Your GED or Diploma

What it is

Earning a high school equivalency (GED) or diploma as an adult.

Why it helps you

It opens jobs and college. Free study tools and classes exist, and you can go at your own pace.

Good to have first

Reading and Writing, Everyday Math.

This opens up

College, better jobs.

Where to get help

Find a free class near you

National Literacy Directory A free search for adult classes near you, including GED prep, reading, math, and English classes. It also lists GED test centers.

Cost: Free to search. Many classes are free or low-cost. Ask before you sign up.
Who can use it: Any adult in the US.
How to start: Call 1-877-389-6874 and give your zip code. Say, “I want a free class to get ready for the GED.” Or search the website by zip code.
Good to know: The directory says its hotline is open 24 hours. You don’t need ID to search or call.

Study on your own, for free

Khan Academy Free video lessons and practice, run by a nonprofit. It is great for math. You can start from the very beginning and work up to GED-level algebra.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Make a free account. Start with the math level that feels easy, then move up.
Good to know: You need an email address. Some extra tools cost money. You don’t need them.

Crash Course Free, lively videos on history, science, literature, and study skills. Helpful if school skipped whole subjects for you.

Cost: Free to watch on YouTube.
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Pick a subject, like World History or Study Skills, and watch the first video.
Good to know: No account needed. These help you catch up, but they are not GED practice tests.

OpenStax Free, full textbooks used in real college classes. Subjects include biology, US history, psychology, and math.

Cost: Free to read online or download.
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Pick a subject and click to read the book online.
Good to know: These are college-level, so the reading is harder. Many people start with Khan Academy or Crash Course, then use OpenStax to go deeper.

If reading print is hard

NLS Talking Books (Library of Congress) Free audiobooks and braille from the Library of Congress for people who can’t read regular print easily. This includes reading disabilities like dyslexia.

Cost: Free. Books come by mail with free postage or by download to a phone.
Who can use it: US residents whose reading disability, vision, or physical condition keeps them from reading regular print.
How to start: Call 1-888-657-7323 (1-888-NLS-READ) and ask how to sign up in your state.
Good to know: Someone must sign to say you qualify. This can be a doctor, psychologist, nurse, counselor, social worker, teacher, or reading specialist.

Take the test

GED (official site) The only official GED site. Your state sets the price and rules, like age and where you can test. Some states make it free.

Cost: Set by your state. Some states pay for it. Check your state’s page before you pay.
Who can use it: Usually adults 18 and older who don’t have a high school diploma. Rules vary by state.
How to start: Make a free account. Pick your state to see the price, rules, and free study help.
Good to know: You must show a government photo ID, like a state ID or driver’s license. Many states also ask for proof that you live there. Get your ID first, or you may lose your test fee.

HiSET Another high school equivalency test. Some states use the HiSET instead of, or along with, the GED. Run by PSI Services.

Cost: Set by your state.
Who can use it: Adults in states that offer the HiSET.
How to start: Check your state’s rules on the site. For help, call 1-855-694-4738.
Good to know: Phone help is Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, and weekends 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bring an original ID. The name must match your account exactly.

National External Diploma Program (NEDP) A way to earn a real high school diploma by doing projects at your own pace, instead of taking a big timed test.

Cost: It depends on the program. Some are free for local adults.
Who can use it: Adults in California, Connecticut, DC, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia.
How to start: On the site, click “Locations,” pick your state, and call a program near you.
Good to know: You need to read and do math at about a high school level first. You’ll take a skills test to start.

If you were homeschooled and don’t have your papers

In most states, homeschool parents make the diploma and transcript themselves. If your parents never made them, lost them, or won’t give them to you, you still have choices.

How to Obtain a Homeschool Diploma and Transcript (CRHE) Guides from the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, a nonprofit started by homeschool graduates. They explain who can give a homeschool diploma, and what to do if your parents won’t.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Read the diploma guide and the transcript guide.
Good to know: CRHE says you may write your own honest transcript. Never sign your parent’s name. If you need a diploma and your parent won’t sign one, a GED or HiSET may be the simplest path.

Homeschooled Adults: What to Do When You Have No Transcripts (The Homeschool Mom) A checklist of places your old records might be hiding.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Go down the list. Search old email. Check cloud drives. Ask your co-op, umbrella school, or online school. Ask if a transcript service was used, like Parchment.
Good to know: This site is written mostly for homeschool parents, but this article is for adult graduates.

If you only do one thing first

Call the National Literacy Directory at 1-877-389-6874 and give your zip code. Ask for a free GED class near you. A teacher can test where you are now, help you study, and tell you your state’s rules. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Watch out for

Fake online diplomas. You can’t buy a real diploma. If a site offers one for a flat fee, for “life experience,” or after a quick unwatched online quiz, it’s a scam. The FTC explains the signs of a diploma scam. Start at ged.com or a local class instead.
Paying before you have ID. Don’t schedule a paid GED or HiSET test until you have a government photo ID. You may be turned away and lose your fee.
Paying for study materials. Free classes, Khan Academy, and your library cover what you need. Ask a librarian if they have free GED practice tests.
Taking the test before you’re ready. Take a practice test first. A free class can tell you when you’re ready.
Thinking a homeschool diploma “doesn’t count.” In most states, a parent-issued homeschool diploma is legal. If an employer asks for a “state” diploma, you can explain that your state lets parents issue them.