A prerequisite course is one that a student must take before moving on to the next level in the topic. The Ministry of Education establishes prerequisite standards to guarantee that students are adequately equipped to take a course at the next level. For example, a student must complete SCH3U before enrolling in SCH4U to guarantee that the student has the foundation to succeed in the higher level course.

Students can learn more about mandatory prerequisites by reviewing the Course Outline for the courses they want to take. A student may enrol in a course without providing required documentation, but they will not be able to access all course content until this evidence is shown to HAC. Depending on the student's experience, a prerequisite requirement may be relaxed, although this is done at the discretion of the HAC Principal.

It is the student's obligation to collect and provide a copy of their Ontario Student Transcript (OST), report card, or credit counselling summary to HAC. These documents demonstrate to HAC that the student has met the prerequisite for the course. If a student or parent requests that a prerequisite be waived, the principal will decide whether or not to waive the prerequisite based on the student's educational level, experience, or maturity. If a student has taken a similar course in another province or country, the prerequisite may be removed based on course equivalency rules. Download the Waiver of Prerequisites Form.