Diploma Exams

Alberta Grade 12 diploma exams are mandatory for students to receive a final transcript mark in diploma exam courses. Students must register themselves in myPass for their diploma exam.

APRIL WRITING CENTRES

Vista Virtual School – South (school code 1558) – Calgary
Details coming soon

Vista Virtual School – North (school code 1682) – Barrhead
mâmawapôwin – Barrhead Outreach
5219 49 St, Barrhead AB

⚠️ Please do not go to the VVS Calgary campus for your diploma exam unless you have been instructed to do so.

DEVICE SETUP

Important: English, French, and Social Studies Part A diploma exams are accessed online (but still supervised in person). Students can bring their own device (laptop or Chromebook, no iPads or phones) or arrange to borrow a VVS Chromebook.

  • If you are bringing your own device, please ensure that it is fully prepared with the required software and settings before arrival.
  • At the exam, you will need to connect to the Wi-Fi and log in to Vretta.
  • After logging in, you will receive a unique code (provided verbally at the writing centre) to access your exam.

SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

Software RequirementDescriptionAction Required
Respondus Lockdown browser
Must be installed on the personal device (laptop or Chromebook) you will bring to the exam BEFORE coming to the WCClick here for installation instructions. Contact techsupportstudent@pembinahills.ca if assistance is needed.
Old Safe Exam Browser If you have used your laptop or Chromebook for a diploma exam before (or are borrowing one from someone who has), please ensure you remove any old Safe Exam Browser versions, as the Respondus lockdown Browser is now being used.Click here to uninstall earlier versions.
Vretta System FamiliarizationIf borrowing a Chromebook, we strongly recommend you familiarize yourself with the Vretta system. This will help ensure you are prepared for the exam.Click here to familiarize yourself with Vretta.

REGISTRATION

Students must register themselves in myPass for their chosen diploma exam session.

DIPLOMA EXAM DATES

2025/2026 Diploma Exam Schedule

  • Diplomas are offered in January, April, June, August and November.
  • Not all exams are offered at all sessions.
  • Dates and times for all diploma sessions are set by Alberta Education, and all schools must adhere to that schedule.

REGISTRATION DATES

Diploma ExamRegistration DeadlineStatus
January 2026October 31, 2025CANCELLED
April 2026February 17, 2026OPEN
June 2026April 8, 2026OPEN
August 2026July 6, 2026CLOSED

Students have until 3:00 p.m. MT on the registration deadline to register for their diploma exams in myPass. Those who miss the deadline must contact vvsupport@pembinahills.ca to be added to the waitlist. Please be advised that walk-in students will not be accepted.

REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. LOGIN TO YOUR MYPASS ACCOUNT

  • Don’t have a myPass account? Visit our myPass page to set one up.
  • Once logged in, follow the prompts to register for a diploma exam.

2. SELECT YOUR WRITING CENTRE

  • Vista Virtual School (VVS) has two Writing Centres:
    • Vista Virtual School – South (school code 1558) – Calgary
    • Vista Virtual School – North (school code 1682) – area of Pembina Hills School Division (Barrhead or Westlock)
  • Non-primary students should first ask their primary school if they can write their diploma exams there. If not, they may register at a VVS Writing Centre.
  • If you cannot attend a VVS Writing Centre, contact your local school to ask about supervision. Schools are not required to do this, and you should not register without their approval.
  • Do not register at Alberta Education’s Provincial Writing Centres. Students are expected to write diploma exams at a VVS Writing Centre for VVS courses.

3. GRANTING PERMISSION

  • Enter Steven Kaplan, VVS Principal as permitting you to register at one of the VVS Writing Centres.

EXAM FEE INFORMATION

  • REWRITE FEE: If you are rewriting a diploma exam, you must submit the Alberta Education rewrite fee in myPass.
  • ALBERTA EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION FEE: International or Out-of-Province students are required to submit the Alberta Education administration fee in myPass for first-time diploma exam writing and for rewriting each diploma exam.
  • VVS DIPLOMA EXAM FEE: Adult and International students have a $60 non-refundable, non-transferable fee (per diploma exam) to access the VVS writing centre. This will be added to your student ledger in PowerSchool.

WRITING DIPLOMA EXAMS

WHERE TO GO

Registered students will be emailed the exact VVS Writing Centre location closer to the exam dates.

