Teacher Program Admissions Criteria
Minimum Prerequisites
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution
- If degree is from another country
- TOEFL Internet Based Test (minimum scores of 24 in speaking; 22 in listening and reading; and 21 in writing)
- Candidates who complete an additional bachelor's degree or higher in U.S. are exempt from TOEFL requirement
- An overall GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale, or 2.75 GPA in the last 60 hours of coursework, and core content GPA of 2.75
- Coursework requirements:
- Core Subjects EC-6/Bilingual Core Subjects EC-6/ESL Core Subjects EC-6/Special Ed. EC-12 – 24 hours of college credit in the core content subjects of math, English, science, and social studies (psychology and sociology do not count)
- Secondary single subject – 24 hours of college credit in the content certification area being sought
- Science 7-12 composite – 36 hours of college credit in specific categories of Life Science, Physical Science, Chemistry, and Earth/Space
- TSI – applicants with a conferred Bachelor’s degree meet the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) exemption; applicants in their last semester of graduating with a Bachelor’s degree or with a degree from another country will need to show evidence of mastery of basic skills
- Clear criminal background check
- Proof of English Language Proficiency shown by:
- Earned college degree in the U.S., or
- Successfully complete interview in English
Step 1: Application – Documents to be Submitted
- $100 Non-refundable Transcript Review Fee
- Application for Enrollment
- Transcripts – Submission of all official (sealed) college transcripts
- If degree from another country – must be reviewed by TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Services provider
- Two (2) letters of recommendation from professional sources, i.e., employers, supervisors, teachers, professors, or school administrators
- Resume
- Submission of PACT scores (if applicable)
Step 2: Interview Phase
- Interview in English
- Bilingual certification applicants will also be interviewed in Spanish
- Teach a 10 minute interactive lesson
- Complete writing sample
- Complete Criminal Background Check form
Step 3: Issuance of Admissions Letter or DNQ Letter
- Letter of Admission will be issued electronically to applicants who meet all the admissions criteria in Step 1 and Step 2.
- DNQ (Does Not Qualify) Letter will be issued electronically to applicants who do not qualify due to deficiencies in either Step 1 and/or Step 2.