High School Completion Verification
Admission Policy
Admission to Sinclair is open to all applicants, with the exception of international students on an F-1 visa. Some academic programs have additional requirements that must be completed prior to actually beginning the program. These include the Health Sciences programs, Paralegal, Police Academy, Early Childhood Education, ASEP, CAP, Honda PACT and the A.I.S. and A.T.S.
High School Completion/Ability-To-Benefit Requirements
Federal financial aid applicants must demonstrate they are qualified to study at the post-secondary level. Students may self-certify high school (or equivalent) completion on the FAFSA. The following are acceptable for U.S. high school graduates to meet the requirement:
- High school diploma
- Official high school transcript that shows the date when the student graduated
- A copy of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate or GED transcript that indicates the student passed the exam
- Certification of a passing score on a state authorized high school diploma equivalency test. Effective June 14, 2016, Ohio authorizes the following high school equivalency tests
- Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC)
Test transcripts are acceptable documentation if they indicate that the final score is a passing score and that the student's state considers the test results to meet its high school equivalency requirements
- For homeschooled students, a copy of a secondary school completion credential for homeschool (other than a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent) if state law requires homeschooled students to get that credential. If it is not required, a transcript or the equivalent signed by the parent or guardian that lists the secondary school courses the student completed and documents the successful completion of a secondary school education in a homeschool setting
- An academic transcript indicating the student successfully completed at least a two-year program that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor's degree
- For a student who enrolls without completing high school, a transcript indicating that they excelled in high school is needed. Also, the student must no longer be enrolled in high school, must meet Sinclair's Admission policies, and must be starting a program that leads to at least an associate degree or the equivalent.
ATB Alternatives (Grandfathered Students):
Students in an eligible program at a Title IV eligible institution prior to July 1, 2012, may establish eligibility using one of the ATB alternatives listed below:
- Passing an independently administered U.S. Department of Education approved ATB test. (See Test Score Chart below).
- Completing at least six (non-DEV) credit hours, or the equivalent coursework (225 clock hours) prior to July 1, 2012, that are applicable toward a degree or certificate offered by the postsecondary institution.
Determining Validity of High School Completion
Upon receipt of the high school completion documentation, Financial Aid & Scholarship staff confirms the diploma is valid. If there is reason to believe the diploma is inauthentic or granted by an ineligible post-secondary institution, further review may be necessary. Typically, validity is determined by confirming the high school's accreditation status with the agency that has jurisdiction over the high school. If unable to validate through the accrediting agency and/or if additional information is needed, the Financial Aid & Scholarships office performs due diligence with actions such as, contacting the high school for additional information, consulting with other post-secondary school leadership located in proximity to the high school in question.
Foreign High School Diploma Evaluation
Sinclair's Registration and Student Records office determines if non-U.S. high school diplomas must meet the U.S. high school completion equivalency requirements. At least one of the following reference guides are used in this determination:
- Foreign Educational Credentials Required. 5th ed. Washington, DC
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, 2003
- U.S. Dept. of State, https://educationusa.state.gov
Non-U.S. high school graduates must submit the following documentation for initial review. Additional information may be requested depending on the country in which the diploma was earned.
- Foreign high school equivalency form
- Copy of the "secondary school leaving certificate" or similar document from the government agency in which the diploma was earned
Alternatively, students may hire a third-party high school evaluation service to determine U.S. high school equivalency and submit the evaluation results in lieu of the documentation listed above.
Evaluation Results
Valid High School Diplomas
Students may receive federal financial aid if the high school diploma is valid, and the student is otherwise eligible, for the current and future periods of enrollment. Validity may be retroactive within the same academic year if the credential earned date corresponds to the applicable semester(s).
Invalid High School Diplomas
If a high school diploma is determined to be invalid, or if validity can't be determined, the student is ineligible for federal student aid. All awarded federal aid will be denied until the requirements can be validated.
- Last Revised: 07/27/2023