Connecticut Teacher Certification Guide

To teach in Connecticut, you’ll need to meet certification and education requirements. Read this page for more info or click the button to download our guide.

Download the GuideFree 1:1 Coaching
A young woman getting certified in Connecticut stands in front of a blue background with illustrations of a diploma, graduation cap and blue ribbon badge

How do you get certified to teach in Connecticut?

If you’re new to teaching and want to get certified to teach in Connecticut:

  • What kind of teachers are needed in Connecticut?
  • Choose the right certification endorsement area.
  • Review your pathway to certification.
  • How to receive your teacher certification.
  • How much will certification cost?
  • Review other resources, if you're still exploring.

Do you already have teaching experience? You may be able to become certified in Connecticut education without attending a preparation course. Check out the “Your Pathway to Teaching” section to learn how.

We do our best to keep all information updated, but because certification requirements are regularly reviewed and revised, it is best to confirm requirements with your preparation course and the Connecticut Department of Education (CSDE) Bureau of Certification before applying.

"Schools are more than just places where students learn how to read and write — they're communities. They're like second families to our students." — Dr. Miguel Cardona

What kind of teachers are needed in CT?

If you already know what you want to teach, skip to the next section. If you're not sure yet or open to teaching different subject areas and grade levels, discover different certification areas below.

You’ll have more job opportunities—and make a bigger impact—teaching in areas with a strong need for education. You can explore state-designated shortage areas in the next section, “Choose the right certification area.” 

There are perks for teaching in a state-designated shortage area:

  • With a Durational Shortage Area Permit, or DSAP, you may be eligible to teach full-time (and earn a paycheck!) while you complete your teaching course. Learn more about the Durational Shortage Area Permit.
  • Many schools offer additional pay or signing bonuses to teachers working in these subjects.
  • The Connecticut Teachers Mortgage Assistance Program offers lower interest rate loans to help teachers in subject shortage areas become homeowners.
  • If you’re willing to commit to teaching for several years in high-need areas, you may be eligible to have some of your school loans cancelled. (1)

What subjects are "shortage areas"?

You can get the most up-to-date list on the CSDE's website. These subjects are currently on the list:

  • Bilingual education (elementary or secondary)
  • Math and science (middle and high school)
  • Special education (all grades)
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL, all grades)
  • World languages (middle and high school)

You can narrow down which grade levels and subject areas to teach by considering state-designated shortage areas, or other in-demand subjects, where the need for teachers is greatest and your employment prospects may be stronger.

For example, if you want to teach young children, consider a high-demand specialty area: 

  • Comprehensive Special Education, Grades K–12
  • Bilingual Elementary Education, Grades K-9
  • Bilingual Middle Grades, Grades 4-9
  • Bilingual Humanities, Grades 5-12
  • Bilingual STEM, Grades 5-12
  • Integrated Early Childhood/Special Education, Birth or PK-3
  • World Language Instructor, Grades 1-6

Or, to broaden your options, consider a subject area that allows you to teach all grade levels:

  • Comprehensive Special Education, Grades K–12
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), Grades PK-12
  • Technology Education, Grades PK-12
  • Physical Education & Health, Grades PK-12
  • Music & Art, Grades PK-12

When selecting ages or grade levels to teach, you may have more job options at the middle and high school levels than at the elementary level. Earning a secondary level certification endorsement can also allow you to teach down to grades 4-6, depending on your subject area.

 

Choosing the right certification area

Once you know your grade and subject preferences, you can select a certification endorsement area.

In some cases, you may have multiple certification endorsement options to choose from. For example, if you want to teach fourth, fifth or sixth grade, you could receive elementary endorsement for grades 1-6 or an endorsement for grades 4-8 in a particular subject area.

You can add cross-endorsements in different grade levels and subject areas throughout your teaching career. You don’t have to achieve all your endorsements at once.

What endorsements can I earn?

CT teaching certification viz

Are you ready to find your certification endorsement area in Connecticut?

It's easy:

  • Filter by grade level and subject area to see which certification endorsement(s) apply to your teaching interests.
  • Hover to explore additional notes and details, like certification shortage areas.

If you prefer to review this information in tables, expand the sections below.

Try Viz

These certification endorsements allow you to teach in multiple subject areas at the early childhood and elementary school levels.

