5 Ways to Earn Your High School Equivalency (HSE) - FREE Louisiana Work Ready U Options

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Aria

Guide to earning a High School Equivalency (HSE) in Louisiana through five approved options. Explains eligibility rules for the HiSET or GED exam by age, along with required enrollment, testing authorization, and practice-test qualifying scores. Covers college placement tests, ACT and Accuplacer benchmarks, college prep courses, and placement-test-plus-courses pathways. Highlights Work Ready U/Adult Education support, time-window limits, and potential cost and aid considerations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

HISET or GED exam

Eligibility requirements by age

College placement test

ACT and Accuplacer score requirements

College prep courses

Developmental or corequisite coursework (C or better)

Placement test + courses

Combining test scores and coursework

How to choose the best option

HOW CAN I EARN MY HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY ( HSE) ? In Louisiana there are 5 ways to earn your High School Equivalency (HSE), and skill-building, HSE preparation classes are FREE through the Louisiana Community and Technical College System ( LCTCS) Work Ready U/Adult Education statewide network of approved providers. HISET OR GED EXAM Age 16-18? You must provide the following for HiSET or GED eligibility: 1) Enrollment in an approved Work Ready U program and/or the required testing authorization. 2) Enrollment in a staterecognized K-12 LA"Options" program AND required testing authorization. 3) HiSET or GED Official Practice Test administered by Work Ready U program with state qualifying scores (Prepared or WellPrepared) . Age 19 or older? You’re eligible to take the HiSET or GED exam without providing additional documentation! Age 18 and older, without a high school diploma? You can learn foundational and highdemand workforce skills while earning your HSE (High School Equivalency) at the same time! 1) Earn an approved Industry Based Credential (IBC) 2) Earn 12 credit hours of career and technical coursework (through course completion and/or earning IBC’s that transfer to course credit) 3) Demonstrate foundational skills in Reading, Writing, and Math through course completion and/or Adult Education assessments COLLEGE PLACEMENT TEST Age 18 or older, and not enrolled in highschool? You can earn the minimum standard score on an approved placement test that is based on the English and Math scores required to demonstrate college readiness in Louisiana* . ACT English = 18 or higher Math = 19 or higher Accuplacer (Next Generation) English = 250 or higher Math (QAS-Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics) = 250 or higher *Test scores must have been earned within 5 years of HSE application date. COLLEGE PREP COURSES Age 18 or older, and not enrolled in highschool? You can demonstrate college readiness by successfully completing developmental or corequisite coursework with a grade of “C” or better in Mathematics and English at an LCTCS college* . Courses need not be taken at the same LCTCS college. For example, you would complete both developmental or corequisite English and Math at any LCTCS college with a grade of C or above (ENGL 0XX + ENGL 1XX, MATH 0XX + MATH 1XX) . *Courses must have been completed within 5 years of HSE application date. PLACEMENT TEST+COURSES Age 18 or older, and not enrolled in highschool? You can demonstrate college readiness in Math and English through a combination of coursework at an LCTCS college and the minimum standard score on an approved placement test* . For example, you could complete a developmental or corequisite English at an LCTCS college with a grade of C or above (College Preparation Coursework) and complete your Math requirement using a satisfactory ACT or Accuplacer score (College Placement Tests) . *Combination of test scores and courses must have been completed within 5 years of HSE application date. WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EACH HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY ( HSE) OPTION? HISET OR GED EXAM Earning minimum scores on either the ACTor Accuplacer test would meet both HSE and college entrance requirements. Accuplacer is a computerbased exam with no time limit, tests 2 subject areas ( Writing and Math), and costs $30 (on average) or is FREE for Work Ready U students. If you attended a Louisiana community or technical college in the past 5 years you may have already completed (with a “C”or better) Math or English developmental or corequisite classes (also called “gateway courses”) . Request an official or unofficial transcript from your LCTCS campus to find out! Because there are so many ways to earn your HSE, your Work Ready U/Adult Education program can help you choose the best option for YOUR goals! We can also connect you with scholarships and other types of financial aid to assist with testing fees, col

FAQs

What are the five ways to earn an HSE in Louisiana?

The options are: HiSET or GED exam, college placement test (ACT/Accuplacer), college prep courses, placement test plus courses, and earning HSE alongside workforce credentials through an approved Work Ready U pathway.

What documentation is required for HiSET or GED eligibility for ages 16–18?

For ages 16–18, eligibility requires enrollment in an approved Work Ready U program and/or required testing authorization, and enrollment in a state-recognized K-12 LA “Options” program plus required testing authorization.

How do ACT and Accuplacer requirements relate to HSE and college readiness?

Meeting minimum scores on ACT or Accuplacer can satisfy both HSE and college entrance requirements. The document lists minimum English and Math benchmarks and notes that required test scores must be earned within five years of the HSE application date.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Aria