Library High School

Library High School allows adults to earn an accredited high school diploma and career certificate online. The program is free and fully online, meaning you can work at your own pace.

To speak to Library High School staff, please call 858-495-5563 or email libraryhighschool@sdcounty.ca.gov. To speak to a representative from the school district Smart Horizons, call 855-203-7516.

Library High School is open to San Diego County residents 19 years of age or older.

We serve students from unincorporated San Diego County and the cities served by San Diego County Library: Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach, and Vista.

San Diego County Library also has agreements to serve students from Chula Vista, Escondido, and National City.

Students who live within the City of San Diego, Oceanside, or Carlsbad may apply for the Career Online High School program at those city libraries.

It is free to participate in the Library High School program thanks to funding from the California State Library and the San Diego County Library.

No, a library card is not required to enroll in the program. If you are interested in getting a library card, you can obtain one for free at your nearest San Diego County Library branch or email libraryhighschool@sdcounty.ca.gov to request a temporary library card number.

1. Complete the online readiness survey.
2. Enroll in a prerequisite course and pass by scoring 70% or higher. You are required to finish the prerequisite within two weeks of your enrollment in the course.
3. After you complete the prerequisite course, you will be invited to an orientation with library staff to finalize your enrollment.
4. Once you are admitted to the full program, you must successfully complete two courses within the first 30 days of your enrollment.

You will have up to 18 months to finish the program, which consists of 18 credits.

Click here to view our Program Timeline.

It is possible to earn your diploma in as little as five months if you are eligible to transfer credits.

You can transfer up to 14 credits from your former high school or from high school equivalency test sections you have passed (such as the GED test or the HiSET test). A minimum of 4 full credit courses must be taken through Smart Horizons Career Online Education in order to be eligible for a high school diploma.

Career Online High School can only accept official transcripts sent directly from your school or the testing company. Transcripts will not be reviewed until after a student completes an orientation with library staff. Sending transcripts early or sending unofficial copies may delay the student evaluation process.

To request credit from previous high schools: Download the Transcript Request Form and submit it to any past schools you attended (after you have attended an orientation).
To request credit for the GED: Go to the GED website and request your GED transcript.
To request credit for the HiSET test: Go to the HiSET website and request your HiSET transcript.

We recommend looking into this after you have successfully completed the Part 1 prerequisite. Students who have earned high school credits in a foreign country may complete a 'Course by Course' evaluation through the NACES accredited agency of their choice. Once the evaluation is completed, the student can request to have the transcript sent by email, fax, or mail. Email: enrollment@shcoe.org | Fax: (866) 390-6331 | Mail: Smart Horizons Career Online Education, ATTN: Student Services, 1280 SW 36th Ave, Suite 104, Pompano Beach, FL. 33069

Students enrolled in this program must be able to read, speak, and write in English. All students may attempt the prerequisite Part 1 to see if the program will meet their needs. If you would like to improve your English skills, please call 2-1-1 to find a free adult school near you.