Education Requirements to Become Certified
In B.C., all teachers must complete three education requirements before they can apply for a Certificate of Qualification to teach.
There are two requirements at this step.
The first requirement is:
- Completion of 120 credits of post-secondary study
- Ability to use the English or French language to communicate accurately and accomplish tasks in real-world settings
The second requirement is fitness to teach. This means that applicants must be of good moral character.
Review the full list of certification requirements, including academic qualifications, language proficiency, and fitness to teach, on the Teacher Regulation Branch’s website.
Academic preparation course credits are used to apply to one of two education programs in B.C.
- Elementary/middle school (Kindergarten – Grade 7) teacher education program
- Secondary school (Grades 8 to 12) teacher education program
General coursework
Teachers applying to teacher education programs must complete a certain number of credits of general coursework (academic studies). Elementary school teachers and secondary school teachers have different general coursework that they must complete.
Visit the Teaching in B.C. website to learn about the specific academic studies that applicants must complete in their post-secondary studies.
The Teaching in B.C. website outlines the criteria of an acceptable teacher education program. To prepare teachers for the classroom, teacher education programs include pedagogical coursework and an in-school practicum. The length of training to prepare a teacher for the public school system ranges from one to two years, depending on the program.
If you’re considering enrolling in a teacher education program in British Columbia, check the Teaching in B.C. website for a list of approved teaching programs.
Additional IET Coursework
Once an IET receives B.C. teacher certification, they must complete a familiarization course approved by the BC Teachers’ Council. This course is called Introduction to the B.C. K-12 School System and Professional Standards for Educators. The purpose of this course is familiarization with the B.C. education system.
In addition, IETS will need to complete a certain number of professional education courses. Refer to the latest information on upgrading your teaching certificate for further details.
Language Requirements
You will need to demonstrate your English and/or French language proficiency to teach in B.C.
Teacher Certification Steps
The process of obtaining a B.C. teaching certificate involves the Ministry of Education and Child Care’s Teacher Regulation Branch and may involve Pathways to Teach Canada. Each organization requires a specific list of documents to assess your credentials, education and qualifications.
- Read about how to prepare your documents.
- Check that you have all of the required documents for your teaching certificate or Independent School Certificate.
- Internationally educated teachers require additional documents. Check the International Applicants section and read: Familiarization Training, Country-Specific Documents and Additional Teacher Education Program Documents.
- Read about what to do if you are unable to submit the required documents.
You must have a BCeID account in order to apply for your teaching certification. Learn more:
Submit all of the required documentation to the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB). They will determine if you need to complete a credential assessment with Pathways to Teach Canada.
If the TRB requires you to have a credentials assessment, you must do this through Pathways to Teach Canada. The steps below show you how to navigate the Pathways website.
- Click on Determine My Pathway. Here you will answer simple questions to determine whether Pathways to Teach Canada is the right place to start your assessments.
- Did your answers determine that you are eligible to start your assessment via Pathways to Teach Canada?
- If the answer is Yes, create your account (Step 3).
- If the answer is No, press the Contact Us button to get help from Pathways to Teach Canada.
- Fill in the necessary information to create a Pathways account. Remember to include your local time zone and your country of residence.
- Once you have an account, choose Assessments from the menu. If you have been asked to provide a Pathway to Teach Canada Credential Assessment Report by the TRB, apply for the Credential Assessment. Do NOT apply for the the Language Competency Assessment for the Teaching Profession (LCATP) yet. The TRB will determine if you need to complete the LCATP or another language proficiency test after they have reviewed your Credential Assessment Report.
- Click on the Request button and choose the assessment you require from the drop-down menu.
Wait for Pathways to assess your qualifications and credentials.
Provide the Teacher Regulation Branch (TRB) with your Pathways credentials assessment, if required. The Teacher Regulation Branch will review your academic and professional preparation credentials, as set out in your Pathways Report, to determine if your credentials meet the certification requirements.
At this point, the TRB may require the Language Competency Assessment for the Teaching Profession (LCATP).
If the TRB has requested a language competency assessment, you can complete it through Pathways to Teach Canada. See Step 4 above, but this time select the Language Competency Assessment for the Teaching Profession (LCATP). Wait for Pathways to assess our language competency.
Find out more about the English and French language proficiency requirements for teaching in B.C.
Once you receive your language competency from Pathways, submit it to the TRB. Wait for the TRB’s review.
If you meet the requirements for a teaching certificate, the TRB will send you an approval letter and issue you a certificate.
If you do not meet the requirements, the TRB will send you a denial letter informing you of what you are missing. You can then assess what next steps you may wish to take, if any.