Qualifications for teaching in Ontario

Ontario teaching certification

To teach in a publicly funded school, you must be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers.

To be certified, in most cases, you need:

• an undergraduate degree for general education
• an acceptable certificate (including certificate of apprenticeship), diploma or advanced diploma and work experience for technological education
• a completed initial teacher education program

There are some other requirements for certification, such as proof of language proficiency. Learn about the requirements to be certified by the Ontario College of Teachers.

You can become a teacher by attending a university that offers a Bachelor of Education program.

To become a certified teacher, contact the Ontario College of Teachers.

Ontario College of Teachers

The Ontario College of Teachers, governs and enforces the standards of practice for the teaching profession.

The College:

• issues teaching certificates / licenses teachers
• sets and enforces the standards of practice and conduct for teachers
• provides for the ongoing education of teachers
• investigates and hears complaints against teachers
• accredits teacher education programs and additional qualifications programs

Teachers in publicly funded schools must be members in good standing with the College. Many private schools also require their teachers to be College members.

Find a teaching job

All hiring is done by publicly funded school boards, the provincial school authority, demonstration schools or private schools.

There are 72 school boards in Ontario, including 60 English-language school boards and 12 French-language school boards.

Find information about jobs in education.

Professional development and additional qualification programs

Teachers who hold an Ontario teaching certificate can complete in-service professional development programs that lead to additional qualifications recognized by the Ontario College of Teachers.

These in-service programs are offered by faculties of education, and other organizations, in a number of formats:

• one-session programs
• three-session specialist programs
• one-session honour specialist programs

The Ontario College of Teachers can grant equivalent standing for some qualifications if a teacher has completed comparable course work at a faculty of education outside Ontario or as part of a graduate program in education.

Internationally educated teachers

If you wish to be certified to teach in Ontario and you completed a teacher education program outside of Canada, the Ontario College of Teachers provides information that will help you with your application.

Language proficiency test

The Ontario College of Teachers has information about the language proficiency test.

Universities that offer a Bachelor of Education program

Review the list of faculties of education that offer a Bachelor of Education program. Programs include four semesters and a minimum of 80 days of practice teaching.

Apply using the Teacher Education Application Service

To apply to a faculty of education, you must use the Teacher Education Application Service (TEAS). This is a non-profit centralized application service.

Faculties of education

Resources

• Become a principal - Learn about becoming a principal in a publicly-funded school in Ontario.
• Ontario’s French Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy - Learn about our plan to attract and retain more French teachers in Ontario schools.
• Teacher assignment in Ontario schools - This guide will give you a basic understanding of the rules for assigning teachers to teach subjects or hold positions in Ontario’s publicly funded schools.
• Teacher Performance Appraisal System - Learn how new and experienced teachers are appraised in publicly funded schools.
• New Teacher Induction Program - Learn about the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) which provides professional learning for new teachers.