Steps to Undergraduate Certification

Students seeking initial teacher certification should enroll in a certification degree program.  Requirements for programs vary, please review the desired degree program page for specific details.  All students seeking certification must earn a degree in their primary teaching field by meeting all requirements for the appropriate major.

Students transferring into the University of Texas at Austin should contact an advisor for a review of their transcripts.  Students who have attended other in-state institutions may check their courses through the Automated Transfer Equivalency page (ATE).

Current UT students who are not currently enrolled in a certification program, but would like to seek certification, must meet with an academic advisor within the college that offers the desired program.  The student must meet all scholastic requirements, and complete internal transfer paperwork.

Current UT students who wish to transfer into the College of Education, Applied Learning and Development certifications programs must have a minimum 2.0 GPA.  Current students who wish to transfer into the College of Education, Kinesiology and Health Education certification program, and have fewer than 36 semester hours, must have a 2.0 or better overall UT GPA.  Students with more than 36 credit hours must have a 3.0 or better overall UT GPA. 

Certification Programs housed in other colleges have varying requirements.  Please contact an academic advisor within those colleges for specific transfer requirements.

Professional Development Sequence

In addition to meeting the minimum coursework and scholastic requirements, students must apply to the Professional Development Sequence (PDS) to complete the certification degree program.  Admission to the PDS is restricted, and the College of Education requires a 2.5 minimum GPA for admittance.  GPA requirements in other colleges vary by program.  Students should contact their academic advisor for admission requirements.
Students must submit the PDS Application online to the Field Experiences office, SZB 294.  Please review the Professional Development Sequence page for further details.

Applying for Certification

All students must apply for certification within three years of completing their PDS.

1. Students should take the required state certification exams during the last semester of the PDS.  Please review the Certification Exams page for the appropriate TExES and registration steps.  Students must pass all required exams before recommendation.

2. Students must complete an Application for Certification Information Card in SZB 216.  This card is currently unavailable online, and must be turned in to the Certification Officer in SZB 216.

3. Students must apply for certification on the Texas Education Agency website.  Digital fingerprinting is part of the process.  There is a $9.95 fee for digital fingerprinting, and $39.50 fee for the background check.

4. All degree coursework must be completed and posted to the student’s official University of Texas at Austin transcript.  Letters of Anticipation are available for Student Teachers in SZB 216.

Students who have completed this all of these steps may be recommended for certification by the University of Texas at Austin Certification Officer once their degrees post.  Students will not be recommended if they have failed to complete a step.

TEA will notify the student once they are certified.  School districts will have access to the student’s “virtual certificate” within a few business days of TEA’s notification.

Students who wait to apply for certification will still go through the same process.  If a student waits longer than three years after finishing coursework to apply, the student’s situation may have to be reviewed.  Additional coursework or field experience may be required before the student can be recommended to the State for certification.

Students with questions on the certification process may contact Laura Mecanick or Elizabeth Edds at (512) 471-3223.

Note: In accordance with Texas Civil Statutes, the Commissioner of Education may suspend or revoke a certificate, or refuse to issue one, for a person who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor for a crime that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the teaching profession.

Steps to Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Students seeking Post-Baccalaureate Certification must already hold an undergraduate degree. Students should apply to the Office of Admissions as Transfer students. Post-Baccalaureate students are classified as degree holders, certification seekers.

Program requirements vary, students seeking certification should contact an academic advisor to review their transcripts before enrolling. A foundation semester of courses before entering the Professional Development may be required.

Professional Development Sequence

In addition to meeting the minimum coursework and scholastic requirements, students must apply to the Professional Development Sequence (PDS) to complete the certification program. Admission to the PDS is restricted, and the College of Education requires a 2.5 minimum GPA for admittance. GPA requirements in other colleges vary by program. Students should contact their academic advisor for admission requirements.
Students must submit the PDS Application online to the Field Experiences office, SZB 294. Please review the Professional Development Sequence page for further details.

Applying for Certification

All students must apply for certification within three years of completing their PDS.

1. Students should take the required state certification exams during the last semester of the PDS. Please review the Certification Exams page for the appropriate TExES and registration steps. Students must pass all required exams before recommendation.

2. Students must complete an Application for Certification Information Card in SZB 216. This card is currently unavailable online, and must be turned in to the Certification Officer in SZB 216.

