High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) (formerly GED®)
Begin working on your High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) and get started on the life you deserve.
Iowa Central Community College, along with all Iowa community colleges, offers HSED (High School Equivalency Diploma) classes to assist students in completing the five HiSET sub test areas in a computer based test format. The HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) offers students the same High School Equivalency Diploma from the state of Iowa as GED® has in the past.
The Adult Education/Literacy Program offers free services in the Iowa Central Community College area. Students must be 17 years or older to take the HiSET tests unless there is a court order.
- Free HSED classes are offered in four counties. Students study with trained instructors in Fort Dodge, Storm Lake, Eagle Grove, and Webster City to successfully complete the five HiSET subtest areas: Writing, Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies. Students participate in Math, Writing, and Reading academies with targeted instruction for these subtests. Official HISET tests are administered in Fort Dodge, Webster City, and Storm Lake. Additional online study is available to students attending face-to-face classes.
For more information about the HiSET please check out: http://hiset.ets.org/test_takers
5 Steps Towards Earning Your High School Equivalency Diploma
Step 1: Fill out the Iowa Learner Registration Form
Click here to fill out the Iowa Learner Registration Form
Step 2: Attend an Orientation
All students must register and attend orientation to join a class.
2025-2026 Fort Dodge HSED Orientation and Class Sessions:
All students must register and attend orientation to join a class.
Fort Dodge
Susan Doyle
515-574-1263
doyle@iowacentral.edu
- Day Class Orientations: 9:00am - 12:00pm
(will start promptly at 9:00am)
- April 24, 2025
- July 10, 2025
- August 28, 2025
- October 9, 2025
- November 20, 2025
- January 22, 2026
- March 5, 2026
- April 23, 2026
- Night Class Orientations: 5:30pm - 8:30pm (will start promptly at 5:30pm)
- April 21, 2025
- July 7, 2025
- August 25, 2025
- October 6, 2025
- November 17, 2025
- January 19, 2026
- March 2, 2026
- April 20, 2026
2025-2026 Storm Lake HSED Orientation and Class Sessions:
Students are required to come to an orientation and take a reading and math placement test before they can start classes.
To register for Storm Lake contact:
Elizabeth Peterson
515-574-1961
peterson_e@iowacentral.edu
Text 515-373-1270
- Day Class Orientations: 9:00am - 12:00pm (will start promptly at 9:00am)
- Orientation: Thursday July 10, 2025 | Testing: Friday July 11, 2025
- Orientation: Thursday September 11, 2025 | Testing: Friday September 12, 2025
- Orientation: Thursday December 4, 2025 | Testing: Friday December 5, 2025
- Orientation: Thursday February 12, 2026 | Testing: Friday February 13, 2026
- Orientation: Thursday April 9, 2026 | Testing: Friday April 10, 2026
- Night Class Orientations: 5:00pm - 8:00pm (will start promptly at 5:00pm)
- Orientation: Tuesday July 8, 2025 | Testing: Wednesday July 9, 2025
- Orientation: Tuesday September 9, 2025 | Testing: Wednesday September 10, 2025
- Orientation: Tuesday December 2, 2025 | Testing: Wednesday December 3, 2025
- Orientation: Tuesday February 10, 2026 | Testing: Wednesday February 11, 2026
- Orientation: Tuesday April 7, 2026 | Testing: Wednesday April 8, 2026
2025-2026 Webster City Orientations and Class Sessions:
All students must register and attend orientation to join a class.
Webster City contact:
Paula Persell-Brain 515-832-1632 ext. 2826
persell-brain@iowacentral.edu
- Day Class Orientations: 9:00am
- April 22, 2025
- July 10, 2025
- August 28, 2025
- October 9, 2025
- November 20, 2025
- January 22, 2026
- March 5, 2026
- April 23, 2026
- Night Class Orientations: 4:00pm
- April 24, 2025
- July 10, 2025
- August 28, 2025
- October 9, 2025
- November 20, 2025
- January 22, 2026
- March 5, 2026
- April 23, 2026
Step 3: Attend free HSED classes in...
| Where | Day/Time | Location |
| Fort Dodge | M, T, W, TH 9:00am-12:00pm OR 5:00pm-7:30pm |
Iowa Central Fort Dodge Campus Applied Science & Technology Building, Room 410 Fort Dodge, IA 50501 |
| Storm Lake | M, T, W, TH 9:00am-12:00pm OR 5:00pm-7:30pm |
Storm Lake Learning Center |
| Webster City | T, TH @ 9:00am-12:00pm OR T, TH @ 4:00pm-7:00pm |
Iowa Central Webster City Campus 1725 Beach Street Chelesvig Building Room 103 Webster City, IA 50595 |
Step 4: Obtain HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) approval
HiSET test candidates will:
- Qualify for each HiSET subtest by taking official practice tests in class
- Complete a paper pre-registration in class
- Have a current state-issued photo identification
- 17 & 18 year olds must turn in documentation of high school withdrawal before pre-registration
- Register online for HiSET – this will done in class with an instructor’s guidance
Step 5: Begin testing
- Testing is FREE to the student. Each of the five HiSET subtests will be scheduled through the HiSET online website and the cost of testing will be paid for by Iowa Central.
- HiSET testing is offered at the below sites:
- Fort Dodge
- Storm Lake
- Webster City
- Testers must bring their Iowa Verification for HSED test form and photo ID to the testing site.
Questions or Comments? Need more info?
Click to fill out our HSED Form with any questions you may have.
We Value Your Feedback
AEL Student Support Survey HSED Student Exit Form
I got recommended for the robotics program from someone I know that took the same program. So I took a campus visit and I was very impressed.
