Have you completed all the certification requirements?

Please go through the checklist below to make sure you have completed all the steps to Initial Certification. Any missing items may delay your certification recommendation from The University of Texas at Austin to the Texas Education Agency.

Certification Checklist

The University of Texas at Austin College of Education recommends teacher certifications to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) after all of the following occur:

You pass all of the required Certification Exams.
Your final degree or grades(depending on program type) are successfully posted to The University of Texas at Austin transcripts.
You complete the Certification Application on the TEA Website. This step should only be completed after students have completed all program requirements and coursework.
You complete the TEA required Fingerprinting process. If you completed Substitute Teacher Fingerprinting with your school district during student teaching, then you will not need to repeat this step. Please note that you will need a valid SSN to complete the fingerprinting AND certification processes.

Undergraduate certification requirement: the successful posting of your bachelor degree. If you want to know when your degree posts online, and when recommendations for certification will begin, click here for degree posting information.

Certification Timeline: All students who have graduated and successfully completed all requirements in the certification checklist will be recommended within 7-10 business days of the degree posting date. Students who have not completed all checklist items will be recommended at a later date. Students are certified by TEA within 3-5 business days of receiving the University Recommendation. Online Access to certification statuses is available through the https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/certification/certificate-lookup

Important

Students who graduated more than three years ago without certifying are required to submit an appeal to the Former Student Appeals Committee before recommendations for taking exams and/or getting certified can be granted. Due to policy and state law changes, former students may be required to complete additional coursework and/or testing. All decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. For more information regarding the Appeal Process, please contact the COE Certification Officer.

Students who are graduating in the current semester and have completed all requirements and need an Anticipation Letter for a job offer, please contact the COE Certification Officer.

Certification lasts for five years. Students will need to renew their certificate through TEA after five years. You can find more information on the renewal process on the TEA website.

Students who plan to teach outside of Texas are strongly encouraged to take the appropriate TExES exams and complete the certification process. Students who complete an educator preparation program in Texas will not be granted certification in other states unless they have first certified in Texas. In addition, you’ll want to be familiar with the Certification and Licensing Requirements for Working in Other States . It is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek the most up-to-date information and guidance regarding state licensure or certification requirements. Separate from educational requirements, state licensure boards may require applicants to complete professional examinations, background checks, years of professional experience, jurisprudence exams, etc.

Military Service, Training, or Education

In accordance with 19 TAC 228.35 (a)(5), the College of Education evaluates, and may accept, military service, training, or education toward fulfillment of program prerequisite admission requirements. Military service, training, or education must be directly related to the certificate being sought and may not take the place of certification examinations. Service, training, or education may not count as part of internship, clinical teaching, or practicum requirements and must be provided by an approved Educator Preparation Program or accredited institution of higher education within the past five years. The Program Director will determine whether or not military service, training, or education is relevant and could be used as a substitution.

Questions?

Please contact the COE Certification Officer.
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