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. An Independent School Teaching
Certificate is not recognized in other jurisdictions under the Agreement on Internal
Trade (AIT). This certificate is limited to the BC independent school system. 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.
Note that applications are processed in the date order in which they are received.
If you are seeking employment that requires a BC Ministry of Education teaching
certificate, please submit your application for a certificate as early as possible.
In fairness to everyone who applies for a certificate, individual applications cannot
be fast-tracked.