College (Institutional) Recommendation

Teacher Certification

College Recommendation for Certification

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 during the final semester of their program (see How to Submit a College Recommendation Request below).

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 (see Degree Audit and Conferral below).  Candidates who have received a college recommendation will be able to apply for certification via the Approved Teacher Preparation Program application pathway (see How to Apply for Certification below).

How to Submit a College Recommendation Request

Instructions for candidates in programs using Anthology Portfolio:

  • Log-in to Anthology Portfolio and look for the Teacher Certification folder in your table of contents.
  • Fill out the College Recommendation Request Survey.
  • Upload proof of workshop completion (see Proof of Workshop Completion below).
  • Fill out the Program Completer Survey.
  • Click Submit (“Teacher Certification” is the assessor).

For assistance with your Anthology Portfolio account or submission, please email anthologyqcsupport@qc.cuny.edu

*Anthology Portfolio submissions that are received prior to the appropriate submission period will be deleted. 

Instructions for candidates NOT required to use Anthology Portfolio:

  • Students completing a Bilingual Extension Advanced Certificate program.
  • Students completing the Library Media Specialist for Certified Teachers program.
  • Alumni who completed an Approved Teacher Preparation Program at Queens College prior to 10/1/2025 and were not recommended at the time of program completion.

Click the following link to submit a College Recommendation Request Form.  

*All required workshops should be posted on your TEACH account.

When to Submit the College Recommendation Request
FALL 2025 GRADUATES

November 15th – December 15th

See College Recommendation Timeline below for more information.

Proof of Workshop Completion

Candidates must have completed the following NYS mandated workshops in order to receive College Recommendation:

  1. School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE)
  2. Dignity for All Students Act Training (DASA)
  3. Child Abuse Identification and Reporting (Second Update) *Updated 9/1/2025

More Information: qc.cuny.edu/academics/se/workshop-information

Workshop providers are required to report completion electronically to TEACH Online Services.  Check your TEACH account to verify workshop completion by going to the Workshops section of your Account Information page (go to TEACH Home → Account Information → Workshops).

ALL candidates must have the Child Abuse Identification (Second Update) posted on their TEACH account.

If you are currently certified and (go to TEACH Home → Account Information → College Recommendations):

  • you received a College Recommendation before 5/1/2014, you will automatically be credited with the School Violence Intervention and Prevention workshop.
  • you received a College Recommendation after 5/1/2014, you will automatically be credited with the School Violence Intervention and Prevention workshop and the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) workshop.

To show proof of completion of the workshops you may upload any of the following to Anthology Portfolio:

  • A screenshot or printout from your NYSED TEACH account showing the completed workshops (see example below, your NAME must be included).
  • Certificates of completion from NYSED approved workshop providers.
  • A college transcript showing the completed workshops.

Degree Audit and Conferral

Degree conferral does NOT take place immediately upon completion of your program.  After grades have been posted and the college’s grading process is complete, the Registrar’s Office Graduation Audit Unit will conduct the final degree audit and post the degree conferral on students’ transcripts.  Only students who have met all requirements for graduation will be conferred.  Your conferral date is the official graduation date on your transcript and diploma.  Participating in the commencement ceremony does NOT mean your degree has been conferred.

Degree Audit Process

The official audit is conducted by the Registrar Graduation Audit Unit, and supersedes all other indications that the student has completed all the degree requirements. The degree audit is the final step before degree conferral.

  • Step 1: File for graduation via your CUNYfirst account. Please be aware of the application deadline. Once complete your graduation status will be listed as “Applied for Graduation.”
  • Step 2: Your student record will be reviewed for completion of the college’s general education requirements, pending the completion of the current semester’s coursework. Once complete your graduation status will change to “Program in Review.”
  • Step 3: Your student record will then be reviewed for major/minor specific requirements. Once complete your graduation status will change to “Needs to Finish Pending Work.”
  • Step 4: 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. Once complete your graduation status will change to “Degree Awarded.” Check your unofficial student transcript through Self Service > Academic Records to see if the degree/advanced certificate has been “Awarded”.

This process cannot be expedited.

For questions about applying for graduation, degree audit, or degree conferral, please contact the Registrar’s Office: qc.cuny.edu/registrar

College Recommendation Timeline

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 (see Degree Audit and Conferral above).

FALL GRADUATES (January 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: November 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request: November 15 – December 15
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs: January – March
College Recommendation expected by: March 1

WINTER GRADUATES (February 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: January 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request: January 1 – February 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs: February – April
College Recommendation expected by: April 1

SPRING GRADUATES (June 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: March 1
Submit a College Recommendation Request: March 15 – May 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs: June – July
College Recommendation expected by: July 25

SUMMER GRADUATES (September 1)
Deadline to Apply for Graduation: July 1 (April 1 for Commencement Ceremony)
Submit a College Recommendation Request: June 15 – August 1
Degree Audit & Conferral occurs: September – October
College Recommendation expected by: October 15

How to Apply for Certification

For questions about your application contact the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives: highered.nysed.gov/tcert/contact

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.
  • The certification exams are not required to receive College Recommendation.
  • Check your QC Email (@qmail.cuny.edu) for messages from tcert@qc.cuny.edu.

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
NYSTCE – New York State Teacher Certification Exams

Find the specific exam requirements for your certificate: Search Certification Requirements

Exam Scores and your TEACH Account

In order for exam scores to appear properly in your TEACH account, all account information in your NYSTCE (Pearson) account must match exactly what is listed in your TEACH account (full name, Social Security number, date of birth). The name listed in both accounts must contain the same exact information (e.g., – middle initial, hyphenated names must be the same, last name, no nicknames, etc).

First, you must login to both accounts and make sure that all information matches exactly. If your accounts don’t match, you must change your NYSTCE (Pearson) account to match what is listed in your TEACH account. This should solve the problem. Exam scores are continuously transmitted between the NYSTCE system and the TEACH system.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your information matches across both accounts, to make sure that the exam result(s) are transmitted properly. If you have any questions about how to get your scores transmitted to your TEACH account, you can contact NYSTCE (Pearson) at: (800) 989-8532.

Teacher Certification

tcert@qc.cuny.edu

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