Frequently Asked Questions
What is College Recommendation?
The college recommendation is completed by the recommending institution using the TEACH Online Services system (it is an electronic entry, not a letter). The institution also provides applicants with “Student Application Information” outlining all the information the student needs in order to apply for a certificate through the approved program pathway. College recommended applicants must also satisfy the testing requirement and obtain fingerprint clearance before the certificate can be issued.
Will I be recommended for certification as soon as my classes are finished?
No. The college cannot recommend students for certification until Registrar completes its final Degree Audit and the Degree or Advanced Certificate conferral is awarded on your transcript.
What is Degree Audit & 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.
Fall degree
Conferral Date: January 1
Winter degree
Conferral Date: February 1
Spring degree
Conferral Date: Date of Commencement (Approximately June 1)
Summer degree
Conferral Date: September 1
Checking your degree status:
After you have applied for graduation, you can check the status of your graduation posting through your CUNYfirst account.
To check via CUNYfirst go to Self Service > Degree Process/Graduation > View Grad Status. You may see updates such as “Applied,” “In Review” or “Pending.”
- Applied – You have applied for graduation and your application is on file with the Degree Audit Unit. Your audit has not yet been conducted.
- In Review – There are outstanding items on your audit that must be addressed.
- Pending – Your audit is awaiting end of term grades.
Once your graduation is posted, you will no longer see “View Grad Status” as an option.
Check your unofficial student transcript through Self Service > Academic Records to see your degree conferred.
Do I need to apply for NYS certification?
Yes. You must enter an application for NYS Certification on the NYSED TEACH Online Services system.
What exams do I need to take?
How can I tell if I have fingerprint clearance on my TEACH Account?
Please check your NYSED TEACH Account to verify that you have fingerprint clearance.
Go to TEACH Home > Account Information > Fingerprinting
If you have one of the following statements on your TEACH Account:
“We have received your fingerprint information from NYC”
“Your DCJS and FBI results have been received”
You have fingerprint clearance, no further action is required.
If you do NOT have fingerprint clearance on your TEACH Account you will see the statement below:
“Teach does not have your fingerprint information. If you have been fingerprinted by NYCDOE, contact NYCDOE HR Connect for more information at 1-718-935-4000. For all others, please contact MorphoTrust/IDEMIA at: http://www.identogo.com or by phone at 1-877-472-6915.”
If you were fingerprinted by the NYC DOE you will need to submit an OSPRA 104 Form.
How can I check the status of my certification application?
How can I apply for an additional certificate without completing another program?
The NYSED allows already certified individuals to apply for most additional areas of certification (or extensions) on their own (not through Queens College) through the Additional Classroom Teaching Certificate (Must hold a valid certificate) Pathway or the Individual Evaluation Pathway.
– To apply for additional areas go to the TEACH Online system, apply for the additional Initial Certificate(s) (or Professional only if you already hold Professional in another area) or extension(s) online following the instructions on the website.
– When prompted for a program code, you DO NOT enter a program code, instead select: “(B) No, I have not completed, nor am I enrolled in, an Approved Teacher Preparation Program at a New York State College or University for this certificate and this type.”
– On the Interstate Reciprocity screen, select “No, I am not eligible to apply through the Interstate Reciprocity Pathway”. Then select the Individual Evaluation for an Additional Classroom Teaching Certificate Pathway or Individual Evaluation Pathway.”
– You will then have to submit your official transcripts (and/or other documentation) and wait for them to be reviewed.
*When your transcript(s) are first received your application will be listed as Ready for Review. Ready for Review means just that – your application hasn’t been reviewed by an evaluator at the NYSED yet. The system defaults to “deficient” or “unmet” for some requirements until the application is evaluated, it more accurately should state “not yet reviewed” next to those requirements. The evaluation will change once your application is reviewed.
- Check Status of Application
- Coursework to Satisfy Unmet Requirements
- Search Certification Requirements
- Submitting Documents
– As you would be applying directly to the NYSED, please contact them with any questions you may have: Contact Information
– As a matter of policy Queens College does not evaluate transcripts for individuals applying through an Individual Evaluation Pathway. Any evaluation completed other than by the NYSED would be unofficial and possibly inaccurate.
I've applied for Professional or Permanent Certification and my Citizenship Status is listed as Unmet, why?
If this is incorrect, and you are a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, login to your TEACH account, click on TEACH Home, under Profile Links click on Update/Add Education, Employment and Personal Information. Then click on Edit Personal Information. Under Resident Status highlight “I am a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States” and click Submit. The evaluation should update the following day.
Can I use substitute teaching to fulfill part/all of the 3-year experience requirement for professional certification?
Substitute teachers in New York State who hold a valid teaching certificate or are working towards certification (i.e., completing at least six semester hours of college coursework per year), and are employed by a school district or BOCES for more than 40 days, must be employed in the area that they are certified or seeking certification, respectively.
Substitute teachers in New York State who do not hold a valid certificate, and are not working towards certification, cannot have more than 40 days of acceptable experience in a school district or BOCES in a school year except as described on the Substitute Teaching webpage.
How do I add/correct my Social Security Number or ITIN?
Queens College / CUNYFirst
If you would like to add or change your social security number, you will need to upload your SS card or W9S in CUNYfirst Self-Service.
You can do this by logging into CUNYfirst and using the Student Center tile. Open the Student Tool tile and select Document Upload, choose Registrar as the document class.
Once completed, please log on to the QC Hub Service desk by navigating to https://support.qc.cuny.edu and selecting Login and Navigate to the QC Hub Registrar in the Service Catalog: https://support.qc.cuny.edu/support/catalog/items
Contact QCHUB@qc.cuny.edu for assistance.
TEACH Online System
How do I change/correct my name?
Queens College / CUNYFirst
You can change or correct your name by filling out the Personal Data Change Request (link to: https://www.qc.cuny.edu/qchub/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2022/05/Personal-Data-Change-Request-Form.pdf )
Once completed, please log on to the QC Hub Service desk by navigating to https://support.qc.cuny.edu and selecting Login and Navigate to the QC Hub Registrar in the Service Catalog: https://support.qc.cuny.edu/support/catalog/items
TEACH Online System
How can I order a QC transcript?
You can order your transcript online through Parchment at the following website: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/34237/institution
If you would like to send an attachment along with your transcript, please make sure to indicate that you have an attachment when prompted during the ordering process.
Any questions about the ordering process can be directed to Parchment: https://parchmentsupport.force.com/
For more information about Queens College transcripts click here.
What is a NYC DOE file number?
The file number is a unique identifier issued to NYC DOE educators for payroll purposes. You are not issued a file number until after you have been hired and it will be issued after your first paycheck. If you were previously issued a file number as a substitute teacher or employee, you will keep that file number.
- File Number: You can obtain your file number or employee reference number by calling HR Connect at (718) 935-4000, or email HRConnect@schools.nyc.gov
How can I request a letter for my Master's plus 30 salary differential?
Contact QC Hub-Records Management Services (Registrar) at QCHUB@qc.cuny.edu.
Where can I apply for jobs outside of NYC?
Updated 2.23