Frequently Asked Questions

You can use financial aid such as scholarships, grants and loan forgiveness opportunities to help make teaching programs more affordable. 

Financial aid options:

• Scholarships: financial assistance that does not need to be repaid, and is offered based on a student’s merit, need or athletics, such as the TEACH Scholarship.
• Grants: a financial award that does not need to be repaid, such as the TEACH Grant (not associated with TEACH.org).
• Loan forgiveness: a cancellation of some or all a student’s loans after meeting specified requirements such as on-time payments, service commitments and tenure. The Teacher Loan Forgiveness program is a good example. 

Financial aid opportunities can be federally, privately or institutionally funded. You can learn more about financial aid for teachers in our financial aid guide.

Choosing the right teaching programs will depend on your experience and where you want to begin your teaching career. 

Consider these questions to help determine the program for you: 

• Do you want to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree along with your teaching certificate? Or do you want to jump right into teaching with an alternative certification program? 
• Do you have a budget? Does the program need to be mostly online to fit your schedule? 
• How much hands-on experience do you want, and what kind of mentorship do you hope to receive? 

Questions like these will guide you to choosing the program that fits your goals. You can learn more about choosing a teaching program on our Become a teacher page.

You can absolutely teach in a subject other than what your degree is in. In general, you will typically need to pass subject area assessments and take a teacher preparation program in your new subject. 

How to Get Certified in Your New Subject:

• Choose a Pathway: master’s of art in teaching programs offer a master’s degree alongside your teaching certificate, or you can take alternative certification programs or certificate-only programs. Learn more on our How to Become a Certified Teacher page.
• Take required courses: You may need to take extra courses in your new subject. You can check with your teacher prep program for course requirements.

Pass subject area assessments: You must pass a subject area test for your new subject area to prove you can teach that subject. Learn more about testing in our Praxis Testing article.

If you’re a first-year teacher, the average national starting salary for teachers is $46,526. If you have more experience or more education, the average national teacher salary is $72,030.

In most cases, school districts and cities set their own salary schedules for teachers, which are often based on years of experience and credentials.

You can learn more about teacher salaries and benefits on our Salary and Benefits page.

Only you can decide if teaching is right for you, and there is a combination of skills and values that many teachers have. 

Here are some signs that you will like teaching:

• You want a career with autonomy, mastery and purpose.
• You have drive and curiosity to challenge yourself and grow.
• You've worked with children before and enjoy it.
• You want a job that's both creative and analytical, and that makes a real difference in your community.

Here are a few places to start your research:

• Visit our Explore Teaching page.
• Check out our articles, as well as videos to explore the ins and outs of teaching.

In most cases, you do not need a master’s degree to start teaching. However, some states do require teachers to have a master's degree at some point in their career. If you already have a bachelor’s degree and are changing careers to start teaching, a master’s degree isn’t a bad idea.

Benefits of getting a master’s degree to teach in Texas:

• A master's degree program offers extra support to learn the teaching trade, from lesson planning to classroom management. 
• A master's degree will allow you to earn a higher salary.
• If you already have a teaching license, you can take classes to earn your master’s degree during nights and weekends. 

You can use our Program Explorer to find master's degree programs.

To set your teaching career up for success, focus on professional growth and finding the right environment. Follow these key steps:

• Prioritize teacher effectiveness: Look for professional development opportunities, find strong mentors and challenge yourself to try new things in the classroom! These strategies can set you up for more benefits like promotions and pay raises. 
• Select the right employer: Research school districts and leadership carefully, as your school community and leadership will significantly impact your growth.
• Evaluate fit during interviews: Treat interviews as a two-way process. You're interviewing for a position, but you also want to find out if a particular school will be a good fit.

Teachers generally have a great deal of autonomy — more so than most jobs right out of college. From day one, you'll be entrusted with big responsibilities. 

