Northern Illinois University
Educator Licensure
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

You should go to the College of Education, which offers programs leading to a middle level grade license, grades 5 - 8. The CLAS educator licensure programs lead to a license for high school, grades 9 – 12.

Go to the site for your specific program and it tells you how to apply.

Varies by program. See program websites for information.

We work with over 150 districts and over 200 schools to place candidates for clinicals and student teaching in the Northern Illinois area. For our introductory clinical (ILAS 201), we primarily work with local, partner districts, such as:

• Sycamore CUSD #427,
• Rochelle Township HSD #212,
• Rochelle CCSD #231,
• Kaneland CUSD #302,
• Genoa-Kingston CUSD #424.

For our second clinical we work with:

• Rockford SD #205,
• Elgin CUSD #46,
• East Aurora CUSD #131,
• DeKalb CUSD #428.

We try to place clinical students within a 60 mile drive from where they intend to live during their clinical experiences and student teaching.

No. All placements are arranged by the university through the Office of Secondary School Partnerships and Clinical Experiences. Candidates are not allowed to contact districts/schools on their own.

No. Candidates are responsible for their own transportation to and from all clinical sites. Also, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences does not provide university loaner/rental vehicles to candidates.

It helps to become licensed in two or more areas, such as English and Social Studies. Additional endorsements, such as a middle grades endorsement, increases the types of school to which you can apply. Also, for English majors and those candidates planning to teach at the middle school level, it is helpful to get a reading endorsement. Lastly, proficiency in a second language - ideally Spanish - is also useful.

You will receive assistance from the office of Career Services and your advisor. Career Services offers credential file management, resume and cover letter reviews, practice interviews and educator job fairs free of charge to NIU students and recent alumni.

For information related to teacher salaries refer to the most recent Illinois Teacher Salary Study.

A "license" is required for an individual to teach in an Illinois public school. An "endorsement" is a descriptor that is placed on a license to identify and limit the specific areas in which the individual is qualified to teach in conjunction with that license. For example, a candidate who completes a secondary licensure program in biology will receive a Secondary license (Type 09) endorsed in biology. If that person later meets the requirements for an endorsement in chemistry, a chemistry endorsement would be added to the Secondary License.

Possibly, but it will not substitute for the 32 or more credit hours required in the major field. Under some special circumstances you may receive credit if you hold a valid Illinois teaching license (Elementary, Special, or Substitute). Contact a program coordinator or advisor for more information.

In response to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the State Board of Education has established criteria for teachers to be considered "highly-qualified." The state criteria are aligned with the federal requirements and are intended to provide educators and school districts with guidance for assuring that all teachers in core academic subject areas are "highly-qualified" in each area of teaching responsibility. To learn more, please refer to the Part 25, Appendix D of the State Board Administrative Rules.

The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC)  provides links to the licensure departments in all states and territories

See the University Office of Educator and Licensure, requirements for licensing and testing page for more information on the Test of Academic Proficiency, edTPA, and other testing requirements.