Teacher Certification
College Recommendation for NYS Educator Certification
What is College Recommendation?
Students who complete an educator preparation program at 黑料专区 can be recommended for a certificate provided that program has been registered by the New York State Education Department as leading to the designated certificate.听 The college recommendation is entered by the 黑料专区 Teacher Certification Office using the TEACH Online Services system (it is an electronic entry, not a letter).听 Students will be asked to submit a college recommendation request form during the final semester of their program.
When should I request College Recommendation?
During the final semester of your education program and after you have applied for graduation on CUNYFirst.
Spring Graduates听(June 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation:听March 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request:听March 15 鈥 May 15
Summer Graduates听(September 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation:听July 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request:听June 15 鈥 August 1
Fall Graduates听(January 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation:听November 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request:听November 15 鈥 December 15
Winter Graduates听(February 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation:听January 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request:听January 1 鈥 February 1
Important
- All program completers must听apply for graduation听on CUNYFirst.
- Candidates must have created & activated a TEACH account听on the听.
- You must have completed the required NYSED Workshops.
- Your Social Security Number is required to access your TEACH Account.听听If your Social Security Number is not currently available on CUNYFirst please contact the Registrar’s Office to update your account.
- Your name and identifying information (SSN, DOB) must be an exact match on all accounts and documents (TEACH Online, CUNYFirst, Workshops, etc).
- The certification exams are听not听required to receive College Recommendation.
- Check your QC Email (@stu-mail.qc.cuny.edu) for messages from tcert@qc.cuny.edu.
How do I request College Recommendation?
Click the link to submit a .
NYSED Required Workshops
You must have completed the following workshops in order to receive College Recommendation:
- School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE)
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
- Child Abuse Identification (Second Update) *This requirement was updated as of September 1, 2025.听 All candidates must have completed the Second Update.听 For more information click the following link:
- Autism (Only required for Students With Disabilities titles – included in your SWD/Special Ed program)
Check your TEACH account to verify workshop completion by going to the Workshops section of your Account Information page (go to听TEACH Home 鈫 Account Information 鈫 Workshops).听 If your workshop completion has not been reported to TEACH Online please contact your workshop provider.
More Information:听qc.cuny.edu/academics/se/workshop-information
When will I receive College Recommendation for certification?
Only students who have completed their educator preparation program, including the New York State mandated workshops, and have had their degree or advanced certificate conferred, will be recommended for certification.听 The college cannot recommend students for certification until the Registrar’s Office Graduation Audit Unit completes its final degree audit and the degree or advanced certificate is officially conferred/awarded on the transcript.听 The college recommendation will be entered on your TEACH Account within approximately 5 business days AFTER the degree or advanced certificate has been awarded on your transcript.
Understanding your Graduation Status
The official degree audit is conducted by the Office of the Registrar, Graduation Audit Unit, and supersedes all other indications that the student has completed all the degree requirements. The degree audit is the final step before degree conferral.
Step 1: File for graduation via your CUNYfirst account. Please be aware of the application deadline.
Once complete your graduation status will be listed as 鈥Applied for Graduation.鈥
Step 2: Your student record will be reviewed for completion of the college鈥檚 general education requirements, pending the completion of the current semester鈥檚 coursework.
Once complete your graduation status will change to 鈥Program in Review.鈥
Step 3: Your student record will then be reviewed for major/minor specific requirements.
Once complete your graduation status will change to 鈥Needs to Finish Pending Work.鈥
Step 4: After grades have been posted to your account and the college鈥檚 grading process is complete, a final review of your application will be completed, and the graduation notation will be posted.
Once complete your graduation status will change to 鈥Degree Awarded.鈥
Degree Conferral
Degree conferral does NOT take place immediately upon completion of your program. After grades have been posted to your account and the college鈥檚 grading process is complete, a final review of your graduation application will be completed, and the degree conferral notation will be posted on your transcript. Participating in the commencement ceremony does NOT mean your degree has been conferred.
Spring Graduates (June 1)
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs June – July.
College Recommendation is expected by July 25.
Summer Graduates (September 1)
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs September – October.
College Recommendation is expected by October 15.
Fall Graduates (January 1)
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs January – March.
College Recommendation is expected by March 1.
Winter Graduates (February 1)
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs February – April.
College Recommendation is expected by April 1.
Periodically check your to see if the College Recommendation has been entered by going to TEACH Home 鈫 Account Information 鈫 College Recommendations.
How do I apply for certification?
Candidates who have received a college recommendation will be able to apply for certification via the application pathway.
- Check if the college recommendation has been entered on your听, go to听TEACH Home 鈫 Account Information 鈫 College Recommendations.
- Student Application Information & Program Codes听can be found here: qc.cuny.edu/academics/se/cert-application-info
- Check the听 of your application or view issued certificates by going to听TEACH Home 鈫 Account Information 鈫 Certificates.
- For questions about your application contact the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives:听
Please Note
College recommended applicants must also satisfy the听听and obtain听 before the certificate can be issued.
Fingerprint Clearance
Check your听听to confirm that you have fingerprint clearance听(go to TEACH Home 鈫 Account Information 鈫 Fingerprinting).听听If you see one of the following statements on your TEACH account – We have received your fingerprint information from NYC听OR听Your DCJS and FBI results have been received – you have fingerprint clearance, no further action is required.
Students who have been fingerprinted by NYC Public Schools (NYC DOE) for student teaching and require their fingerprint clearance to be transferred to New York State for certification should submit an 听听For instructions on how to submit the OSPRA 104 form听click here.听Please note it may take several weeks for the OSPRA 104 form to be processed and fingerprint clearance to be posted on your TEACH account.
More information:听
Certification Exams
Find the specific exam requirements for your certificate:听
Exam Scores and your TEACH Account
In order for exam scores to appear properly in your TEACH account, all account information in your NYSTCE (Pearson) account must match exactly what is listed in your TEACH account (full name, Social Security number, date of birth). The name listed in both accounts must contain the same exact information (e.g., 鈥 middle initial, hyphenated names must be the same, last name, no nicknames, etc).
First, you must login to both accounts and make sure that all information matches exactly. If your accounts don鈥檛 match, you must change your NYSTCE (Pearson) account to match what is listed in your TEACH account. This should solve the problem. Exam scores are continuously transmitted between the NYSTCE system and the TEACH system.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your information matches across both accounts, to make sure that the exam result(s) are transmitted properly. If you have any questions about how to get your scores transmitted to your TEACH account, you can contact NYSTCE (Pearson) at: (800) 989-8532.