Areas teachers will have the most autonomy

• Building classroom culture by way of room decoration, class room management techniques and classroom routines
• Instructional Strategy by choosing the activities, technology and teaching methods that best fit your students' needs
• Being creative with lesson implementation by adapting the required curriculum to be engaging for your students

That said, every school varies in terms of teacher autonomy, so it's smart to ask about this during job interviews.

In most cases, yes. With proper training, preparation and practice, you'll build the skills you need to manage students in your classroom.

Your teaching program should show you how to earn your students' trust, develop strong communication skills and use effective classroom management techniques.

Once you're in the classroom, you'll continue to learn on the job and learn from your colleagues. Teachers are a supportive bunch, and experienced educators at your school will help you to continue to build your craft. You've got this!

Yes! While there’s no single way to be a good teacher, there are a combination of skills and values that a good teacher has. Like any profession, it takes time and dedication to develop the skills to teach effectively. 

Therefore, good teachers need to have passion, drive, and curiosity to do their job well and better themselves. Each day, you'll improve your relationship-building, critical thinking, creativity and leadership skills, to support your students the best that you can.

The quickest way to become a teacher online is through alternative certification programs or teacher residency programs. 

Key benefits to non-traditional online programs

• Online coursework: asynchronous coursework can be completed at your own pace
• Fast-track training: shorter but enriched training courses on the fundamentals of teaching a classroom of students
• Earn while you learn: in many cases, once you finish training, you can start teaching in your classroom right away and apply what you learn as you teach. 

No matter what type of program you choose, you will have hands-on, in-person experiences during student teaching, so it can’t be done completely online. 

In most cases, it will take four years in a traditional teaching program. However, it ultimately depends on the type of teaching program you choose and where you are in your academic career. 

• Bachelor’s degree & certification: About 4 years
• Master’s degree & certification: 1–3 years
• Alternative certification: 1–2 years
• Certification-only: Up to 1 year

You can use our Program Explorer to find programs that fit with your experiences.

The fastest pathways to become a certified teacher is through alternative certification programs or certificate-only programs. If you have educational or professional degrees in the subject area you want to teach, these programs allow you to learn how to teach and, in some cases, start teaching right away.

You can learn more about alternative certification in our guide. 

You can become a teacher even if you have a unique background and there are pathways to teaching tailored specifically for situations like this. 

Pathways to a teaching certificate:

• Alternative certification programs are a good option for you if you want to change careers and have a bachelor’s degree in the subject you want to teach. 
• Career and Technical Education certification programs are a good option if you have vocational experience in a specific trade or industry.

Learn more about alternative teacher certification in our article.

No, you can absolutely become a teacher at any point in your career. 

• If you have a bachelor’s degree, you can find many programs suited for career changers, such as master’s degree programs, certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs. 
• If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, there are traditional teaching programs that offer a bachelor’s and certificate at the same time. 
• If you have work experience in an industry or technical field, you can become a Career and Technical Education teacher, to, in most cases, teach grades 6-12. 

Each program offers a different range of coursework, hands-on experience and mentoring. Learn more about teacher certification. 

In most cases, no, substitute teaching and paraprofessional roles do not qualify for the full-time classroom teaching experience required to get certified. In some states, however, these roles can apply towards teacher certification with specific regulations. Check with your state if you can use non-traditional experience towards certification.

No matter the qualification, working in those roles provides valuable experience for applying to teacher preparation programs.

Yes, you can use your non-education degree or prior experience to teach in many states. There are two options available: 

• Elementary and Secondary education (in any subject) teacher: You will need to pass an exam in your desired subject area, as well as fulfill requirements for a teacher preparation program. Pathways available to you include master’s degree programs, certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs. Learn more in our teaching programs guide.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher: This pathway is a non-traditional route to becoming a teacher. If you have work experience in industries like construction, hospitality, or health sciences, CTE certification typically lets you apply your skills to teach grades 6-12.

An alternative certification program is a teacher preparation pathway that lets you earn your initial teaching certification while you teach in your own classroom. You will need to typically meet these requirements:

• Have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution.
• A minimum GPA of at least 2.5 or higher,  depending on the state.
• Pass required tests in your teaching subject or basic skills.
• Some university programs may have their own testing requirements. 

