English Composition 1
First 3 of the 6 English language arts hours (writing).
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →New YorkHomeschool
New York homeschool teens: plan the 24 college credits for a High School Equivalency diploma
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
A New York homeschool student can earn a New York State High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma by completing 24 semester hours as a recognized candidate for a college degree or certificate at an approved institution (8 NYCRR 100.7). The 24 hours need a set spread: 6 English, 3 maths, 3 science, 3 social science, 3 humanities and 6 more. NYSED issues the diploma.
The rule
Under 8 NYCRR 100.7(a)(2)(i)(c), a candidate qualifies for a New York State High School Equivalency diploma by completing 24 semester hours as a recognized candidate for a college degree or certificate at an approved institution, spread as 6 hours of English language arts, 3 of mathematics, 3 of natural science, 3 of social science, 3 of humanities and 6 more within the registered programme.
The rule asks for 24 semester hours (6 ELA, 3 maths, 3 natural science, 3 social science, 3 humanities, 6 other in the programme). The legal source is 8 NYCRR 100.7.
| Requirement | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 24 semester hours or the equivalent | [1] |
| Status of the student | Recognized candidate for a college degree or certificate at an approved institution | [1] |
| English language arts | 6 hours, including writing, speaking and reading (literature) | [1] |
| Mathematics / natural science / social science / humanities | 3 hours each | [1] |
| Other | 6 hours in any other course within the registered degree or certificate programme | [1] |
| Age | 19 or over, or 17 with a listed condition such as acceptance into college | [1] |
| Who sends it | The college completes its section, attaches the transcript and sends it to NYSED | [4] |
Who decides
New York State Education Department (NYSED), Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES), High School Equivalency office decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Credits completed as a recognized candidate in a registered degree or certificate programme at an approved US institution, shown on that college's transcript.
- Six hours of English language arts that cover writing, speaking and reading (literature).
- Three hours each of mathematics, natural science, social science and humanities.
- Six further hours of any course inside the same registered degree or certificate programme.
What does not count
- A credit recommendation on its own: a NCCRS or ACE recommendation is not a college transcript.
- Credits from outside the US (one SUNY college states this plainly on its programme page).
- Courses that do not fit the distribution: 24 hours of business alone would not meet the spread.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of New York State Education Department (NYSED), Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES), High School Equivalency office.
English Composition 2
Second English hour block; ask whether the college codes it as writing or literature.
Self-paced online English Composition 2 course (ENG 102). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
College Algebra
Fits the 3-hour mathematics slot.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Intro to Biology 1
Fits the 3-hour natural science slot.
Self-paced online Intro to Biology 1 course (Biology 100). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
Fits the 3-hour social science slot.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Art History 1
Fits the 3-hour humanities slot.
Self-paced online Art History 1 course (ART 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Check the age rule first8 NYCRR 100.7 sets age 19, or 17 with conditions; one of the listed conditions is acceptance into college. A younger teen plans the courses now and applies later.
- Pick the college before the coursesThe hours must be completed as a recognized candidate in a registered degree or certificate programme. Ask the college's registrar in writing whether credit that arrives by transfer from ACE or NCCRS recommendations counts toward its 24-credit HSE certification.
- Map the 24 hours against the spreadLay each planned course against the six slots: 6 English, 3 maths, 3 natural science, 3 social science, 3 humanities, 6 other. Keep the map; the registrar will use the same slots.
- Study and move the credits via a college transcriptFinish the courses, then send the NCCRS or ACE transcript to the college so the credits are posted on its own transcript. Only that transcript can be used for the HSE application.
- Send the HSE application through the collegeThe student completes the applicant section; the college completes its section, attaches the official transcript and sends the package to NYSED. Plan for about 6-8 weeks.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; Newlane is a third partner. For the New York HSE route, ask the partner first whether a student in its programme can have its registrar certify the 24 hours for NYSED, and get that answer in writing. New York colleges such as SUNY Empire and Excelsior also work with credit recommendations but are not UPI partners.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study, homeschool lifetime | $250 once, every course | $250 gives homeschool families lifetime access to all UPI Study courses. | 15 Nov 2026 |
| CUNY community college, part-time (NYC residents) | $210 a credit | $5,040 for 24 credits, before fees | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Sophia Learning | $99 a month, or $799 a year | About $297-$495 if 24 credits take 3-5 months | 15 Nov 2026 |
| StraighterLine | $99 a month plus $79 a course | About $930-$1,130 for 8 courses over 3-5 months | 15 Nov 2026 |
Every online option still needs a college to post the credits on its transcript and to certify them to NYSED; that college's own transfer or posting fee is extra and varies. The community college route already ends on a college transcript.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; it cannot issue the transcript NYSED reads or sign the college's section of the HSE application.
- UPI Study cannot make a teen a recognized candidate in a degree or certificate programme; only a college can.
- UPI Study cannot tell a family that NYSED or a given registrar will count transferred credit toward the 24 hours; that is their decision.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the college's registrar in writing whether transferred ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit can count toward its 24-credit HSE certification, and which courses fill which of the six slots, before you enrol.
