Earn your GED for free while continuing to draw unemployment insurance benefits

The GED Tests make it possible for qualified individuals to earn a high school credential that provides opportunities to pursue higher education, obtain jobs or job promotions, and achieve your personal goals - all while getting paid unemployment insurance benefits.

You can earn your your high school equivalent diploma in as little as a few months. This could be the opportunity you've been looking for to advance your career and life goals. Adult Education providers in South Carolina are ready to help you get your GED at no cost to you.

Why get your GED now?

Get $500 when you earn your GED.
The State of South Carolina will give a $500 bonus payment to unemployment insurance (UI) claimants who earn their GED by June 1, 2023.

Open up more opportunities.
Most employers will not hire someone who does not have either a high school diploma or a GED.

Succeed in work and in life.
The skills you gain in studying for your GED make it possible for you to be successful. Your self-confidence grows. You become aware that you have the ability to set career goals and figure out steps to reach those goals.

Set an example for others to follow.
Family members who are still in school see that education is important. Your determination to make your life better influences others who might be struggling.

Your circumstances may have changed.
Whatever your reasons for leaving high school, some of the challenges and circumstances you faced then may have changed, allowing you time to finish this important life step

You know more now than you did then.
There is a lot to be said for life experience. You know more and have more knowledge than you did in high school. Life skills like paying bills, raising children, preparing food, using smart phone apps, working various jobs and even something as simple as interacting with other people, increases how much more you know now than you did in high school.

Be prepared.
Even if you are sure you will be returning to your old job, or one like it, and even if you have alternate employment plans that do not require a GED, why not use the time unemployed, while continuing to receive UI benefits, to get your GED for free with the support of Adult Education?

Continue receiving your Unemployment Insurance benefits.
Studying for and taking the GED tests does not disqualify you from receiving UI. Now is the time to expand your opportunities while continuing to receive benefits.

More details that you may want to know

What subjects are on the test?
The test includes information that you are already working with every day, in both your employment and your home. They are Math, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts.  

How long does it take to get your GED?
You might be able to earn your GED in less than three months. How long it takes to get your GED depends on what skills you already have. It also depends on the number of hours you study each week.

How long does it take to take the test?
If you take all four subjects in one day (which is recommended), it takes less than a workday to complete. The test itself is a 7- hour test with four sections. While that may seem like a lot, if you consider the fact that you could be setting yourself up for a job paying nearly $7,000 more than jobs for which you have been qualified for in the past, then you are talking about earning $7,000 for less than one day’s worth of work, all while being paid your unemployment benefits that week.

I'm not good at studying or don’t know how to prepare for the GED tests.
Preparation and attitude are key to succeeding on your GED exam. Take practice tests to find out what you know and what you don’t. Then, study only what you need to learn. Each of the four content areas is tested and scored separately. If you do not pass one test, you only need to retake that test, not all four. And Adult Education is with you every step of the way. Studying, registering, classes and guidance. Our job is to empower you to pass.