A General Education Development (GED) diploma is an avenue for someone who did not complete the traditional high school course of study to get a certificate equivalent to a high school diploma. The Arizona Department of Education administers the GED through local partnerships in an effort to support GED candidates in their aspirations for higher education.
Age
If you're planning on taking the GED in Arizona, you must be at least 16 years old. Anyone 16 or 17 years old must also provide their official withdrawal form from their high school and a notarized letter of permission from their parents. Those 18 or older do not need the additional information.
Residency
To take the GED in Arizona you must be a resident. You can prove your residency with a driver's license or a photo identification. If you don't have that, you can prove residency two other ways. If you've taken a test in Arizona or joined the military after attending an Arizona high school, you may take the GED.
Diploma
If you're taking the GED, you must not already have a high school diploma, as the test is designed for those who did not complete high school. If you're under 18, you'll be asked for proof.
Registration and Fees
Before the test, you must present two forms of identification, which should include your name, address, signature and date of birth. You must verify that you are not enrolled in high school at the time of taking the GED. You must pay your required fees before each test. Fees are set by individual testing centers.
Recommended, but not Required
Since the test takes nearly eight hours and covers five different subjects, GED candidates are urged, but not required, to prepare for the test by attending GED-geared courses or purchasing a GED guidebook. The recommendation is emphasized for those who have been out of high school for some time. The Arizona Department of Education offers face-to-face or distance learning options to prepare for the GED.
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