How much money will it cost to earn my high school diploma through a program?

If you’re currently incarcerated:

    In a federal prison: As part of the Literacy Program, high school level classes should be available at no cost to you. However, not all facilities offer a high school diploma program; some offer GED study courses instead.[2812]
    In a California state prison: A high school diploma program should be available at no cost to you.[2813]
    In a California county jail: If your facility offers a high school diploma program, it should be available at no cost to you.[2814]

NOTE: While high school diploma programs are generally offered at no cost, if you have a high balance in your trust account, your facility may decide to deduct some or all of the cost for some programs from your account.[2815]

If you’re formerly incarcerated:

Adult high school diploma programs may be available in adult schools or community colleges near you for free or at low cost. Many schools provide adult high school classes for free, and provide books and materials for free as well. Others may charge registration and tuition fees. (However, schools that charge fees may also offer financial aid to low-income students. Check with each school about fees and financial aid.)[2816] Also, community adult literacy programs may offer high school diploma courses and tutoring for free. (For a list of organizations that may offer this service, see Appendix A, PG. 890.)

If you choose a distance learning or correspondence program, regardless of whether you’re incarcerated or in the community, you may need to pay program fees and buy your own materials (for details about distance learning programs in general, see PG. 876).

WARNING: Be careful when choosing a high school diploma program. In recent years, the federal government has shut down several degree programs that were charging money for fake diplomas.[2817] These programs are scams. To avoid being scammed by a fake diploma program, watch out for the following clues[2818]:

!

    If a program lets you get a diploma without taking classes or tests, it is probably fake. The program offers free tests or classes, but charges for the diploma itself. This is a dead giveaway that the program is illegitimate. The program claims to be affilitated with the federal government. The federal government does not offer high school diploma progams. Only the states approve such programs.
  1. 2812

    28 C.F.R. §§ 544.70 (federal inmates who do not have a GED or high school diploma are required to take adult literacy classes), 544.81 (warden shall ensure every inmate with the need, capacity, and time has the opportunity to complete and adult literacy program leading toward a GED or high school diploma). ↑

  2. 2813

    Cal. Dep’t Corr. & Rehab., Operations Manual, 101010.5.4 (2015); High School Diploma (HD) Program, Cal. Dep’t of Corr. & Rehab. Div. of Rehabilitative Programs, www.cdcr.ca.gov/rehabilitation/high-school-diploma.html/. ↑

  3. 2814

    Cal. Veh. Code § 1900 et seq; Adult Education Program Overview, Cal. Dep’t of Educ., http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ae/po/. ↑

  4. 2815

    Interview with Carmen Garcia, Legal Administrative Assistant, Root & Rebound (April 15, 2015). ↑

  5. 2816

    Cal. Veh. Code §§ 52501–52503; Cal. Code Regs. tit. 5 § 10560; Adult Education Program Overview, Cal. Dep’t of Educ., www.cde.ca.gov/sp/ae/po/; Frequently Asked Questions, Cal. Adult Schs., www.californiaadultschools.org/cas/news/45-school-stories/118-faq ↑

  6. 2817

    Federal Trade Commission, FTC Brings Two Actions Against Operators of Online ‘High Schools’ (Feb. 10, 2016), https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/02/ftc-brings-two-actions-against-operators-online-high-schools. ↑

  7. 2818

    Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Information, High School Diploma Scams, https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0539-high-school-diploma-scams. ↑