Maine HiSET® Requirements

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About the Maine HiSET® Exam

Earn the credential your future needs with the HiSET® High School Equivalency Test.

If you want to find a better job or take the first step on a pathway to a career, then you need to earn a high school equivalency credential. It is required for college and more important than ever to employers. Taking the HiSET exam can help change your life and expand your opportunities like it’s done for other test takers.

See the Maine high school equivalency testing program website for more information.

Maine Eligibility Requirements

To take the HiSET exam in Maine, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Access your myHiSET account below

Age

You must be at least 17 years of age to take the HiSET exam.

Residency

You do not have to be a resident of Maine to take the HiSET exam. However, you must take at least one of the five HiSET subtests from a Maine test center and meet all eligibility requirements for the state of Maine to be eligible to be awarded the Maine High School Equivalency Diploma. Maine residents must provide proof of Maine residency in order to take the HiSET exam for free.

Practice Test

You must first take and pass the Official HiSET Practice Test at a local adult education test center or provide similar evidence (to the satisfaction of the local Maine test center) of preparation for testing. Local test centers may impose additional requirements concerning age waivers, initial testing, and retesting through local school board policies. Check with your test center for details.

Test Preparation or Instruction

Other than the Official HiSET Practice Test, Maine does not require any test preparation or instruction to take the initial test. Test takers are encouraged to prepare for the HiSET exam at a local adult education site. Maine adult education programs provide comprehensive academic services at little or no cost to the test taker and encourage instruction before retesting.

Identification

You must present identification on test day at the HiSET test center. Outdated or expired identification will not be accepted. Acceptable evidence includes:

valid State of Maine ID
driver’s license
passport
military ID
other form of government issued (national or foreign) identification that shows name, address, date of birth, signature and photograph

Language Testing

In Maine, the HiSET exam is only available in English.

HiSET Maine Testing Options and Fees

There is no fee to take the HiSET exam if you are a resident of Maine.

If you are a resident of Maine with proof of Maine residency, you are not required to pay a fee for any HiSET exam attempt, regardless of whether you’re taking your first attempt or a retest attempt.

Note, you will be required to show proof of residency to take the HiSET for free.

Total fees per paper subtest

$60

Total expected fees to complete the HiSET assuming no retake attempts and completion in a single calendar year:

$300

Subtest fee breakdown:

Test Fee:

$45

Test Center Fee:

$15

Test Location:

Test Center

Total fees per computer subtest

$60

Total expected fees to complete the HiSET assuming no retake attempts and completion in a single calendar year:

$300

Subtest fee breakdown:

Test Fee:

$45

Test Center Fee:

$15

Test Location:

Test Center

Retesting

What to know

HiSET test takers may take each subtest a maximum of six (6) times in a calendar year.

How it works

If you take your first official HiSET subtest in the month of January and then take 5 retakes at a test center between February and November, you would not be permitted to take that subtest again until the next calendar year starting in January.

What it costs

You may retake each subtest two times over the 12 months following your first attempt by paying only the test center fee (noted above for each in-person subtest) or the at-home online proctor fee ($17.50 for each at-home subtest). You will be charged the full amount including the Test Fee when scheduling your fourth attempt within the 12 months following your first attempt.