Certification Process

School Counselor candidates will start the certification process in the spring semester you will graduate (no earlier than May 1). Candidate applies online through the Connecticut Educator Certification System (CECS).

• Watch Applying for Certification Tutorial Video and review FAQs for more information
• Create an account
• During the application, you will select your certificate or position type: Special Services
• You will then select your endorsement area: 068 School Counselor
• Educational History
  • Select your bachelor’s degree and save
  • The system will ask if you have college/university coursework/degree that is not shown, and you will click Yes
  • Add master’s degree
  • When asked whether or not you have graduated with your master’s, you can check, “Yes” even though your degree will not officially be posted until later this month. The official conferral date will be May 11, 2025. If you have already applied for certification and checked “No”, that is fine too.
• Professional History page asks, “Do you have any teaching, administrative, and/or special services experience that is not shown (considered experience under a valid teaching certificate). Answer No
• Continue with questions until complete.
• Pay $50 nonrefundable application review fee with a MasterCard, Visa, or Discover Card.
• After submitting payment, you should receive a confirmation email. If you don’t receive one, check your spam folder.

Next Steps:

• After the master’s degree is posted on transcript in Student Admin (typically late May/early June), candidates should order official copies of their transcript(s) from all institutions and have them sent to Bureau of Educator Standards & Certification, P.O. Box 150471, Hartford, CT 06115-0471 or to teacher.etranscript@ct.gov. Wait to order your official UConn transcript until master’s degree is posted.
  • If possible, mail your official transcript to CSDE for review. Due to the large volume of e-transcripts the Bureau receives daily, the e-transcript may expire before they are able to download and scan it into your file.
• The Neag School of Education Certification Officer will submit the institutional recommendation for certification to the CSDE once candidate has completed the internship (typically early to mid-June). Candidates are eligible for Initial Educator Certificate.
• Once all application materials have been received and reviewed (official transcripts, etc.), CSDE will send applicants a credential letter via email with a request for the fee balance.
• The certificate will be issued with the date of application or when all program requirements have been met.

If you have questions about your application, email teacher.cert@ct.gov.