Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career in education in British Columbia.
Teachers in BC work in a dynamic environment where they are able to make a difference
in the lives of students.
The information in this section describes how to obtain a Ministry of Education teaching
certificate. You will need this certificate to show that you qualify to work in
BC’s education sector – that you have the academic qualifications, teaching experience
and personal characteristics required for working with children.
Who requires a Ministry of Education teaching certificate?
If you would like to teach in BC’s kindergarten to grade 12 education sector,
you must have a teaching certificate from the Ministry of Education issued through
the Teacher Regulation Branch.
- Public schools: All teachers, administrators and superintendents employed in the
province’s kindergarten to grade 12 public school system must have a valid Ministry
of Education Certificate of Qualification. This includes full-time, part-time and teacher-on-call
positions. If you would like to work in a BC public school, you must apply to the Teacher
Regulation Branch of the Ministry of Education for a Certificate of Qualification, and you must pay an
annual fee to maintain your certificate. A Certificate of Qualification also enables you to
work in all independent schools and First Nations schools in the province.
You must have completed a teacher education program to apply for a Certificate of Qualification.
The application process is slightly different depending on whether you completed your teacher education
program in BC, elsewhere
in Canada or
outside of Canada. Please click on the link that applies to you for further
information. Please see the Previously
Certified Teachers section if you are re-applying for a Certificate of Qualification.
- Independent schools: If you would like to work in a BC independent school that has
group 1, 2, or 4 classification, you may apply for an Independent School Teaching Certificate
or a Certificate of Qualification. An Independent School Teaching Certificate will allow you
to teach only in BC’s independent schools and is restricted to a particular subject area,
school system, or school. For information about BC independent schools, please visit
the Independent Schools area on the Ministry of Education
website. For more information about applying for an Independent School Teaching Certificate,
please see the Independent School Certificate section.
If you have completed a teacher education program, you may choose to apply for a Certificate of Qualification
instead of an Independent School Teaching Certificate. A Certificate of Qualification would allow you to teach
in BC’s public and independent schools. Please see the section under BC Graduates, Canadian Graduates
or International Graduates for information about how to apply for a Certificate of Qualification.
- First Nations Schools: If you wish to teach in a First Nations school that has
group 1, 2, or 4 classification, you may apply for a Certificate of Qualification or an Independent
School Teaching Certificate. If the school is a member of the First Nations Schools Association, only the
Certificate of Qualification is accepted for employment. Please visit the Independent Schools area on the
Ministry of Education
website for more information about BC independent schools.
Please visit the First Nations Schools Association website for a list of
member schools.
How do you apply for a Ministry of Education teaching certificate?
You need to apply to the Ministry of Education for a certificate by submitting forms and
other documentation to the Teacher Regulation Branch. We will then evaluate your qualifications based
on the following three areas:
- your academic record, including teacher education training and subject area studies
- your relevant teaching experience
- your fitness, or suitability, for working with children.
If you meet the requirements for all three areas, you will be
eligible for a certificate. If you do not meet the requirements of one or more areas,
we will tell you what you must do to qualify for a certificate, such as completing
additional coursework.