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.
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 Graduation Audit Unit (Registrar) completes its final degree audit and the degree or advanced certificate conferral is awarded on your 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 (for more information see Degree Audit and Conferral below). After being recommended, applicants will be able to apply for a certificate through the Approved Teacher Preparation Program pathway. College recommended applicants must also satisfy the testing requirement and obtain fingerprint clearance before the certificate can be issued.
How to Submit a College Recommendation Request
Instructions for all candidates 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 completion of the NYS mandated workshops (scroll down to see Proof of Workshop Completion info 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
Instructions for candidates NOT using Anthology Portfolio:
- Students completing Bilingual Extension Advanced Certificate programs.
- Students completing Library Media Specialist for Certified Teachers programs.
- Students in an AC to MAT plan who have already been recommended for Initial certification and need to be recommended for professional certification only.
- Alumni who completed an Approved Teacher Preparation Program at Queens College prior to 2/1/2025 and were not recommended at the time of program completion.
Click the following link to submit a College Recommendation Request Form. All NYS mandated workshops must be posted on your TEACH account.
When to Submit the College Recommendation Request
Students will be asked to submit a college recommendation request during the final semester of their program.
College Recommendation Request Submission Periods and Recommendation Timeline
| Term | Submission Period | Degree Conferral Date | Recommendation expected by |
| Spring 25 | March 15 – May 10, 2025 | June 1, 2025 | August 2025 |
| Summer 25 | June 15 – August 1, 2025 | September 1, 2025 | October 2025 |
| Fall 25 | November 15 – December 15, 2025 | January 1, 2026 | February 2026 |
| Winter 26 | November 15 – December 15, 2025 | February 1, 2026 | March 2026 |
Anthology Portfolio submissions that are received prior to the appropriate submission period will be deleted.
Proof of Workshop Completion
To show proof of completion of the workshops you may upload any of the following:
- 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.
For information on the New York State mandated workshops click here.
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 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.
Fall degree
Conferral Date: January 1
Winter degree
Conferral Date: February 1
Spring degree
Conferral Date: June 1
Summer degree
Conferral Date: September 1
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 application will be completed, and the graduation notation will be posted. Once complete your graduation status will change to “Degree Awarded.” Check your unofficial student transcript through Self Service > Academic Records to see your if degree has been “Awarded”.
Check your unofficial student transcript through Self Service > Academic Records to see your degree conferred.
This process cannot be expedited.
Apply for Certification
- To check if the college recommendation has been entered on your TEACH account go to TEACH Home → Account Information → College Recommendations.
- After the college recommendation has been entered you can apply for certification via the Approved Teacher Preparation Program application pathway.
- Student application information & program codes can be found here: qc.cuny.edu/academics/se/tcert-program-codes
- To check the status of your application or view issued certificates go to TEACH Home → Account Information → Certificates.
College recommended applicants must also satisfy the testing requirement and obtain fingerprint clearance before the certificate can be issued.
For questions about your application contact the NYSED Office of Teaching Initiatives: highered.nysed.gov/tcert/contact
Please Note
- All students must apply for graduation on CUNYFirst (this includes students completing Advanced Certificate programs).
- You must have created and activated your TEACH account on the NYSED TEACH Online Services system: https://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/
- The certification exams do not need to be completed in order to receive College Recommendation.
- The college cannot recommend you for certification until after the degree or advanced certificate is awarded on your transcript and you have completed the NYS mandated workshops.
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