Learn more about alternative certification in our guide

Alternative certification is a type of teacher certification that prepares teachers for an accelerated entry into teaching. This type of certification is good for people who:

• Have a bachelor’s degree, but haven’t started a teacher prep program
• Have career experience in the subject you plan to teach
• Have previous experience in education

Learn more about alternative certification in our guide.

The primary difference is that a teaching degree is an academic qualification from a college, while a teaching certificate is the legal authorization from the state to teach in a classroom.

To qualify for these credentials, you must meet different requirements:

• Teaching degree: Obtained by completing a college-level teacher preparation program, including specialized coursework in a specific subject area.
• Teaching certificate: Issued by the South Carolina Department of Education after you complete the degree, pass the required state certificate exams, and finish student teaching assessments. 

Learn more about teacher certification.

Yes, you can earn your master’s degree and teaching certificate in one program in as little as one to two years. 

The benefits of a master’s degree program:

• Integrated certification: Master’s of arts in teaching programs build in teacher certification requirements into your coursework to get you certified faster.
• Higher salary: You can start teaching with a higher salary with a master’s degree.
• Fulfill state requirements: some states require teachers to get their master's degree at some point in their career.

You can use our Program Explorer to find master’s degree programs that fit your experience.

Yes, there are many earn while you learn (teacher residency) programs for teachers to get certified while teaching in a classroom. These programs are built for you to earn your teacher certificate in one to two years, all while applying what you learn from your coursework into the classroom. 

You can find residency programs in our Program Explorer.

A teaching residency program is a type of alternative certification program that allows you to earn your initial teaching certificate in one to two years while getting paid to teach in a classroom alongside a mentor teacher.

Key benefits to a teaching residency program

• Get paid to teach: receive an annual stipend while in the program, with benefits! 
• More experience: you will commit to teaching in your school for the full school year, where other programs typically have student teaching last for a few weeks. You will also get support from your mentor teacher.
• Job opportunities: start a full-time teaching role, usually in the district where you trained. After you graduate, you’ll often commit to teaching in your district for a certain amount of time.

You can find residency programs in our Program Explorer.

There are a variety of teacher certification programs, ranging from programs for people who have never been to college to programs for people who want a master’s degree. You can expect to find these types of programs available at different colleges and universities:

• Bachelor’s degree + certificate programs
• Master’s degree + certificate programs
• Alternative certification programs
• Certificate-only programs

Each program offers a different range of coursework, hands-on experience and mentoring. Learn more about teacher certification in our guide.

Substitute teachers usually need at least some academic experience (such as a high school diploma, GED or college classes) and be over 18 years old. School districts have different requirements and application processes, so check with the school district you want to substitute for to see the requirements to apply.

In most cases, to start teaching immediately, you can apply for an interim license or start an alternative licensing program. Both pathways allow you to start teaching while fulfilling initial teacher licensing requirements. You can learn more about alternative licenses in our guide.

In some states, you can submit your expired out-of-state teacher certificate for review, if your certificate hasn't been expired for too long. In other states, they may only accept valid out-of-state certificates to be reciprocated. Look into the requirements in your state to see if you need to take a teacher preparation program in your new state to start teaching.

Typically, you can get your out-of-state teaching certification evaluated by your local education department to determine if you meet all the requirements to teach in your new state. 

Evaluation of your out-of-state teacher certificate:

• Active and valid certificate: If you hold a valid, out-of-state certificate and have a bachelor’s degree or higher, you can submit your credentials for review.
• Copy of transcripts: You will need to have your transcripts sent directly from the issuing institution or college
• Pass subject area assessments: You may need to take some tests in your teaching subject area. 

In most states, to have your international teaching certificate or degree recognized by the U.S. and to begin teaching, you will need to submit your transcripts to an accredited credit evaluation agency for a course-by-course evaluation.

Once you submit all the required documents, the agency will evaluate your credentials and send a report to your state certification department. 

