New Hampshire: school, college and career rules
New Hampshire requires 20 credits (a new table for students entering high school from 2026-27 adds logic and rhetoric, financial literacy and more history) and 70% on the civics naturalization test, tests with the NH SAS and the SAT for every junior, sets in-state tuition after 12 months' domicile, and funds the Governor's Scholarship and UNIQUE grants.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
Ed 306.23 (New Hampshire minimum standards for public school approval): a regular high school diploma goes to students who demonstrate the required competencies across at least 20 credits. Students entering high school from 2026-27 follow Table 306-2 below; earlier classes follow Table 306-1 (4 English, 3 math, 6 open electives). Ed 306 readopted by #14150, eff 12-13-24. gc.nh.gov returns 'Web Page Blocked' to India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-09-01 (20260901231738).N.H. Admin. Rules
| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| English | 3.5 credits, including ½ credit in writing |
| Mathematics | 3 credits, including algebraic concepts and at least ½ credit in statistics or data analysis |
| Science | 1 credit physical sciences and 1 credit biological sciences |
| History and government | ½ US history, ½ NH history, ½ civics and 1 credit history, government and constitution of the US and NH |
| World history, global studies or geography | 1 credit |
| Economics and financial literacy | ½ credit each |
| Logic and rhetoric | ½ credit |
| Arts, digital literacy, health and wellness | ½ credit each |
| Physical education | 1 credit |
| Open electives | 4 credits, including an option for career connected learning |
20 credits.
State tests for the diploma
No exit exam on the core subjects, but RSA 189:11 makes every student pass a local civics competency assessment and score at least 70% on the 128-question (2020) USCIS civics naturalization test to receive a diploma. Ed 306 readopted by #14150, eff 12-13-24. gc.nh.gov returns 'Web Page Blocked' to India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-09-01 (20260901231738).N.H. Admin. Rules
Also good to know
- Every high school student must carry at least the equivalent of 3 credits a year, except students with an IEP, approved early graduates or special cases set by local school board policy.
N.H. Admin. Rules
N.H. Code Admin. R. Ed 306.23, Graduation Requirements (Tables 306-1 and 306-2)New Hampshire General Court (Office of Legislative Services), rules of the Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Ed 306 readopted by #14150, eff 12-13-24. gc.nh.gov returns 'Web Page Blocked' to India; read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-09-01 (20260901231738).
View source - RSA 189:11 also requires a half-year civics course and a one-year course in the history, government and constitutions of the United States and New Hampshire for graduation; public schools give the civics test the Department of Education provides.
N.H. RSA
RSA 189:11, Instruction in National and State History and Government, and CivicsNew Hampshire General Court- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Read from the Internet Archive capture of 2026-08-04 (20260804003810); amended through 2025, 141:228.
View source
State test: NH SAS and the SAT
New Hampshire Statewide Assessment System (NH SAS) and SAT School Day. RSA 193-C and federal law require a standardized state test every year. NH SAS covers English language arts and math in grades 3 to 8 and science in grades 5, 8 and the second year of high school; in the third year of high school every student takes the state-provided SAT School Day. NHED
View source
| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| NH SAS | English language arts and mathematics | Grades 3–8 |
| NH SAS | Science | Grades 5 and 8 and the second year of high school |
| SAT School Day | Reading and writing, and math | Third year of high school (usually juniors) |
Source: NHED
View source
What the scores are used for
- SAT scores count for both federal and state accountability, and students may also send them to colleges for admission.
NHED
Office of Assessment (statewide assessments)New Hampshire Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- University System of New Hampshire (USNH)University system · The University of New Hampshire (UNH Durham, a land-, sea- and space-grant research university, plus UNH Manchester, the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law in Concord and the online UNH College of Professional Studies), Plymouth State University and Keene State College, New Hampshire's public liberal arts college.
- Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH)Community colleges · Seven public community colleges across the state, all accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, with more than 200 associate degree and certificate programs and over 21,000 learners a year.
Sources: USNH
View sourceCCSNH
View source
Every school in New Hampshire, public and private, with cost and completion: 30 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 3 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- USNH Board of Trustees policy IV.E: a student pays the in-state rate only after being domiciled in New Hampshire for 12 consecutive months immediately before registering for the term, and the residence must be for some purpose other than the temporary one of getting an education.
USNH
Board of Trustees policy IV.E, Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes (Residency Rules)University System of New Hampshire- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- An un-emancipated student's domicile is that of the parent (birth-certificate parent, legal guardian or the person who claims the student as a tax dependent); students are presumed emancipated at 24. The applicant carries the burden of proof and files a notarized residency statement.
USNH
Board of Trustees policy IV.E, Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes (Residency Rules)University System of New Hampshire- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- Under RSA 187-A:20-c a veteran who sets up a residence in New Hampshire gets the in-state rate at once, without the 12-month wait.
USNH
Board of Trustees policy IV.E, Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes (Residency Rules)University System of New Hampshire- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the New Hampshire State Treasury (College Tuition Savings Plan Advisory Commission). Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
Governor's Scholarship Program
For New Hampshire high school graduates or recent graduates who enroll full-time at a participating New Hampshire college: $2,000 a year for first-year, Pell-eligible students with the New Hampshire Scholar designation and $1,000 a year for other eligible students, for up to four years. NH Treasury
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UNIQUE Annual Allocation Program (UAAP)
Need-based scholarship for New Hampshire residents eligible for federal aid in undergraduate programs at approved New Hampshire institutions: $3,500 for full-time students in 2026-27, prorated for part-time. Students apply through the college financial aid office. NH Treasury
View source
Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a New Hampshire license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | New Hampshire board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | New Hampshire Supreme Court, Office of Bar Admissions | Uniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 79). NextGen UBE from July 2028. NCBENew Hampshire: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | New Hampshire Board of Medicine | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | New Hampshire Board of Accountancy | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | New Hampshire Board of Nursing | NCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since Jan. 19, 2018 NCSBNContact New Hampshire Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
State of NH Job Board
New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services, Division of Personnel
- Search and apply for state jobs, from public safety and healthcare to transportation, the environment and IT, on the State of NH Job Board at das.nh.gov/jobsearch.
- Questions about the application go to the Division of Personnel (603-271-3261, nhjobs@das.nh.gov).
Source: NH DAS
View source
Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
New Hampshire has no State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs here. California is listed under both OA and SAA.Apprenticeship.gov
- New Hampshire Apprenticeship Office (U.S. Department of Labor)New Hampshire has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency: the U.S. Department of Labor's New Hampshire Apprenticeship Office registers and oversees programs.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: Apprenticeship.gov
View source
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- New Hampshire: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact New Hampshire Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- N.H. Code Admin. R. Ed 306.23, Graduation Requirements (Tables 306-1 and 306-2) · New Hampshire General Court (Office of Legislative Services), rules of the Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- RSA 189:11, Instruction in National and State History and Government, and Civics · New Hampshire General Court checked 2026-10-22
- Office of Assessment (statewide assessments) · New Hampshire Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Our Institutions · University System of New Hampshire checked 2026-10-22
- About CCSNH · Community College System of New Hampshire checked 2026-10-22
- Board of Trustees policy IV.E, Classification of Students for Tuition Purposes (Residency Rules) · University System of New Hampshire checked 2026-10-22
- Scholarship Programs (UNIQUE Annual Allocation, UNIQUE Endowment Allocation, Governor's Scholarship) · New Hampshire State Treasury checked 2026-10-22
- State of NH Job Board · New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services, Division of Personnel checked 2026-10-22
- State Offices: Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agency contacts by state · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21
- The Apprenticeship System: Office of Apprenticeship (OA) and recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) states · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21