If You Do Not Meet the Requirements

If you do not meet the requirements for certification to teach in Ontario, the College will tell you what you are missing and how you can gain the qualifications you need. This is called "upgrading," and it can usually be done at a faculty of education at an Ontario university.

Some of the reasons you may not meet the requirements are:

• Your bachelor's degree is not the equivalent of an Ontario degree
• your teacher education program was not of at least one year duration
• You were not certified to teach in the jurisdiction you received your teacher education
• Your English/French proficiency does not meet the requirements of the College

Do not be discouraged if you do not receive immediate certification from the Ontario College of Teachers. Numerous upgrading opportunities are available across the province of Ontario to help you reach your goal of teacher certification.

If you need to requalify as a teacher in Ontario, keep in mind that a Teacher education program is a one-year program. It provides all the fundamentals you need to be a successful teacher in Ontario. As well, if you need to improve your language skills and you do not feel ready to teach in front of a class of students, then there are significant benefits to attending an Ontario university to study a teacher education program.

While most programs are full-time, there are some part-time programs as well. You can visit the Ontario Ministry of Education's website for a list of universities and teacher education programs in Ontario.

Related Occupations

You may decide to explore alternative teaching possibilities outside of Ontario's publicly funded school system, especially if you are not yet certified. Some internationally educated teachers choose to explore these opportunities while they fulfill the requirements for teacher certification.