Professional/Permanent Teacher Certification

You must complete an approved master’s degree program and obtain 3 years teaching (including your year mentorship) within 5 years of being awarded your Initial certificate in order to be eligible for Professional certification.

If you already hold an Initial or Provisional certificate in the area in which you are applying for your Professional/Permanent certificate AND you received that certificate based on the completion of a UAlbany program ONLY, see below. All other applicants please click here.

University Requirements

In order to be recommended for Professional certification, the following steps must be followed and the forms indicated below must be received by the Office of Graduate Studies

1. Verify that you completed an “Approved” Preparation Program. If your program is NOT on this list, please see Application Procedures for Graduates of Other Programs. 
2. Release Form
3. Recommendation Request Form
4. School Violence Prevention (SAVE) and Child Abuse workshop documentation. If you were certified after 2001, then a copy of your current certificate is sufficient

Please mail your University recommendation forms and fee to:
Office of Graduate Studies
UAB 121
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222

Completion of an “approved” teacher preparation program after 2004 is required before a recommendation can be made. Click here for a complete list.

New York State Education Department Requirements

1. New York State Certification Exams
2. Fingerprint clearance from the New York State Education Department
3. Application on TEACH (including $50 fee for each certificate you apply for). Please use the information on the “Required Information” sheets for the program codes.
   1. Create a TEACH Account: To access your personal information, test scores, fingerprint clearance, and to apply online for fingerprinting and teaching certification you must create a TEACH account. To do so, please visit http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/selfreg.html and follow the instructions.
   2. Edit and update your account including education and employment information. If you do not update your education information, you will not be able to successfully apply.  For your Program Code, please click here.
   3. Apply and pay the State Ed application fee on TEACH. For your Program Code and applicant information, please click here.

You must complete 175 hours of professional development every five years in order to maintain your Professional certification. Please visit http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/maintaincert-prof.html for more information

Teacher Education

Pupil's Personnel and Administrative Certificates