Help Paying for the CAEC in Ontario: What Exists and How to Ask

What the CAEC costs in Ontario

• Registration: $100 covers all five tests: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
• Second attempt: after you receive results for all five subjects, you can pay $100 for a second attempt at any tests you did not pass.
• Refunds: fees are non-refundable.
• Who can register: adults 18 or older who have lived in Ontario for at least six months.

The test is run by the TVO Independent Learning Centre, and you register through TVO’s CAEC site. Because a retake costs the full $100 again, the cheapest thing you can do is walk in ready. Everything below is about getting there without paying for all of it yourself.

If you receive Ontario Works

Ontario’s own CAEC page says it plainly: “Financial assistance may be available if you receive Ontario Works. Please ask your Ontario Works caseworker.”

That sentence is worth acting on, because Ontario Works has a benefit built for this situation. The Participation Benefit for Employment-Related Expenses helps with the costs of taking part in activities your caseworker approves as steps toward work. Under Ontario’s policy, it can cover things like:

• necessary transportation
• supplies and equipment
• child care that makes it possible for you to take part

The policy sets it at an average of up to $250 a month for each eligible participant, with an advance of up to $500. It is also open to adults in ODSP households who do not have a disability themselves and are taking part in employment activities.

One honest caution: the policy does not name the CAEC test fee, so whether it covers the $100 is your caseworker’s decision. The way to make a yes more likely is to ask for the CAEC to be part of your plan, rather than asking for money on its own.

Get SET: free skills training (formerly Literacy and Basic Skills)

Ontario has renamed its Literacy and Basic Skills program. It is now called Get SET (Skills, Education and Training), so if someone mentions “LBS,” this is the same program.

• Cost: free.
• Who can join: Ontario residents 18 or older whose reading, writing, or math skills are below the Grade 12 level.
• How it works: you meet a service provider, build a learning plan together, and work on reading, writing, math, and digital skills toward further education, training, or work.
• Online option: you can learn online through e-Channel if getting to a centre is hard.

Get SET is not labelled as CAEC prep, and we will not pretend it is. But reading, writing, and math up to Grade 12 are what the CAEC measures, so it is a strong free starting point, especially if math or writing is what has been holding you back. You can request an appointment with a provider through Employment Ontario.

CAEC prep centres and school boards

TVO keeps a list of CAEC preparation centres, about 40 across Ontario plus one online-only option. They are run independently, TVO does not endorse any particular one, and the list does not include prices. Before you sign up, ask each centre two questions: are the classes free, and will you help me register for the test?

Ontario’s CAEC page also suggests contacting your local school board. Adult and continuing education offices are often the quickest way to find a free class near you.

If you are First Nations, Inuit, or Métis

The federal Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program (ISET) funds training through local Indigenous organizations across Canada, and it includes urban and non-affiliated Indigenous people. Each organization decides what it supports, so ask yours directly what it can cover for CAEC preparation and testing. The government keeps a directory of these organizations by province and territory.

A plan that costs you as little as possible

1. Try a free sample test on TVO’s CAEC site, so you know which subject needs the most work.
2. If you receive Ontario Works or live in an ODSP household, ask your caseworker this week, using the words above.
3. Request a Get SET appointment, or call a prep centre near you and ask whether its classes are free.
4. Book the test only when a timed practice attempt clears 55% with room to spare. A retake costs another $100.

Sources

Every fee, rule, and program in this guide comes from these official pages, checked in September 2026.

• Government of Ontario: Canadian Adult Education Credential
• TVO ILC: Earn the CAEC (fees and eligibility)
• Ontario Works Policy Directive 7.4: Employment and Participation Benefits
• Government of Ontario: Get SET (Skills, Education and Training) program
• TVO ILC: CAEC prep centres
• Government of Canada: Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program