How Teachers are Certified
Teacher certification in Ontario is regulated by the Ontario College of Teachers.
Initial Teacher Education
Teachers who wish to teach in Ontario's publicly funded elementary or secondary schools must complete a teacher education program within or outside Ontario.
Once they have successfully completed a teacher education program, teachers apply to the College for certificate, which is their licence to teach in Ontario.
Types of Teaching Certificates
Certificate of Qualification and Registration
The Certificate of Qualification and Registration provides proof of your registration with the College and is your annual licence to teach in Ontario. The College updates and mails it to you each year after receiving your membership fee.
This certificate, which outlines your teaching qualifications, is separated into four sections:
- Degree(s)
- Program of Teacher Education
- Basic Qualifications
- Additional Qualifications
Basic Qualifications (BQ) identify the school system divisions for which you have successfully completed studies in teaching methodology: Primary (Grades K-3), Junior (Grades 4-6), Intermediate (Grades 7-10) and Senior (Grades 11-12) or Technological Education (Grades 9-10 and Grades 11-12).
Every Ontario teacher must be qualified in at least two consecutive divisions, for example, Primary/Junior.
Junior/Intermediate teachers must also be qualified in at least one teaching subject from the list of academic subjects; teachers in the Intermediate/Senior division must be qualified in two teaching subjects.
Additional Qualifications (AQ) identify courses in education methodology or administration completed after pre-service training.
If you complete an Additional Qualification course during the year, it will be listed on the Certificate of Qualification and Registration you receive the following year.
Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration
The Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration (TCQR) is designed for teacher candidates who have successfully completed at least 30 credits or their equivalent and 40 practicum days of their initial teacher education program.
The TCQR is valid for 18 months, with the possibility of a one-time, six-month extension that would be granted by the College. Members who hold a TCQR must also maintain their membership in good standing.
Teacher candidates are only eligible to request a TCQR after the College has received a report from their faculty of education.
Up to 20 days of teaching under a TCQR can be counted towards meeting practicum requirements in the member's teacher education program.
For more information about the TCQR, including how to request one or how to convert one to a general Certificate of Qualification and Registration, please visit our
FAQs.
Multi-Session Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration
The Multi-Session Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration (MTCQR) is designed for teacher candidates who have completed the first session of a multi-session teacher education program, with the first session consisting of a practicum of a minimum of 10 days and 12 postsecondary credits or their equivalent.
Teacher candidates are only eligible to request an MTCQR after the College has received a report from their faculty of education.
The MTCQR is valid for six years, with the possibility of a one-time, one-year extension that would be granted by the College. Members who hold an MTCQR must also maintain their membership in good standing.
For more information about the MTCQR, including how to request one or how to convert one to a general Certificate of Qualification and Registration, please visit our FAQs.
Adding Additional Qualifications
When you complete an Additional Qualification course, the faculty of education or other provider automatically sends electronic confirmation to the College that you have successfully completed the course. If you included your email address when you opened a personal account in the Members' Area of the College website, we will notify you when the AQ is added to your record.
Your Additional Qualifications appear on your record on Find a Teacher and on your printable teaching certificate in the Members' Area of the College website.
The Additional Qualification appears on your Certificate of Qualification and Registration the following year. If you prefer, you may request an updated certificate immediately. The fee for this service is $24. It takes about two weeks.
