The General Educational Development (GED®) Program provides people who have not completed high school an opportunity to obtain a High School Equivalency Diploma. Candidates are required to take a battery of five (5) tests -

• Writing Skills (75 minute multiple-choice and 45 minute essay)
• Social Studies (70 minutes)
• Science (80 minutes)
• Literature (65 minutes)
• Mathematics (90 minutes)

Temple offers the GED® Tests in three (3) languages - English, Spanish and French.

At Temple, GED® Testing is offered on Saturdays (English and Spanish) and Fridays (French) at the Main Campus. All testing is by appointment only. To arrange for GED® Testing at Temple, call 215.204.8613, Monday-Friday, between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm. NEW!! Express GED® Testing <-- Click link for more details.

• If you have not taken a GED® Test at Temple in the past 5 years (or have never tested), your first step will be to register.
• To register you must provide the following -
  • Proof of Pennsylvania Residency
  • Proof of Age (at least 18 years old). *See below for exceptions.
  • Government-Issued Photo Identification (current)
  • Social Security Card
  • Signature
  • Payment
• Registration may take at least an hour and occurs on scheduled Saturday test dates at 9 am, 10 am, 11 am and 12 pm only. Call the telephone number above for Registration dates.
• If you have tested at Temple in the past 5 years, it may be possible for you to call for an appointment. Call the telephone number above for details.

NOTE:
- If you have previously tested at a location other than Temple, you must bring an official Score Report issued by the Department of Education from the state where you tested, when you come to register.
- You may only take a particular test a maximum of 3 times within a calendar year.

FEE: The battery of five (5) tests costs $65, and each test/retest costs $13.

The minimum age to take the GED® Tests is 16. Candidates who are 16 or 17 years old may only test if they submit written verification from their school superintendent or principal stating that they are withdrawn from school AND a written request from one (1) of the following:

• an employer for whom high school equivalency must be established for job opportunities,
• a college or university official who will consider enrollment on the basis of GED® test scores,
• a post-secondary educational, technical, and/or training institution official who will consider acceptance on the basis of GED® test scores,
• an Armed Services recruiting official stating a high school equivalency is a prerequisite for induction, or
• the director of a state institution in which the candidate is a resident, patient, or inmate.

These letters must be written on company/school/institution letterhead and signed by the appropriate staff. Persons 16 or 17 years old, who are under the direction of correctional facilities or parole/probation offices, are eligible to take the GED® Test while enrolled in school, if ordered by a court. In Pennsylvania, no persons under the age of 16 are eligible to take the GED® Test.

You must bring both letters when you come to register for the GED® Test.

All official score reports are issued by the Commonwealth Diploma Program, Department of Education, 333 Market Street, 12th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126.

Candidates usually receive their GED® Testing score report three (3) weeks after the test date. To receive a diploma, candidates must obtain at least 410 standard score points on each individual test, and a total of at least 2250 standard score points on the battery of five tests.

If a candidate fails, he/she should wait at least 90 days before retesting in a particular subject. Retests in any subject must be taken with a different form of the test. Candidates are encouraged to consider preparatory manuals and/or tutorial classes as means of sharpening their skills in the areas in which they failed. When a candidate retests, only the highest score of that particular test will be counted.

For more information about the GED® Tests:

• GEDTS - American Council on Education's national GED® Testing Service website
• PA GED® examinee information website

For more information about GED® Testing at Temple University, call 215.204.8613.