Why New York homeschool families look at the 24-credit route
Home instruction in New York runs under an individualized home instruction plan (IHIP) filed with the school district, and the parent keeps the records. When a teen finishes, families usually want one of two things from the state: a document employers and colleges recognise, or a clear route into a degree. The 24-credit HSE diploma gives the first; 8 NYCRR 3.47 lists 24 semester hours as a recognized candidate as one of the routes to the second.
Because the same 24 hours can serve both purposes, many families treat the last two years of high school as the first semester of college, chosen so that each course fills one of the six slots in the rule.
New York state regulations for homeschooling and the college-study student
8 NYCRR 3.47(b) adds one point that homeschool parents miss: a student of compulsory school age who uses full-time college study to meet compulsory education must submit a valid IHIP before enrolling. If your teen is still of compulsory age and the college classes are the main schooling, keep the IHIP on file with the district and ask the college what it needs to see.
- Keep the IHIP and quarterly records together with the college transcript.
- Write down which course fills which HSE slot as you go.
- Save every written answer from the registrar.
Requirements for homeschooling in New York State vs the HSE rule: who decides what
The district reviews home instruction under the IHIP. NYSED's HSE office issues the equivalency diploma. The college decides whether a student is a recognized candidate in its programme and what goes on its transcript. UPI Study decides none of these. That is why every step on this page ends with a question to the registrar, in writing.
Questions people ask
Do you receive a diploma when homeschooled in New York?
Home instruction is run by the family under an IHIP, so the parent keeps the records. A state-issued route many families use is the New York State High School Equivalency diploma, and one way to earn it is 24 semester hours of college credit in the spread set by 8 NYCRR 100.7. NYSED issues that diploma.
How many college credits do you need for a New York high school equivalency diploma?
24 semester hours or the equivalent, completed as a recognized candidate for a degree or certificate at an approved institution: 6 in English language arts, 3 in mathematics, 3 in natural science, 3 in social science, 3 in humanities and 6 in other courses within the registered programme.
How old do you have to be to use the 24-credit route?
8 NYCRR 100.7 sets age 19 or over, or at least 17 with one of the listed conditions; one condition is having been accepted into a college or post-secondary institution. A 15 or 16 year old can take college courses now but applies for the diploma later. Check your own case with the college.
Can UPI Study courses count toward the 24 credits?
Only via a college transcript. UPI courses carry NCCRS or ACE credit recommendations; a college has to post them on its own transcript and its registrar has to certify the hours. Ask that registrar in writing whether transferred credit can count before you enrol.
How long does NYSED take to issue the diploma?
NYSED and SUNY Onondaga both say to expect about 6-8 weeks after the complete application, with the official transcript, reaches NYSED. Add the time the college needs to post transferred credit before it can send anything.
What are the requirements for homeschooling in New York State if my teen takes college classes full time?
8 NYCRR 3.47(b) says a student of compulsory school age who uses full-time college study to meet compulsory education must submit a valid individualized home instruction plan (IHIP) before enrolling. Keep the IHIP current with your district and ask the college what it requires.
Read next
- New York's 24-credit rule for homeschoolers, subject by subjectNew York's 24-credit rule (8 NYCRR 100.7) splits the 24 semester hours into six slots: 6 hours of English language arts, 3 of mathematics, 3 of...
- Letter of substantial equivalency or 24 credits: which is easier?For college admission in New York, 8 NYCRR 3.47 accepts either a superintendent's certification that the student completed the substantial equivalent...
- How a registrar completes Part B of the NYSED 24-credit formOn the NYSED 24-credit HSE application, the student fills in the applicant part and the college fills in its own part (often called Part B). The...
The same topic in nearby states
- New Jersey homeschool to college: start college-level courses now, move them to TESU laterNew Jersey
- Homeschool Pennsylvania: college-level courses that count toward your Act 196 diplomaPennsylvania
- Too young for Career & College Promise? College-level courses for NC homeschool 9th and 10th gradersNorth Carolina
Ready when you have it in writing
Plan the six slots with courses that carry NCCRS or ACE credit recommendations, then move them via a college transcript.
Sources
- 8 NYCRR 100.7, High school equivalency diploma (text of the regulation) (official)24 semester hours as a recognized candidate for a degree or certificate at an approved institution; the 6/3/3/3/3/6 distribution; age 19, or 17 with conditions such as acceptance into college. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- 8 NYCRR 3.47, Requirements for degrees (admission routes) (official)Degree admission routes include a superintendent's certification of the substantial equivalent of a four-year high school course, an HSE diploma, or 24 semester hours as a recognized candidate; home-instructed students under compulsory age need a valid IHIP. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- NYSED ACCES: College Credit pathway to the HSE diploma (official)NYSED's own page for the 24 College Credit pathway: credits in a degree or certificate programme at a US college, distribution rules, about 6-8 weeks to process a complete application (read from the search listing; the site blocked a direct fetch). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- SUNY Onondaga Community College: 24-Credit HSE Program (official)How one SUNY college runs the pathway: the student completes the applicant section, the college records office completes its sections, attaches the transcript and mails the package to NYSED; D- or higher in each course; US college credit only. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- CUNY: Tuition and feesPrice for CUNY community college, part-time (NYC residents), checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Sophia Learning: Plans and pricingPrice for Sophia Learning, checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- StraighterLine: PricingPrice for StraighterLine, checked on 15 Nov 2026.