3. Students must apply for certification on the Texas Education Agency. Digital fingerprinting is part of the process. There is a $9.95 fee for digital fingerprinting, and $39.50 fee for the background check.

4. All coursework must be completed and posted to the student’s official University of Texas at Austin transcript. Letters of Anticipation are available for Student Teachers in SZB 216.

Students who have completed all of these steps may be recommended for certification by the University of Texas at Austin Certification Officer. Students will not be recommended if they have failed to complete a step. Students with questions on the certification process may contact Laura Mecanick or Elizabeth Edds at (512) 471-3223.

TEA will notify the student once they are certified. School districts will have access to the student’s “virtual certificate” within a few business days of TEA’s notification.

Students who wait to apply for certification will still go through the same process. If a student waits longer than three years after finishing coursework to apply, the student’s situation may have to be reviewed. Additional coursework or field experience may be required before the student can be recommended to the State for certification.

Note: In accordance with Texas Civil Statutes, the Commissioner of Education may suspend or revoke a certificate, or refuse to issue one, for a person who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor for a crime that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the teaching profession.

Steps to Graduate Certification

Students seeking initial teacher certification should enroll in a certification degree program.  Requirements for graduate programs vary, please review the desired degree program page and contact the department for specific details.

Professional Development Sequence

In addition to meeting the minimum coursework and scholastic requirements, students must apply to the Professional Development Sequence (PDS) to complete the certification degree program.  Admission to the PDS is restricted, and the College of Education requires a 2.5 minimum GPA for admittance. Students should contact their academic advisor for PDS admission requirements.
Students must submit the PDS Application online to the Field Experiences office, SZB 294.  Please review the Professional Development Sequence page for further details.

Applying for Certification

All students must apply for certification within three years of completing their PDS.

1. Students should take the required state certification exams during the last semester of the PDS.  Please review the Certification Exams page for the appropriate TExES and registration steps.  Students must pass all required exams before recommendation.
2. Students must complete an Application for Certification Information Card in SZB 216.  This card is currently unavailable online, and must be turned in to the Certification Officer in SZB 216.
3. Students must apply for certification on the Texas Education Agency website.  Digital fingerprinting is part of the process.  There is a $9.95 fee for digital fingerprinting, and $39.50 fee for the background check.
4. All degree coursework must be completed and posted to the student’s official University of Texas at Austin transcript. 

Students who have completed this all of these steps may be recommended for certification by the University of Texas at Austin Certification Officer once their degrees post.  Students will not be recommended if they have failed to complete a step. 

TEA will notify the student once they are certified.  School districts will have access to the student’s “virtual certificate” within a few business days of TEA’s notification.

Students who wait to apply for certification will still go through the same process.  If a student waits longer than three years after finishing coursework to apply, the student’s situation may have to be reviewed.  Additional coursework or field experience may be required before the student can be recommended to the State for certification.

Students with questions on the certification process may contact Laura Mecanick or Elizabeth Edds at (512) 471-3223.

Note: In accordance with Texas Civil Statutes, the Commissioner of Education may suspend or revoke a certificate, or refuse to issue one, for a person who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor for a crime that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the teaching profession.

Steps to a Professional Certificate

Students seeking Professional Certificates must already hold an initial certificate and undergraduate degree, and in some cases have completed a minimum of two years teaching experience.

Students should contact department advisors before enrolling in the Professional Certificate programs, completion time varies by program and student.  When students reach the point in their program where they are eligible for the professional exams, they will be notified.

Students must apply for these exams through the Educational Testing Service. Students must designate themselves as a “certificate holder”, instead of a “university-based initial certificate seeker”.

Recommendation

Once all completed coursework with grades (and degree, if applicable) is posted on the University Mainframe, and when all tests are successfully completed, students can be recommended for certification. 

Students must complete an Application for Certification Information Card in SZB 216.  This card is currently unavailable online, and must be turned in to the Certification Officer in SZB 216.

A recommendation form is also sent to the faculty advisors, asking them to sign and confirm that the appropriate courses and possible internships have been completed. 

When the Certification Officer has received both forms, the students will be recommended for certification on the TEA website.  TEA will notify the student directly when the student is certified.

The recommendation process for professional certification often takes longer than two weeks.