The Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) is a Canadian education credential that meets industry standards as a replacement for the General Educational Development (GED). The CAEC tests offer adults a way to obtain a high school equivalency diploma recognized by Alberta Education.
Portage College offers CAEC prep support through the CALP offices at various locations and can administer CAEC tests in Lac La Biche or Cold Lake.
Many employers will accept the CAEC in place of a high school diploma, and some college programs accept the CAEC in place of a prerequisite.
CAEC candidates:
- must be 18 or older
- must not have a high school diploma
- must have been out of school for at least 10 consecutive months
Candidates can re-write the CAEC test unlimited times in one calendar year at any CAEC examination site, with a minimum of 14 days between each re-write attempt.
The 6 CAEC Tests (CAEC tests can be written in any order)
Test 1: Reading Total Time: 75 minutes (50 questions)
Test 2: Writing Total Time: 75 minutes (1 persuasive writing task)
Test 3: Social Studies Total Time: 90 minutes (40 questions)
Test 4: Science Total Time: 90 minutes (35 questions)
Test 5 & 6: Mathematics (Part I and Part II) Total Time: 2 hours
- Part I - 12 questions NO calculator, 30 Minutes
- Part II - 30 questions with calculator, 90 Minutes
Each individual CAEC test costs $53.00
All 6 CAEC tests cost $265.00
In Alberta, a passing mark on the CAEC is 450 out of 800 per test. A candidate must score at least 450 on all six tests to be successful in the exam. An official High School Equivalency Diploma from Alberta Education will be mailed within 4 to 6 weeks after passing all six CAEC tests.
If you have questions about CAEC prep support or would like to register, please call toll free 855-497-1160 or contact Stephanie Monteith at 780-623-5535 or email stephanie.monteith@portagecollege.ca
Lac La Biche - Contact Sarah Henson at 780-623-5518 sarah.henson@portagecollege.ca
Cold Lake – Contact Melissa Jones at 780-639-7102 melissa.jones@portagecollege.ca
We acknowledge that Portage College’s service region is on the traditional lands of First Nation Peoples, the owners of Treaty 6, 8 and 10, which are also homelands to the Métis people. We honour the history and culture of all people who first lived and gathered in these lands.