Administration and Finance
Commissioner's Office
District Support
Educational Options
Instructional Support
Kaleidoscope Collective
Legal
Planning and Research
Strategic Initiatives
Student Assessment
Without a high school diploma, it is almost impossible to access the college courses of study, the training programs, or the career-track employment necessary to earn a family-sustaining, living wage in Massachusetts. If you did not graduate from high school, the Massachusetts High School Equivalency Credential, approved and accredited by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is the best alternative.
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
The Massachusetts High School Equivalency credential is accepted by virtually all colleges, universities, and employers in the United States as exactly equivalent to a high school diploma. In order to earn the credential, you must take and pass one of two assessments tests, either the GED® test or the HiSET®. These tests are comparable in terms of cognitive complexity and rates of passing, but they vary in significant ways as well.
View a side-by-side comparison of the two tests, including the costs for each.
For more details on the GED® test, go to GED®: Get Your GED .
For more details on the HiSET®, go to The HiSET Exam .
The Commonwealth offers several different options for high school equivalency testing:
See a complete list of test centers and testing options.
To see if you are eligible to take the HSE test in Massachusetts, view the eligibility requirements.
GED® exams can only be taken in person at a test center. In rare circumstances, Commonwealth may waive the in-person testing requirement and allow an individual to take a GED® online proctored test, also known as at "at-home" test.
If an individual is approved to take a GED® online proctored test, they must take and score green (pass) on a GED Ready® practice test within the last 60 days for each subject in which they want to test online. Each GED Ready® practice test costs $7.99. The test taker is responsible for paying this fee.
If you would like to request a waiver, please submit the form at the following link: Online Proctored GED® Test Waiver | Mass.gov. If you are approved to test, the Massachusetts High School Equivalency team will reach out to you. If you have any questions, email HSET@mass.gov .
Candidates may take any GED® or HiSET® subtest in English or Spanish. English and Spanish scores may be combined toward High School Equivalency credential attainment.
All credentials will be printed in English. Transcripts will be printed in English and document test vendor (GED® or HiSET®) subtest taken, subtest score, subtest form, and subtest language.
Candidates who received a Spanish credential after 2001 may request a credential in English by contacting the DESE/ACLS HSE team in writing at HSET@mass.gov .
For both tests, the registration and scheduling process is similar:
GED®: To create an account, to register, and to schedule GED® tests, go to GED®: Get Your GED .
HiSET®: To create an account, to register, and to schedule HiSET® tests, go to The HiSET Exam .
First test and two retests: Free for Mass residents with the following promo codes:
The first two retests for each subject are covered by the state. After two failed attempts, the candidate pays $27.00 per retest.
Failing to show up counts as a failed attempt.
You may take each subtest three times in a calendar year, January 1 – December 31. If you fail (or fail to show up for) a subtest, you may retest up to two times that year.
For in-person testing at a test center: After three non-passing attempts (or failure to show up) in any subject area, a test taker must wait 60 days to retest in that subject area. On January 1 of every year, the 60-day wait policy resets.
For online proctored testing: After two non-passing attempts (or failure to show up) in any subject area, a test taker must wait 60 days to retest in that subject area. On January 1 of every year, the 60-day wait policy resets.
The Commonwealth will pay for a candidate's first three attempts per subtest, per vendor (HiSET or GED), per lifetime. Free attempts do not reset every calendar year. After the first three attempts, a candidate is responsible for all future test fees.
The Massachusetts High School Equivalency Office and our two test vendors are committed to serving test takers with disabilities and health-related needs by providing accommodations that are appropriate given the purpose of the test and the diagnosed disabilities of the candidate. Learn more about testing with accommodations.
A third-party vendor, DiplomaSender , now has access to all Massachusetts GED® and HiSET® records back to 1968 and issues all High School Equivalency credentials, transcripts, and other verification documents for the Commonwealth. The High School Equivalency Office no longer issues any of these documents. All contact with Diploma Sender should be through their website. For specific details, go to the Diploma and Transcripts webpage.
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: April 21, 2026