of the GED^® and HiSET^® remote proctored testing options.

Welcome to the Massachusetts State High School Equivalency Testing Program. The Massachusetts High School Equivalency Team, housed within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, oversees:

• The issuing of the Massachusetts High School Equivalency credential, a nationally-recognized document that is accepted by virtually all colleges, universities, and employers in the country as exactly equivalent to a high school diploma; and
• The administration of the tests required to earn the credential.

• DiplomaSender
  • If you previously received a GED^© or HiSET ^® credential from Massachusetts but need official verification of that or a transcript of your scores.
  • If you have recently passed the GED^© test or the HiSET ^® and are wondering where your credential and transcripts are.
  • If you are a school, college, employer, or other third-party entity seeking to verify that an individual previously received a GED^© or HiSET ^® credential from Massachusetts.

Annually, over 3000 individuals attain their High School Equivalency in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education produced this video to help you discover how you can achieve your second chance:

• What you Need to Know to get your High School Equivalency Credential

• Lo que necesitas saber para obtener tu credencial de equivalencia de high school

Reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Our office is not responsible for and does not in any way guarantee the accuracy of information in other sites accessible through links herein. DESE may supplement this list with other services and products that meet the specified criteria. For more information contact: HSET@mass.gov or 781-338-6625.

Last Updated: February 22, 2022