Teacher Alternative Certification

• Individuals with a completed bachelor's degree OR

  • Applicants with a bachelor's degree awarded by end of current semester

• Individuals with a high school diploma or associate degree with work experience and certification in the work industry to teach a career cluster in Texas, OR

• Military Veterans

We also assist those interested in teaching subjects related to careers and technical education, such as trades and industrial skills.

Fees

Other fees payable to TEA, textbooks, practice test, Pearson

^{All paid fees are non-refundable. Participation will be suspended until program fees are appropriately maintained. Withdrawal fees will apply and must be paid to avoid defrayal process}

* What you need to know about a required criminal history background check:

Pursuant to the Texas Education Code (TEC), §22.083, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching, internship and employment as an educator; and pursuant to the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §227.1(d), an applicant or a candidate who has been convicted of an offense may result in ineligibility for issuance of a certificate on the completion of the program.  An applicant or a candidate may exercise the right to request a criminal history evaluation letter.  For more information about a preliminary criminal history evaluation, please visit the TEA website.

• Three cohorts a year 
  • September
  • January
  • May
    • Next Cohort: January 24, 2026 (Application Deadline January 16, 2026)

An applicant who has met the minimum academic criteria through credentials from outside the United States must seek transcript evaluation into a U.S. degree equivalency by an approved TEA credentialing evaluation service.  The applicant must also demonstrate English language proficiency by:

• Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education (IHE) in the United States or one of its territories.
• Verification of a minimum scaled score that falls within the High-Intermediate level in each section on the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet -Based Test (TOEFL-iBT);
• An undergraduate or graduate degree that was earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside of the United States listed in this Figure; or 
• A standard certificate issued by the Department of Education in another state where examinations for the certificate were taken and passed.