SubjectGrade Range
Elementary1–6
Integrated Early Childhood/Special EducationBirth–K or  PK-Grade 3*
Montessori, Elementary**1–6
Montessori, Primary**Birth–K

*Authorizes teaching special education in PK-K only

**Requires Association Montessori International (AMI) certification

SubjectGrade Range
English*7–12
English, Middle School4–8
History & Social Studies*7–12
History & Social Studies, Middle School4–8

*State regulations authorize teaching down to grades 5 and 6 with this endorsement.

SubjectGrade RangeShortage Area
French*7–12✅
German*7–12✅
Italian*7–12✅
Latin & Classical Humanities*7–12✅
Mandarin Chinese*7–12✅
Portuguese*7–12✅
Russian*7–12✅
Spanish*7–12✅
Other World Language*7–12✅

*State regulations authorize teaching down to grades 4, 5 and 6 with this endorsement

SubjectGrade RangeShortage Area
ArtPK-12 
Dance*PK-12 
MusicPK-12 
Theatre and Drama**PK-12 
School Library Media SpecialistPK-12✅

*You can also teach this subject with a Physical Education (PE endorsement).

**You can also teach this subject with an English endorsement.

SubjectGrade RangeShortage Area
AgriculturePK-12 
Biology*7–12✅
Biology, Middle School4–8✅
Chemistry*7–12✅
Chemistry, Middle School4–8✅
Computer SciencePK-12 
Earth Science*7–12✅
Earth Science, Middle School4–8✅
General Science*7–12✅
General Science, Middle School4–8✅
Mathematics*7–12✅
Mathematics, Middle School4–8✅
Physics*7–12✅
Physics, Middle School4–8✅
Technology Education**PK-12✅

*State regulations authorize teaching down to grades 5 and 6 with this endorsement.

**This endorsement authorizes teaching construction, manufacturing, transportation and communication systems.

SubjectGrade Range
HealthPK-12
Physical EducationPK–12

These certification endorsements allow you to teach students with disabilities or students who require additional academic supports at the elementary, middle and/or high school levels.

SubjectGrade RangeShortage Area
Comprehensive Special EducationK-12✅
Integrated Early Childhood/Special EducationBirth–K or PK-Grade 3*✅
Deaf & Hard of HearingPK-12✅
BlindPK-12✅
Partially SightedPK-12✅

*Authorizes teaching special education in PK-K only

SubjectGrade Range
Business*7–12
Health Occupations, Comprehensive High School**9–12
Health Occupations, Vocational Technical Schools**9–12
Family & Consumer Science/Home EconomicsPK-12
Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC)+7–12
Marketing Education**7–12
Occupational Subject, Vocational Technical Schools**9–12
Practical Nurse Education Instruction**9–12
Trade & Industrial Occupations, Comprehensive High School**9–12
Vocational Agriculture**7–12

*This endorsement also authorizes teaching marketing.

**This endorsement requires experience in the occupational area. 

+This endorsement requires a Department of Defense teacher certificate.

 

These certification endorsements allow you to teach in speciality subject areas at the elementary, middle or high school levels.

SubjectGrade RangeShortage Area
Bilingual Elementary Education*K-9✅
Bilingual Middle Grades*4-9✅
Bilingual Humanities*5-12✅
Bilingual STEM*5-12✅
Remedial Reading and Remedial Language Arts**1–12 
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)PK-12✅
World Language Instructor+1-6✅

*To earn this endorsement, you must hold a certification in at least one other endorsement area. You must also have completed at least 15 credits of coursework in the subject area you plan to teach.

**This endorsement requires three years of successful classroom teaching experience.

+This certification endorsement also requires a secondary world language endorsement.

Your Pathway to Teaching

Once you know what you want to teach, you're ready to start your journey to becoming a certified teacher!  In Connecticut, there are three tiers of teacher certification—and a few ways to get you there. 

To begin, choose a path below that works for you based on your current education level and experience.

Which statement fits you best?

If you’re a first-time teacher, you’ll need to choose an educator course.

Programs for undergraduates

If you don’t already have a degree, you can earn your degree and your teaching certificate at the same time. 

Many colleges and universities offer teaching programs that go along with a degree in education or a teaching subject, like math, history or art. So you might major in English or biology, minor in education and earn your teaching certificate all at the same time.

