Teacher Certification
College Recommendation for NYS Educator Certification
What is College Recommendation?
Students who complete an educator preparation program at Queens College can be recommended for a certificate provided that program has been registered by the New York State Education Department as leading to the designated certificate. The college recommendation is entered by the Queens College Teacher Certification Office using the TEACH Online Services system (it is an electronic entry, not a letter). Students will be asked to submit a College Recommendation Request Form during the final semester of their program.
When should I request College Recommendation?
During the final semester of your educator preparation program and after you have applied for graduation on CUNYFirst. Please see the dates below.
Fall Graduates (January 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: November 1
Submit a College Recommendation request: November 2 – December 10
Winter Graduates (February 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: January 1
Submit a College Recommendation request: January 1 – February 1
Spring Graduates (June 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: March 1
Submit a College Recommendation request: March 1 – May 1
Summer Graduates (September 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: July 1
Submit a College Recommendation request: July 1 – August 1
Important
- All program completers must apply for graduation on CUNYFirst.
- Candidates must have created & activated a TEACH account on the NYSED TEACH Online Services system.
- You must have completed the required NYSED Workshops.
- Your Social Security Number is required to access your TEACH Account. If your Social Security Number is not currently available on CUNYFirst please contact the Registrar’s Office to update your account.
- Your name and identifying information (SSN, DOB) must be an exact match on all accounts and documents (TEACH Online, CUNYFirst, Workshops, etc).
- The certification exams are not required to receive College Recommendation.
- Check your QC Email (@stu-mail.qc.cuny.edu) for messages from tcert@qc.cuny.edu.
NYSED Required Workshops
You are required to have completed the following New York State mandated workshops in order to receive a College Recommendation:
- School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE)
- Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)
- Child Abuse Identification (Second Update) *This workshop was updated as of September 1, 2025. All candidates must have completed the Second Update.
The Autism workshop is only required for Students With Disabilities and Speech and Language Disabilities titles (included in program).
More Information: qc.cuny.edu/academics/se/workshop-information
Verifying Workshop Completion on TEACH Online
Workshop completion will be verified on your NYSED TEACH account. Check your TEACH account to confirm the workshop completion has been posted by going to the Workshops section of your Account Information page.
- Log-in to your TEACH Account
- Go to TEACH Home
- Scroll to Inquiry Links
- Click on Account Information
- Select Workshops then click Submit
- View your completed Workshops
If your workshop completion has not been reported to TEACH Online please contact the workshop provider.
How do I request College Recommendation?
Fall 2026 Graduates completing an educator preparation program at Queens College on 1/1/2027, please submit the following form: (Form will be available November 2, 2026). The deadline to submit the College Recommendation request form is December 10, 2026.
Alumni who completed an educator preparation program at Queens College on 9/1/2026 or before, and did not receive a college recommendation at the time of program completion, please submit the following form: College Recommendation Request Form (Alumni).
When will I receive College Recommendation for certification?
Only students who have completed their educator preparation program, including the New York State mandated workshops, and have had their degree or advanced certificate conferred, will be recommended for certification. The college cannot recommend students for certification until the Registrar’s Office Graduation Audit Unit completes its final degree audit and the degree or advanced certificate is officially conferred/awarded on the transcript. The college recommendation will be entered on your TEACH Account within approximately 5 business days AFTER the degree or advanced certificate has been awarded on your transcript.
Degree Conferral And College Recommendation Timeline
Degree conferral does NOT take place immediately upon completion of your program. After grades have been posted to your account and the college’s grading process is complete, a final review of your graduation application will be completed, and the degree conferral notation will be posted on your transcript. Participating in the commencement ceremony does NOT mean your degree has been conferred.
Fall Graduates
Degree Date: January 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs January through March.
College Recommendation is anticipated between January 4 and March 1.
Winter Graduates
Degree Date: February 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs February through April.
College Recommendation is anticipated between February 2 and April 1.
Spring Graduates
Degree Date: June 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs June through July.
College Recommendation is anticipated between June 2 and July 22.
Summer Graduates
Degree Date: September 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs September through October.
College Recommendation is anticipated between September 2 and October 1.
Periodically check your TEACH account to see if the College Recommendation has been entered by going to TEACH Home → Account Information → College Recommendations.
How do I apply for certification?
Candidates who have received a college recommendation will be able to apply for certification via the Approved Teacher Preparation Program application pathway.
- Check if the college recommendation has been entered on your TEACH account, go to TEACH Home → Account Information → College Recommendations.
- Apply for Certification
- Student Application Information & Program Codes can be found here: qc.cuny.edu/academics/se/cert-application-info
- Check the status of your application or view issued certificates by going to TEACH Home → Account Information → Certificates.
- For questions about your application contact the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives: highered.nysed.gov/tcert/contact
Please Note
College recommended applicants must also satisfy the testing requirement and obtain fingerprint clearance before the certificate can be issued.
Fingerprint Clearance
Check your TEACH Account to confirm that you have fingerprint clearance (go to TEACH Home → Account Information → Fingerprinting). If you see one of the following statements on your TEACH account – We have received your fingerprint information from NYC OR Your DCJS and FBI results have been received – you have fingerprint clearance, no further action is required.
Students who have been fingerprinted by NYC Public Schools (NYC DOE) for student teaching and require their fingerprint clearance to be transferred to New York State for certification should submit an OSPRA 104 Form. For instructions on how to submit the OSPRA 104 form click here. Please note it may take several weeks for the OSPRA 104 form to be processed and fingerprint clearance to be posted on your TEACH account.
More information: nysed.gov/educator-integrity/fingerprinting
Certification Exams
New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) nystce.nesinc.com
- tcert@qc.cuny.edu
7.26