  • VVS books locations such as universities or community halls to accommodate exam writers
  • Most diploma exams are not written at the VVS Calgary campus due to limited space.

WHEN TO ARRIVE

We strongly recommend arriving early to make sure that you have sufficient time to get set up before the exam begins.

  • Morning Exams: Arrive at 8:30 a.m. for exams that start at 9:00 a.m. Students cannot be admitted after 10:00 a.m.
  • Afternoon Exams: Arrive at 12:30 p.m. for exams that start at 1:00 p.m. Students cannot be admitted after 2:00 p.m.

WHAT TO BRING

PHOTO IDENTIFICATION

  • Bring a passport, driver’s license, provincial ID card, school ID, etc.
  • You will be required to sign in and show photo ID before the exam

LAPTOP or CHROMEBOOK

  • English, French, or Social Studies Part A only.
  • Students can bring their own device (laptop or Chromebook, no iPads or phones) set up with the required software and settings.
  • You can also arrange to use a VVS Chromebook instead.

DICTIONARY, THESAURUS, AND APPROVED WRITER’S HANDBOOK

  • English, French, or Social Studies Part A only.
  • Vretta provides a dictionary and thesaurus.
  • You may bring your own (they will be checked before use).

APPROVED CALCULATOR

  • Math and Sciences only.
  • Calculator memory will be cleared before and after the exam.
  • You may also bring a ruler and a protractor.

Review the Diploma Exam Guide for Students for a full list of what is allowed. 

Accommodation Information

Exam accommodations are approved and offered to students who supply Vista Virtual School with the required documentation. This may include:

  • Educational Assessments (5 years old or less)
  • A School Support Plan (current or from your last school year)
  • A Medical Note (less than 1 year old)

Exam accommodations must be used for VVS school exams. If VVS is not able to confirm that you received accommodations for school exams, Alberta Education may decline to provide accommodations for diploma exams.

Students with extensive exam accommodations may be able to write their diploma exam at our Calgary campus. Availability is limited, particularly in June and August. To apply for special accommodations for your diploma exam, please email vvsupport@pembinahills.ca or call 1-855-974-5333 x5317.

Please note that we do NOT offer isolation for writing diploma exams.

All students are permitted to use double time for diploma exams without applying for exam accommodations.

 

Special Writing Centres

Students are required to write their diploma exam at an accredited Alberta Education school. There are writing centres throughout Alberta, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and at Alberta Accredited International Schools.

In extenuating circumstances, VVS students may be permitted to use a Special Writing Centre. This is a highly detailed application process with strict Alberta Education rules that must be followed.

  • Requests must be made at least three months in advance and are subject to approval by our principal.
  • Students must provide a letter explaining why they must write the diploma exam and why they cannot come to Alberta to do so.
  • Students are responsible for finding a Special Writing Centre location. It must be an academic organization or similar institution which has the experience and capacity to administer large-scale assessments. Written evidence and photographs of the space will be required.
  • Special Writing Centre supervisors must be employed by the approved organization or institution, in a position of authority (e.g. teacher, assistant principal, or principal), and provide proof of employment. Supervisors must also be fluent in reading and speaking English or French, depending on the language of the diploma exam(s).
  • Students must have a final school-awarded mark in the course for which the diploma exam will be written prior to the exam date.
  • All diploma exams administered at a Special Writing Centre will be administered in a digital format. A practice test must be successfully completed before the diploma exam.

If you can meet the above requirements, please email vvsupport@pembinahills.ca to request the Special Writing Centre application.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are diploma exams the same as course final exams?

  • No, diploma exams are separate from course final exams. Students must write both to complete their course.

2. Do I need to register for the diploma exam?

  • Yes, registration is required to write a provincial diploma exam during one of the scheduled exam sittings.

3. How is my final mark calculated?

  • Your final mark will be a combination of both your course mark and diploma exam mark. Both are needed to appear on your transcript.

4. Can adult upgrading students challenge diploma exams?

  • Yes, adult upgrading students can challenge diploma exams. Proper preparation is recommended.

5. Can I use a previous diploma exam mark if I’m upgrading my course mark?

  • If you have already completed a diploma exam for the course, you may be able to use your previous diploma exam mark when upgrading your course mark.

6. Do I still need to write a diploma exam if I have already completed my high school diploma?

  • Yes, even if you have achieved your high school diploma, you must write the diploma exam for each course.

Home / Student & Parent Information / Exams / Diploma Exams