• In-State Requirements
• Out-of-State Requirements
• Out-of-Country Requirements

In-State Requirements for an Initial Teaching License

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program
• Recency - means the applicant must have at least 8 credit hours or one year of accredited teaching experience completed within the last six years
• Content assessment in each of the endorsement areas you were trained to teach and wish to put on your license

I have already completed all the requirements for a license and need to apply.  Where can I get an application?

Contact the Licensure Officer at your Kansas institution for the appropriate application form and to coordinate the application process.

• Licensure Officer Contact List

Out-of-state applicant requirements for an initial teaching license

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program
• Recency - means the applicant must have at least 8 credit hours or one year of accredited teaching experience completed within the last six years

AND

• Must have content and pedagogy tests – tests completed to achieve the out-of-state license may be acceptable.

OR

• May be issued an two-year exchange license if applicable

OR

• May be issued a one-year nonrenewable license if hired by a Kansas district

OR

• A substitute license until content and pedagogy tests are completed

OR

• Meet experience requirements to come in at the professional license level

Note: Applicants will be issued the highest level of license they qualify for based on review by TEAL staff of the documentation provided.

I have already completed all the requirements for a license and need to apply.  Where can I get an application?

• If this is your first Kansas license, you will also need to Order a Fingerprint Card and Instructions
• Complete a content knowledge assessment in each of the endorsement or teaching subjects areas for which you completed a teacher preparation program
  • List of Kansas Required Assessments and Cut Scores

Requirements for Out of Country Applicants (Initial Teaching License)

I have already completed a teacher preparation program in my home country and want to teach in Kansas.
 
Submission of a credential evaluation report that verifies:

• Equivalent bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Completion of an approved preparation program in the subject or field in which licensure is sought

In addition, verification of:

• Recency:  defined as at least one year of accredited teaching experience OR 8 semester hours of college credit, within the six year period immediately prior to application
• Completion of appropriate content
• Passing scores on an English proficiency exam if the primary language is not English
• Submission of a fingerprint card for a background clearance

If this is your initial Kansas license, you will also need to Submit a Fingerprint Card (Instructions)

Initial Out-of-Country Application - Form 2 

The application packet will also provide you with the process described below.

Step 1:  Obtain a credential evaluation report:

• You must have all of your official education credentials/transcripts evaluated by one of the educational credential evaluators listed at http://www.naces.org 
• The evaluator will verify the equivalency of your academic credentials to degree(s) awarded by an accredited institution of higher education in the United States.  In addition, the credential evaluator must verify the completion of a teacher education program, including teaching subject area(s) and grade level preparation.
• Request a course-by-course evaluation with equivalent grade point calculated– this will allow us to determine your cumulative grade point average. 

Step 2:  Determine if you need to complete pre-licensure assessments:

• Determine if you need to complete Kansas pre-licensure assessments and which assessments using the assessment table. 
• Register for the assessments through Educational Testing Services (ETS)  www.ets.org/praxis
• Complete the assessment(s).  An official score report will be sent to you within 6-8 weeks.

Step 3:  Complete an English proficiency exam:

If your first language is not English, you must present verification of competence in both written and spoken English, by obtaining a passing score on an English language proficiency exam.

Details on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT version) offered through Educational Testing Services (ETS) can be found at www.toefl.org

THE APPLICATION PACKET CONTAINS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET and describes additional steps you must complete. 

I want to be a teacher and I currently hold degrees from institutions outside the U.S.  These degrees are not in education.  What do I have to do to become eligible for a teaching license?

You need to contact a college or university that offers an approved program in the teaching endorsement area you are seeking.  After you review the list of institutions offering the approved program and have decided on the one you want to work with, contact the licensure officer at the institution for a plan of study.