The International Teacher’s Guide to Getting Your U.S. Teaching Certification in 2024
| by Kyle Freelander
International teachers rejoice: You can level up your teaching career in 2024 with a U.S. teaching certification. Getting your U.S. teaching certification is a great opportunity to enhance your global teaching credentials and skills (along with other benefits), which makes you a more marketable educator within and outside the United States.
Whether you’re already teaching internationally or are looking to make a career change, you can unlock your full potential in 2024 with a U.S. teaching certification.
There Are Perks to Earning a U.S. Teaching Certificate
See why a US teaching certificate is popular among aspiring and current teachers in our infographic.
Lay the groundwork for getting your U.S. teaching certification in 2024
Understand U.S. teaching license requirements
The first step in getting your U.S. teaching license in 2024 is to understand the requirements for certification. Most U.S. teaching certifications require a four-year bachelor’s degree (which does not have to be in the field of education) from an accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent international degree.
You’ll also need to complete a teacher preparation program, supervised clinical practice (hands-on teaching experience), and a background check. Additionally, you’ll likely need to complete select exams to demonstrate your subject knowledge and submit an official application to earn your U.S. teaching license.
Know where to earn your U.S. teacher certification
Before diving into the U.S. teacher certification process, it’s important to know where to earn your license. This is often going to be based on how you intend to use your certification — specifically whether you intend to teach within or outside the United States.
International teachers seeking a U.S. teaching license in 2024
If you are a current or aspiring international teacher, we recommend earning your U.S. teaching license from Washington, D.C. as states can have additional requirements that aren’t necessary for those teaching internationally and can, in some cases, create obstacles for international teachers.
U.S. teachers seeking certification in 2024
Those looking to teach within the United States — whether you are already teaching or are looking to change careers — should know what state they hope to teach in ahead of embarking on the certification process. Because certification requirements vary by state, you want to ensure you’re completing the necessary steps (and in the correct order!) to achieve your U.S. teaching certification. For example, teachers seeking certification in Florida in 2024 need to obtain an official Statement of Status of Eligibility from the state before even starting a state-approved educator preparation program.
Specific requirements for U.S. teacher certification can vary further based on the type of certification and the grade level or subject area you intend to teach. To find out which requirements are unique to your career path, schedule a no-obligation conversation with a Moreland University admissions representative.
Download Moreland University’s “Guide to U.S. Teacher Certification.”
Earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
As we noted earlier, most U.S. teaching certifications require a U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree. An equivalent international degree works as well, but you’ll want to order an independent review prepared by a transcript evaluation agency to ensure your degree and coursework qualifies.
Your U.S. or equivalent international bachelor’s degree does not have to be in education. However, those with a degree in education have a different process than those with a degree in another field. If you already have an eligible degree in education, you can jump ahead to step 3 to get your U.S. teaching certification in 2024.
If your degree is not in education, that’s okay! We’ve outlined two potential pathways to get your U.S. teaching license in 2024 depending on if you intend to teach within or outside of the U.S.
Get the 5-Step Pocket Guide to U.S. Teacher Certification.
How to get your U.S. teaching certification in 2024 as an international teacher
Even without stepping foot in the United States, it is still possible to become a fully certified U.S. teacher in 2024. With four manageable steps and the right flexible online teacher preparation program, you can become a certified teacher in the U.S. this year.
Here are the key steps for international teachers to earn their U.S. teaching certification from Washington, D.C.:
- Complete a teacher preparation program and clinical practice
To get your U.S. teaching certification, you’ll need to complete a teacher preparation program to ensure you’re equipped with the knowledge and necessary skills to qualify as a teacher.
If your goal is to get your U.S. teaching license in 2024, you’ll want to pay close attention to dates and deadlines for programs you are considering alongside program quality. For example, Moreland University’s proven TEACH-NOW certification program can be completed in as little as nine months completely online — which is particularly great news for international teachers, who will also appreciate the program’s flexibility and monthly start dates.
Start by March, and you can finish the TEACH-NOW program by the end of the year. If you start even sooner, you’ll have time to finish the program in 2024 as well as complete additional requirements to get your U.S. teaching certification. Talk about a great way to make 2024 your year!
You’ll also need to engage in a supervised clinical practice to get your U.S. teaching certification through Washington D.C. This involves hands-on teaching experience in a real classroom setting, which can be completed in your local school without having to travel to Washington, D.C. Moreland University’s clinical practice team can help candidates get placed in a local classroom to complete this requirement.
- Complete an educator preparation institute (EPI) program
After completing your teacher preparation program, you’ll need to demonstrate proficiency in the subject area(s) you wish to teach. This can require providing evidence of coursework and expertise in the desired subject(s) and/or passing exams to demonstrate your content knowledge and teaching abilities.
The exact exams and additional requirements can vary depending on the specific teaching certification area you are pursuing, but they often include:
- A Basic Skills Test or Praxis Core
- The Praxis Subject Assessment
- The Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching
These exams are an important step in certification, so it’s important to thoroughly prepare. To help ensure you can get your U.S. teaching certification in 2024, you’ll want to pay attention to your institution’s exam pass rate and any additional exam preparation support that may be offered.
As part of our commitment to helping you succeed at Moreland University, we partner with Teachers Test Prep to offer free and discounted test prep services.
- Pass a background check
You’ll also need to undergo a criminal background check, which includes fingerprinting, to obtain your U.S. teaching certification. This is a standard requirement for teacher certification in the United States and can be completed from anywhere in the world.
- Apply for & obtain your U.S. teaching license
Once you’ve completed your teaching preparation program, exams, and background check, you can apply for teacher certification in Washington D.C. through the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) Educator Credential Information System (ECIS) portal. With your application, include all necessary documentation, such as transcripts, exam scores, and proof of completion of a teacher preparation program.
To get your U.S. teaching certification in Washington, D.C., you’ll need to submit your:
- Official bachelor’s transcript
- Non-U.S. bachelor’s degree transcript evaluation (if applicable)
- Passing scores on the required Praxis exams for your chosen grade level and subject area
- A clear criminal background check
- A Program Completion Verification form (F-1)
- Completed application along with payment of non-refundable processing fees (approximately $50)
If you’re looking to get your U.S. teaching certification in 2024 or shortly thereafter, it’s worth noting it can take eight to 10 weeks to hear back and obtain your teaching license.
How to get your U.S. teaching certification in 2024 if you plan to teach in the United States
If you plan to teach within the United States, you’ll want to follow state-specific guidance to get your U.S. teaching license in 2024.
Moreland University provides free resources and support around U.S. teaching certification and teacher career development in many locations, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. (to name a few). Schedule a no-obligation conversation with a Moreland University admissions representative to get our free state-specific resources and learn more about your process for becoming a certified teacher in the U.S. in 2024.
Want to get your U.S. teaching certification in 2024? Moreland University can help you get there.
Learn everything you need to know about getting your U.S. teaching certification. Then, schedule a no-cost conversation with a Moreland University admissions representative to learn more about how we can help you become a U.S. certified teacher.
