Office of Teaching Initiatives

Submitting Foreign Credentials Before March 1, 2019

Individuals who completed their education outside of the United States (U.S.) and apply for a certificate and pay the fee before March 1, 2019 can:

• submit U.S. notarized copies of original credentials or original foreign credentials to the Office of Teaching Initiatives

OR

• obtain and submit an evaluation of foreign credentials (credential evaluation report) by an organization on the list of approved organizations.

Steps to submit foreign credentials for certification

1. Create a TEACH account. During the creation of an account, you will be asked to provide a U.S. federal social security number. If you do not have a social security number, you can either:
   • Send an email to otiadmin@nysed.gov with “TEACH Access Number” in the subject line requesting the nine-digit identifier and attach a PDF-formatted copy of either a valid passport or a valid visa to the email;
   OR
   • If you are enrolled in a New York State registered educator preparation program, have the college’s certification officer send an email to otiadmin@nysed.gov requesting the nine-digit identifier with “TEACH Access Number” in the subject line and include your first and last name, date of birth, and email address in the email.
   
   
2. Apply for a certificate through your TEACH account and pay the fee. Information on certificate titles, requirements, and pathways is available through Search Certificate Requirements .
   
   Individuals who completed an educator preparation program in a country other than a U.S. territory are not eligible for certification through the Completion of a Teacher Education Program in Another U.S. State pathway. In addition, teaching experience in a country other than a U.S. territory is not acceptable for certification through the Endorsement of a Classroom Teaching Certificate pathway.
   
   
3. For applicants who submit original foreign credentials, they must send U.S. notarized copies of original credentials (preferred) or original credentials to the New York State Education Department, Office of Teaching Initiatives, Room 5N EB, Albany, 12234. Please note that this office does not return submitted foreign credentials (original or copies).
   
   If you are submitting U.S. notarized copies of the original document, they must include an original signature and seal from a U.S. Notary Public on each copied page submitted. If the document has information on the back side of a page, then the front and back sides of the document must be submitted. 
   
   

   U.S. notarized English translations of all credentials must also be provided.

   
   Since titles of documents vary from country to country, the following list includes examples of some of the documents that may be submitted for evaluation (please submit all documents that apply to you). Marksheets, Student Books, or Transcripts are required for each year of study and must include the total number of instructional hours and all grades received.

• Marksheets (e.g., from India, Bangladesh)
  
• 12th Level Graduation Marksheets (e.g., from India, Bangladesh)
  
• Trained Teacher's Diplomas (e.g., from the West Indies)
  
• Student Books (e.g., from Poland)
  
• Original College Level Diplomas (with degree and date of conferral noted)
  
• Original College Level Transcripts (with degree and date of conferral noted)

4. For applicants who request that an evaluation of foreign credentials (credential evaluation report) be completed and submitted by an organization on the list of approved organizations, the credential evaluation report must include the following information.

• Identifying information. Your name as it appears in your TEACH account and your date of birth or last four digits of your Social Security Number.
  
• English translation of credential(s), where appropriate.
  
  
• Equivalency Report for applicants who completed their education at an institution of higher education. The report must include the following items: name of the institution(s) attended, program length of study, dates of attendance for each year at each postsecondary institution, degree(s) awarded with full date of graduation (month, day, and year), listing of each course title, semester hour equivalency, individual grade conversion into U.S. grading scheme (A-F), Grade Point Average (GPA), and placement recommendation.
  
  
• Equivalency Report for individuals who are applying for a Teaching Assistant Level I certificate and who completed their education at a secondary school. The report must include the following items: name of the secondary school attended, days of attendance, date of graduation (month, day, and year), title of credential, and placement recommendation.

The organization should send the credential evaluation report by email to tcert@nysed.gov or by mail to:

New York State Education Department
Office of Teaching Initiatives
89 Washington Ave, RM 5N EB
Albany, 12234