Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

A teaching license issued by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) based on:

• Completion of a bachelor's degree.
• Completion of a state approved licensure program at an institution of higher education.
• Completion of coursework related to the exceptional child, particularly the learning disabled, reading methods, reading in the content area and English language learners.
• Passing all state-required licensure tests.
• Recommendation for licensure from the higher education institution.

For additional information, please refer to the ISBE Educator Licensure Requirements and the Northern Illinois University program advisors.

Yes. In most cases, an individual who holds a valid certificate from another state, territory or country can obtain a corresponding Illinois license upon submission of appropriate documentation and passage of the relevant tests/courses. Information on specific requirements for out-of-state teachers, administrators and school service personnel is available through the State Board of Education and/or a Regional Office of Education.

Illinois law authorizes higher education institutions to develop and, with state approval, provide alternative routes to licensure programs. Although these programs are designed to provide a faster way to obtain licenses, the programs must address the same standards as required for "regular" route programs.

NIU does not offer alternative licensure at this time.

State law allows individuals to teach in non-public and charter schools without a teaching license. However, many of these schools choose to require that some or all of their teachers hold such relevant licensure.

State law also allows individuals who do not hold a teaching license to teach on a substitute license. Substitute licenses may be issued to individuals who meet the general requirements for certification in Illinois; i.e., be 19 years of age, be a citizen of or legally present in the United States, and have good character and sound health; and have either a bachelor's degree or two years of teaching experience plus 60 hours of college credit, including six semester hours of professional education courses.

Substitute licenses are also issued to individuals who meet the general requirements for certification and have a license valid for teaching in the public schools.

Some individuals who do not have a license may be eligible for a transitional bilingual education certificate. This license has a limited period of validity during which the holder must work toward full licensure. It is available to individuals who have a bachelor-equivalent degree from the U.S. or a foreign country; or who have held a valid certificate or comparable teaching authorization from another state, territory or foreign country; and who can meet specified language requirements in English and another language.

For more information, contact a Regional Office of Education or the State Board of Education.

No, an Illinois teaching license is required. However, some master's degree programs provide opportunities for acquiring Illinois teacher licensure.

No.

Demand for teachers and education specialists depends on many factors, including region of the state, district type and size, district finances, prior year turnover, etc. However, in general, there is a strong and continuing need for special education teachers and other specialists such as speech-language therapists; bilingual education and ESL teachers; school service personnel (counselors, social workers and psychologists); remedial reading teachers; and math and science teachers. There is also an increasing need for superintendents and principals.

Although there is a need for general classroom or self-contained elementary teachers in some districts, the overall supply of elementary teachers exceeds the demand in any given area. Prospective elementary teachers may want to talk with an advisor about the pros and cons of seeking certification in subjects other than, or in addition to, elementary education.

The State Board of Education regularly studies the supply and demand for various types of educators in Illinois. For more information, please refer to the Educator Supply and Demand in Illinois.

The U.S. Department of Education website provides a list of the State Departments of Education.

Complete the applicant section of the appropriate state approved verification form from the state in which you want to teach. Submit the form to teachercertification@niu.edu

We offer 37 educator preparation programs. For more information about teaching programs, advanced license programs and advisors.

No alternative route programs are being offered at this time.

NIU offers a Reading Specialist licensure program and can also recommend for the Reading Teacher endorsement any candidate who completes 24 specifically-identified hours of coursework within that program.

NIU does not offer a separate reading teacher endorsement program. Candidates for that endorsement are expected to enroll in a reading specialist program and earn the endorsement as described above.

What social science designations are available through NIU?

The following social science designations are available:

• History
• Economics
• Geography
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology/Anthropology

The following social science designations are available:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth and Space Science
• Environmental Science
• Physics

The foreign language licensure program is available for French, German and Spanish.

Yes, through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education.

Yes, NIU works with a number of school districts in the region to help their Provisional Bilingual License holders attain full licensure. Typically, this is through a cohort of candidates who come from one district or area and who go through the program together. For more information, contact the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Yes. Visit transfer admissions and then consult with an advisor in your program of choice.

NIU welcomes candidates from other institutions and countries. Interested candidates should review NIU's transfer admissions information and then consult with an advisor in your program of choice.

NIU teacher licensure candidates are required to successfully complete coursework which contributes directly to an awareness of cultural diversity. Additional requirements may be defined by the individual department or college.

This is a state law.

Not necessarily. Each licensure program at NIU has specific requirements. However, certification can be earned by:

• Completion of an approved program as a postgraduate/postbaccalaureate earning a second bachelor's degree.
• Completion of an approved program as a student-at-large without completing a second bachelor's degree.
• Completion of an approved program through a master's degree.

Find out more about initial teacher licensure programs or general requirements information.

Applicants for the following advanced programs must hold a valid Illinois teaching license: reading specialist, principal and superintendent.

The following advanced programs do not require a teaching license: school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, school counselor and chief school business official.

This approval was adopted by the State Board of Education to allow a district to employ a school counseling student while he or she is completing the internship requirements. NIU students and candidates should talk about this option with an advisor in the school counseling program.

The cost of a college education includes tuition, fees, housing and/or travel and many other variables. Specific information about these costs can be obtained from the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.

State law requires that Illinois residents enrolling for the first time at NIU (or other state university) as degree-seeking undergraduate students in or after the fall semester, 2004, be charged a fixed tuition rate schedule for four continuous years, beginning with their initial enrollment. This will help candidates plan for the costs of obtaining a license through NIU.

Northern Illinois University assists students in obtaining financial aid through a variety of financial aid programs and provides financial aid for students through a variety of scholarship and loans. Individuals who want specific information should visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office or contact the office in person or by email. Prospective teachers may consult with advisors in their departments and/or contact the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

For educator employment resources, visit Career Services.

In addition to these formal programs and services, most educator candidates are able to obtain information about job opportunities from their departments. School districts and other employers in Illinois and surrounding states frequently contact NIU to advertise their need for certain kinds of candidates. However, because NIU is known for the quality of its educators, the colleges also receive job announcements from across the nation and the world.

Complete the applicant section of the approved verification form from the state in which you want to teach. Then submit the form to teachercertification@niu.edu.

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 mathematics will receive a license endorsed in secondary mathematics (grades 9-12). If that person later meets the requirements for an endorsement in English Language Arts, the new endorsement would be added to the license.

A candidate for teacher licensure in Illinois must complete an approved licensure program at an institution of higher education. For more information, please refer to the ISBE requirements.

A licensure candidate must also pass all of the state-required tests.

There are three primary sources of information: the educator preparation institutions, the Regional Offices of Education, and the State Board of Education.

The best strategy is to secure general information about licensure and preparation opportunities and then meet with a knowledgeable person at the institution and/or Regional Office of Education to explore individual interests, needs and circumstances.

The Illinois State Board of Education maintains an electronic file on each Illinois license holder. Upon admission to a licensure program, you should create an ELIS account by going to the ISBE website and selecting ELIS/Educator Credentials at the top. Go through Educator Access and then choose "Sign Up Now" on the left side to create an account for the first time. This step is free of charge.

Subsequently, educators may access their personal files through ELIS to check that ISBE has received test results and transcripts. After the licensure program is completed, an entitlement for a license and the program's associated endorsements will appear in ELIS. The educator will then apply for and register the license/endorsements via ELIS. There are fees associated with these steps.

Employers will be able to check an educator's credentials in ELIS to affirm he/she has a license with appropriate endorsements and areas in which they are "highly qualified." The general public (for example, parents of school children) will also have limited access to view an educator's credentials via ELIS.