Connecticut Teacher Certification Guide

These certification endorsements allow you to teach in multiple subject areas at the early childhood and elementary school levels.

*Authorizes teaching special education in PK-K only

**Requires Association Montessori International (AMI) certification

*State regulations authorize teaching down to grades 5 and 6 with this endorsement.

*State regulations authorize teaching down to grades 4, 5 and 6 with this endorsement

*You can also teach this subject with a Physical Education (PE endorsement).

**You can also teach this subject with an English endorsement.

*State regulations authorize teaching down to grades 5 and 6 with this endorsement.

**This endorsement authorizes teaching construction, manufacturing, transportation and communication systems.

These certification endorsements allow you to teach students with disabilities or students who require additional academic supports at the elementary, middle and/or high school levels.

*Authorizes teaching special education in PK-K only

*This endorsement also authorizes teaching marketing.

**This endorsement requires experience in the occupational area. 

₊This endorsement requires a Department of Defense teacher certificate.

These certification endorsements allow you to teach in speciality subject areas at the elementary, middle or high school levels.

*To earn this endorsement, you must hold a certification in at least one other endorsement area. You must also have completed at least 15 credits of coursework in the subject area you plan to teach.

**This endorsement requires three years of successful classroom teaching experience.

₊This certification endorsement also requires a secondary world language endorsement.

If you’re a first-time teacher, you’ll need to choose an educator course.

Programs for undergraduates

If you don’t already have a degree, you can earn your degree and your teaching certificate at the same time. 

Many colleges and universities offer teaching programs that go along with a degree in education or a teaching subject, like math, history or art. So you might major in English or biology, minor in education and earn your teaching certificate all at the same time.

Programs for college graduates

If you already have a bachelor's degree in any subject, you can check out local courses that help you become certified. Some even allow you to work in education or start teaching (and earning a salary) while you complete your courses. 

You have two basic choices:

• Master’s degree programs
• Post-baccalaureate programs

In Connecticut, all teachers must earn a master’s degree eventually. If you earn a master’s degree now, you can start teaching with a higher salary and meet the requirement. This can be a really great option if you have less experience working with students, as traditional degrees offer extra time and practice. 

If you’re not interested in a master’s degree right away, a post-baccalaureate program will let you earn your certification in as little as one year. Some are offered by universities and allow you to earn college credit at the same time. Others are certification-only offered by non-profit organizations, which can be more cost-effective and take less time to complete. 

Check out Programs to find undergraduate, graduate and certification-only teaching courses.

If you have at least two years of teaching experience, you may be eligible to start teaching without attending a teaching course. This includes teaching experience in another state, another country, a private school, or a college or university.  

To get certified based on experience, you must:

• Have at least 20 months of full-time teaching experience in the same school teaching in your desired certification area (time as a substitute, paraeducator or in another non-certified position do not count).
• Pass subject-specific assessments and meet all coursework requirements.

If you don’t meet the experience requirements but did attend an educator prep course in another state, this will also qualify you for a similar certification pathway. (2)

Have you completed at least 10 months of successful teaching in the past 10 years? You may be able to fast-track your certification and waive your program’s student teaching requirement. To be eligible, you must have completed your teaching experience in a public school in another state, in a state-approved nonpublic school, as a certified employee of a board of education or under a Durational Shortage Area Permit in Connecticut. This waiver is at your program’s discretion, so check with program staff to find out if this is an option for you.

You can email email for more questions. 

I earned my certification in a Northeastern region state or territory

If you have a teaching certificate from a Northeastern region state or territory, you may qualify for “enhanced reciprocity.” Basically, this means you can fast-track your Connecticut teaching certificate. You’ll submit a single application packet to show you have a valid teaching certificate. Once the Department of Education approves your packet, you’ll receive your Connecticut teaching certificate in an endorsement area comparable to the one you already hold.

This option is available for certified teachers in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. Learn more at the Enhanced Reciprocity FAQs page.

I earned my certification in another country 

If you earned your certification outside of the U.S., you’ll need to submit additional paperwork. Visit the CSDE’s “Foreign Credentials for Certification” section for more information. The process to get certified based on your international experience or credentials will likely will take longer and require more steps, like additional coursework and testing.

Get step-by-step instructions for applying for certification based on prior experience on CSDE's website.

As a second-career teacher, you may be eligible for other perks & certification pathways:  

• If you have a bachelor’s degree that isn’t in education, alternate preparation programs can give you a certificate to teach without earning an additional degree. 
• If you’re a school employee, you may be able to become certified without having to leave your current school job through a residency preparation program.
• If you’re a tradesperson with three years of on-the-job experience, you can become certified to teach as a high school trade instructor without completing a teacher prep program. This applies to fields such as automotive, manufacturing, cosmetology, and hospitality. Find out more at the CSDE Vocational Endorsements page.
• If you’re bilingual, you may be uniquely qualified to teach full time in a high-demand subject area such as Bilingual Education or World Languages while getting certified.
• If you’re a military connected person, check out Veterans Teach for resources and opportunities available for service members and veterans interested in teaching.

Visit Programs to explore educations programs through TEACH Connecticut’s university partners.

Review which Connecticut EPPs support certification endorsements in which grade level and subject areas. Learn more.

Discover your eligibility for certification by reviewing these fact sheets from the CSDE Bureau of Certification. Learn more.

Skim through this comprehensive set of FAQs to get your questions answered. Learn more.