In most states, you can apply for a teaching certificate even with an international degree or certificate. To begin the process, you will need to gather some documents as well as have your degree and credentials evaluated:

International teaching certification application requirements:

• You typically need to have a bachelor’s degree.
• Submit valid identification documentation, teaching certificates and fingerprinting.
• Take language proficiency tests, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

You will also need to submit official transcripts to an accredited credit evaluation agency for a course-by-course evaluation. The report may need to be sent directly from the evaluation agency for the state to accept it.

States have many benefits for veterans and military spouses to pursue a teaching career. 

Pathways and benefits available to veterans, military service members and their families:

• Military service members, their spouses and veterans may receive fee waivers for most certification fees and renewal fees,  as well as accelerated application processes in some staes.
• Institutionals and universities may have programs made directly for veterans and military service memebers and their families to get a degree or certificate at little to no cost.
• Veterans and their families can utilize several support programs, such as the G.I. Bill or MyCAA.

Programs will have a variety of deadlines that vary depending on the program start, but generally, spring semester applications are due by October, summer by March, and fall by June. 

Typical application deadlines:

• Alternative certification programs have deadlines for cohorts that are usually early in the year, with applications opening in the winter for a summer start.
• Traditional teacher preparation programs through colleges and universities often have spring deadlines for the following fall semester.

Be sure to carefully review the programs you are interested in and account for deadlines when planning your application. Review application deadlines on our deadline search.

The balance working full-time while earning your teacher certificate, leverage programs that allow for you to complete coursework online or fast-track programs such as alternative certification programs. 

Carefully review program overviews to fully understand the requirements throughout the program. Take note that all teacher preparation programs will require you to student teach, so being able to work in a classroom will be a requirement at some point.

In most cases, it will take four years in a traditional teaching program. However, it ultimately depends on the type of teaching program you choose and where you are in your academic career. 

• Bachelor’s degree + certification programs take four years
• Master’s degree + certification programs take three years or less
• Certificate-only programs and alternative certification programs can take as little as one year

You can use our Program Explorer to find programs that fit your experience.

You can apply for financial aid such as scholarships and grant opportunities to help make teaching programs more affordable. 

Types of program-specific financial aid:

• Institutional grants or scholarships: these are unique to your program’s institution, and help cover some or all of the cost of tuition.
• Teacher or education specific grants or scholarships: these are aid opportunities aimed to support future teachers
• Stipends or tuition assistance: residency programs will often offer a stipend to help pay for living expenses and may even offer tuition assistance to cover the costs of your teacher preparation program, too
• Federal financial aid: You can apply for free financial aid that gets directly sent to your institution, and may make you automatically eligible for other scholarships or grants 

You can learn more about financial aid for Texas teachers in our financial aid article. 

To teach special education, you will typically need to go through a teacher preparation program that offers certification in Special education,  as well as take an exam.

Requirements to teach Special education: 

• Take a teacher preparation program that offers an endorsement in Special education.
• Pass a subject area exam: You will most likely need to pass a few exams that cover a range of special education topics.
• Take specific courses: Your state may require you to take courses to further develop your training to teach special education.

You can use our Program Explorer to find Special education programs.

In general, there are typically four main requirements to become a certified teacher. The requirements may become more specific with each teacher preparation program. 

The key requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree: you must have a bachelor’s degree in education or a related field to the subject you want to teach. The standard GPA is 2.5 or higher.
• Teacher preparation program: you must take an approved teacher preparation program, either traditionally or in an alternative route, which leads to initial certification.
• Subject area exams: you will need to pass tests in your chosen subject area.

Learn more about teacher certification.

While GPA requirements may vary depending on the program and university, you can generally expect to see a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher as a requirement for most teacher preparation programs. You can view GPA requirements for programs in our Program Explorer.

There are a variety of online resources available to help prepare you for the required exams to become a teacher. 

• TEACH.org resources, like free coaching and test guides
• The Praxis preparation page offers study companions and testing strategies
• Study.com offers study materials for Praxis exams