Students who have not earned a high school diploma are not eligible for federal financial aid to attend college. De Anza recommends that students who are close to earning a high school diploma or GED complete those requirements, when possible, in order to apply and be considered for financial aid when they attend college.

Many high schools recommend that students 18 years or older without a high school diploma complete their high school requirements by taking college courses. Students choosing to earn a diploma in this way should obtain a statement from their host high school principal or counselor indicating

  • The necessary subjects to meet graduation requirements and the number of quarter credits in each
  • A list of De Anza courses that may satisfy these high school requirements
  • The total number of quarter units required, including electives
  • Approval to use De Anza credit to meet high school requirements

The California Department of Education recommends that college credit equal twice the number of units earned in high school. For example, two college units would equal four high school semester periods.

Once De Anza courses have been completed, students should request that an official transcript be sent to the high school. Students may also enroll in additional courses not required for the diploma.

Policy Documents

The information above is intended to provide a useful summary. Final authority is determined by the Board of Trustees and district policy documents, including 
Back to Top