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How to apply for your teaching certification in Alberta.
To teach in Alberta, you are required to hold a valid Alberta teaching certificate. Your first step is to apply for Interim Professional Certification (IPC) so that Alberta Education can assess your educational and professional qualifications. If you meet the requirements, the IPC allows you to teach anywhere within the province's K to 12 system and is valid for 3 years. When you meet all the requirements for Permanent Professional Certification (PPC), your school authority must recommend you for a permanent certificate.
A PPC does not expire, even if you leave the profession.
Application fees are non-refundable and must be paid at the time you submit your application for teacher certification. The application fees noted below depend on where you completed your teacher preparation program:
Fees can be paid online through the Teacher Workforce Information System (TWINS) using VISA, VISA Debit, MasterCard, or American Express, or by mail.
To pay by mail, send a Canadian cheque or money order payable to “Government of Alberta” with your certificate or reference number to the Office of the Registrar:
The Registrar at Alberta Education
2nd floor, 44 Capital Boulevard
10044 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6
Cash, international cheques, and international money orders are not accepted.
Graduates from an Alberta Bachelor of Education program with an employment offer are eligible for a 90-day temporary teaching authority.
With these 3 letters, you are authorized to teach for 90 days.
When the Dean’s list arrives at Alberta Education’s Teacher Certification Branch, an IPC will be issued and mailed to you.
Under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), teachers who hold a valid teaching certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction are eligible for certification in Alberta without requiring additional training or examination, with the exception of evidence of language proficiency, which still may be required.
Individuals must still apply for Alberta teacher certification and will be eligible for either an Interim Professional Certificate or a Letter of Authority (LA) with the same scope of practice as authorized by your valid certificate from the other Canadian jurisdiction.
As part of your Interim Professional Certification (IPC) application, Alberta Education will assess your credentials. It is important to note that Alberta Education is the only body that can assess credentials for teaching authority in Alberta.
All teachers in Alberta require at minimum, 16 years of formal education, which includes a 4 year university degree with a pre-service teacher preparation program from an approved institution. The teacher preparation program must lead to teacher certification in the jurisdiction where the program was completed. It must also include:
Elementary teachers must complete a minimum of 24 semester hour credits that include:
Secondary teachers must complete:
All applicants for certification must meet the above criteria and academic credentials will be assessed on a course-by-course basis. If your program is not acceptable to the Minister of Education, you may need to take additional courses to qualify for an IPC.
When your assessment is complete, you will receive a letter of assessment.
School-based or employment-based teacher training programs are not recognized. These include, but are not limited to:
Other programs and courses that may not be recognized include:
You must complete an online application through the Teacher Workforce Information System (TWINS).
If you find an error or omission in your application after it is submitted, please email [email protected]. You will be contacted with further instructions if necessary.
Alberta Education will accept consent in electronic form for the purposes of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Applications will not be processed until all documents and fees are received. You have one year to complete your application, after which time your application will be closed.
Please review your application checklist on TWINS to identify what documents are required. It may take at least 20 business days for documents to be processed and status updates to be posted to your account. Application status is not available by phone, email or walk-in - you must log into your TWINS account to check the status of your application. You will be notified in writing when your file is complete and in the queue for assessment.
Processing time for applications is based on the date the application was considered complete:
If your IPC has expired or will expire soon and you haven’t met the requirements for a PPC, your school authority may recommend you for an extension or re-issuance. Among other documents, you may be required to submit a new criminal record check.
A self-disclosure form must be completed online through TWINS. There is a $25.00 fee.
Teachers cannot apply to receive a Permanent Professional Certificate (PPC) – they must be recommended by their employing school authority. A school authority is required to recommend a teacher for a PPC if a teacher working for them has successfully met requirements in the Certification of Teachers Regulation.
To be eligible for a PPC, you must:
Your application will not be processed until all supporting documents and fees are received. Please review your application’s checklist on TWINS to identify what documents are required.
Where original documents are required, photocopies are not acceptable. Original documents can be submitted in-person or by mail. Original, irreplaceable documents will be returned by registered mail once assessment is complete.
Any documents in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a translation from an official translator.
Document | Alberta graduates | North American graduates | Out of country graduates | How to submit | Original required? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Identity documents | Required | Required | Required | Online or by mail | No |
Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check | Required | Required | Required | By mail | Yes |
Evidence of language proficiency | Not required | Not required | Required | By mail | Yes |
Statement of Professional Standing | May be required | Required | Required | Mailed directly from all certificating jurisdictions | Yes |
Official transcripts | May be required | Required | Required | Mailed directly from all post-secondary institutions | Yes |
Secondary School Leaving Certificate | Not required | Not required | Required | By mail | Yes |
Verification of Currency of Teaching Practice | May be required if it has been 10 or more years since a teacher last taught | May be required if it has been 10 or more years since a teacher last taught | May be required if it has been 10 or more years since a teacher last taught | By mail | Yes |
Evidence of all name changes | Required if applicable | Required if applicable | Required if applicable | Online or by mail | No |
Passports are not accepted as proof of identity or citizenship. Acceptable identity documents include a photocopy of:
A criminal record check must be obtained through one of the agencies as deemed appropriate by the Registrar. It must:
If you have a record of criminal conviction, you will need to provide additional documentation, which will be determined after your file has been reviewed. After evaluating the details, the Registrar may refuse certification.
You must be proficient in English or French to teach in Alberta. If you completed your teacher education program outside of Canada, you may be required to provide evidence of language proficiency by successfully completing an accepted test. Scores older than one year are not accepted.
To prove French language proficiency, you need a recorded interview of at least 20 minutes of unrehearsed conversation between you and an appropriate interviewer. The interview should be submitted directly to the Registrar on a CD.
DVDs or memory sticks are not accepted.
The interviewer must:
Interview conversation should include a variety of topics about the applicant including:
You will need to provide a Statement of Standing from every jurisdiction where you have held teacher certification, including the jurisdiction where you completed your teacher preparation program. Statements of Standing must be sent directly to the Registrar from each jurisdiction.
The Statement of Standing must show:
If a jurisdiction does not issue certification, a letter of reference is accepted in lieu of a Statement of Standing. Letters of reference must:
Transcripts are a detailed record of courses completed and grades received.
Alberta Education requires official transcripts from all post-secondary and transfer institutions you attended. These documents must be mailed directly from the post-secondary institution to the Registrar at Alberta Education in sealed envelopes.
You may be asked to provide additional information, such as a course syllabus of program(s) of study, and practicum reports detailing the hours/days/weeks of supervised student teaching.
International applicants may need to provide an original high school leaving certificate that includes a record of courses completed and grades received. You will be advised if this document is required.
If you completed your education program more than 10 years ago, you must provide a written verification from all employers detailing your teaching experience within the last 10 years.
The written verification must:
Current teaching experience within the past 10 years must include at least one of the following:
If you are not current in your teaching practice, you may need to upgrade your qualifications by completing 9 semester hour credits of education coursework and 9 weeks of supervised student teaching.
If you have changed your name, you must send in one of the following documents detailing all names you have used for legal purposes:
Connect with the Office of the Registrar:
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-427-2045
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Fax: 780-422-4199
Email: [email protected]
Address:
The Registrar at Alberta Education
2nd floor, 44 Capital Boulevard
10044 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6
The office is currently closed to the public. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about document submission.
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