Programs for college graduates

If you already have a bachelor's degree in any subject, you can check out local courses that help you become certified. Some even allow you to work in education or start teaching (and earning a salary) while you complete your courses. 

You have two basic choices:

  • Master’s degree programs
  • Post-baccalaureate programs

In Connecticut, all teachers must earn a master’s degree eventually. If you earn a master’s degree now, you can start teaching with a higher salary and meet the requirement. This can be a really great option if you have less experience working with students, as traditional degrees offer extra time and practice. 

If you’re not interested in a master’s degree right away, a post-baccalaureate program will let you earn your certification in as little as one year. Some are offered by universities and allow you to earn college credit at the same time. Others are certification-only offered by non-profit organizations, which can be more cost-effective and take less time to complete. 

Check out Programs to find undergraduate, graduate and certification-only teaching courses.

If you have at least two years of teaching experience, you may be eligible to start teaching without attending a teaching course. This includes teaching experience in another state, another country, a private school, or a college or university.  

To get certified based on experience, you must:

  • Have at least 20 months of full-time teaching experience in the same school teaching in your desired certification area (time as a substitute, paraeducator or in another non-certified position do not count).
  • Pass subject-specific assessments and meet all coursework requirements.

If you don’t meet the experience requirements but did attend an educator prep course in another state, this will also qualify you for a similar certification pathway. (2)

Have you completed at least 10 months of successful teaching in the past 10 years? You may be able to fast-track your certification and waive your program’s student teaching requirement. To be eligible, you must have completed your teaching experience in a public school in another state, in a state-approved nonpublic school, as a certified employee of a board of education or under a Durational Shortage Area Permit in Connecticut. This waiver is at your program’s discretion, so check with program staff to find out if this is an option for you.

You can email for more questions. 

I earned my certification in a Northeastern region state or territory

If you have a teaching certificate from a Northeastern region state or territory, you may qualify for “enhanced reciprocity.” Basically, this means you can fast-track your Connecticut teaching certificate. You’ll submit a single application packet to show you have a valid teaching certificate. Once the Department of Education approves your packet, you’ll receive your Connecticut teaching certificate in an endorsement area comparable to the one you already hold.

This option is available for certified teachers in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia. Learn more at the Enhanced Reciprocity FAQs page.

I earned my certification in another country 

If you earned your certification outside of the U.S., you’ll need to submit additional paperwork. Visit the CSDE’s “Foreign Credentials for Certification” section for more information. The process to get certified based on your international experience or credentials will likely will take longer and require more steps, like additional coursework and testing.

Get step-by-step instructions for applying for certification based on prior experience on CSDE's website.

As a second-career teacher, you may be eligible for other perks & certification pathways:  

  • If you have a bachelor’s degree that isn’t in education, alternate preparation programs can give you a certificate to teach without earning an additional degree. 
  • If you’re a school employee, you may be able to become certified without having to leave your current school job through a residency preparation program.
  • If you’re a tradesperson with three years of on-the-job experience, you can become certified to teach as a high school trade instructor without completing a teacher prep program. This applies to fields such as automotive, manufacturing, cosmetology, and hospitality. Find out more at the CSDE Vocational Endorsements page.
  • If you’re bilingual, you may be uniquely qualified to teach full time in a high-demand subject area such as Bilingual Education or World Languages while getting certified.
  • If you’re a military connected person, check out Veterans Teach for resources and opportunities available for service members and veterans interested in teaching.

Visit Programs to explore educations programs through TEACH Connecticut’s university partners.

How to earn your teacher certification

  1. 1

    Choose the subject area you want to teach.

    Explore your options and consider high needs subjects and specialties, like math, trades, bilingual education, and special education. 

    Need advice or have questions? Talk to a TEACH Connecticut career coach for free, and receive advice on how to choose a certification area, how to find the right teaching program, what tests to take and more. Visit the TEACH Connecticut coaching page to start.

  2. 2

    Earn a bachelor’s degree from a nationally accredited university.

    Your bachelor’s degree should be in a field closely related to what you want to teach (though there are some exceptions to this rule, such as state-designated shortage areas). Connecticut accepts degrees from a large number of universities, but you should confirm that yours is nationally accredited. 

