How to Apply for a BC Teaching Certificate

You will need a Certificate of Qualification (sometimes called a teaching certificate) to be eligible to work in BC’s public schools, independent schools and First Nations schools.

This certificate is issued by the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care to applicants who meet specific qualifications. Applicants are assessed on their academic record and teacher education training, relevant teaching experience and suitability for working with children.

Different certificate types are issued to applicants based on their qualifications and teacher education training. For example, the province may grant you a Professional Certificate, Basic Certificate or Conditional Certificate. Under unique circumstances, educators may be granted a Letter of Permission that allows them to teach as an uncertified teacher.

Applying for a BC Certificate of Qualification is a straightforward but lengthy process. Here is a quick overview of the process on the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s website.

How to apply

How you apply for a BC teaching certificate depends on whether you completed your teacher education training program in British Columbia, within Canada or internationally. Use the Teaching Certificate Application Selection Tool to help you determine what type of certificate you qualify for.

Required Documentation

You can help ensure that your application is processed as quickly as possible by accurately and promptly submitting all supporting documents. Some of these documents, such as your official academic transcripts and character references, must be sent by third parties. It’s a good idea to contact them as early as possible in the process to ask them to submit the required documentation.

The complete list of required documents can be found on the Teaching in BC website. At the minimum, your application must include:

• A completed Certificate of Qualification (COQ) application form
• Official university transcripts from each post-secondary institution you have attended
• Recommendation and an official transcript from the post-secondary institution from which you completed your teacher education program
• Consent to a criminal record check
• Two confidential character references
• Identification documents, such as a birth certificate or other official government identification or legal document proving your identity
• Practicum reports
• Application fee

How long will it take?

The application processing time varies throughout the year depending on the volume of applications received overall. When you submit your application, it is first reviewed by an evaluator to determine if your application is complete with all the necessary documents.

Once your application has been determined to be complete, it may take up to 20 to 60 business days for your application to be fully processed. Seasonal volume may affect processing times, especially when BC university students are graduating from their teacher education programs. For international candidates, delays often occur due to incomplete applications and difficulty with obtaining official documents.

Ensuring you have your documentation in order and that you have met requirements can help manage delays.

Log into the Applicants’ Area of the website to check the status of your application and see if any supporting documents are outstanding.

Apply today

It is recommended that you start the certificate application as soon as possible. The sooner an application is submitted, the sooner it will be evaluated. Start your application today.