    If you have a bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S., your credentials must be evaluated by an agency currently approved by the CSDE to determine if they meet the requirements.

    Paying for your program can feel like a lot. That's where our financial aid guide comes in: get our favorite tips to find grants, scholarships, loan forgiveness opportunities and other strategies to cover your costs.

  3. 3

    Graduate—and earn a recommendation—from a state-approved educator preparation program.

    Each program sets its own requirements for admission and completion. Your preparation program must formally recommend you for certification.

    You can meet this requirement either as part of your undergraduate coursework, or by applying to and graduating from a preparation program after earning your bachelor’s degree. 

    Need a little support to prepare your teaching program applications? Our teacher prep program application guide has all the info you need to ace your exams, request your transcripts, win over your interviewer and more.

    TEACH Connecticut can help you reduce your teaching program application costs! We’ll reimburse up to $100 for any expenses required for you to apply to a teaching program (like application fees, transcript fees and more). Get the details on our Fee Reimbursements page.

    Through your preparation program, you will:

    1. Take coursework related to (1) the specific subject and grade levels you are seeking certification in and (2) the teaching profession more broadly, including teaching tools and strategies.
    2. Participate in hands-on, clinical experiences in a variety of classroom settings, where you can observe and practice with instructors, mentors and teachers who are effective and experienced.
    3. Prepare an edTPA portfolio of lesson plans, student work and other artifacts during your student teaching placement to submit for assessment (learn more about this requirement in our testing guide!).

    Start by browsing TEACH Connecticut’s Programs page. 

  4. 4

    Pass Connecticut content area assessments.

    You’ll have to pass one or more tests designed to show you know your subject well enough to teach it. Depending on your teaching program, you might take a test before you enroll, during your program or after you finish.

    Review the CSDE's Guide to Assessments for Educator Certification in Connecticut for more info.

    Stressed about testing? You're not alone! Our certification test guide covers everything from exam registration to study materials to what to expect on test day. 

  5. 5

    Submit an application to the state and pay the application fee.

    After you meet the requirements above, it’s time for you to formally apply for your teaching certificate. In-state graduates applying for their first certificate must submit a paper application. 

    You can contact the CSDE’s Bureau of Certification with any questions. Processing time usually takes 6 to 12 weeks.

    By creating an online account for the Connecticut Educator Certification System (C.E.C.S.), you can pay fees online, check the status of your application, or print unofficial copies of your certificates and permits. Out-of-state graduates may apply for certification online.

How much will certification cost?

The total costs will vary depending on the preparation program you attend and the tests required for your certification endorsement area. Below are some of the costs you can expect while earning and obtaining your initial certification: 

  • Initial certificate: $200
  • edTPA Portfolio assessment: $300
  • Content-specific exams: Starting at $120

It's understandable to have your eye on the cost of preparation programs, but there are lots of scholarships, loan forgiveness and other funding opportunities that can lower your program costs. Check out Financial Aid & Scholarships to find out more.

People also ask...

Connecticut has a history of competitive compensation for educators. Starting salaries for Connecticut teachers average at $55,000. Overall teacher salaries (including teachers who have been on the job for a while) average over $78,000. That’s the fifth highest teacher salary in the nation!

Learn more about teacher salaries, benefits and more at TEACH Connecticut’s Salary and Benefits page.

It depends on the type of program and where you are currently. Let's say you take the traditional route where you get certified when you graduate. That could take around four years.. But if you already have a college degree, it usually takes one to two years.

You’ll need a bachelor’s degree (and eventually a master’s) to teach in Connecticut.

Your bachelor’s degree should be in a field closely related to what you want to teach (though there are some exceptions to this rule, such as state-designated shortage areas). Alternate preparation programs can also help you get certified without needing an extra degree.

There are three tiers of Connecticut teacher certification programs: initial, provisional and professional.

To advance through these tiers, you’ll need to gain years of experience and meet certain criteria, such as completing advanced coursework. 

Learn more about how to upgrade your teacher certification in the Guide to Maintaining Educator Certification from the CSDE Talent Office’s Bureau of Certification.

Additional Resources

Review which Connecticut EPPs support certification endorsements in which grade level and subject areas. Learn more.

Discover your eligibility for certification by reviewing these fact sheets from the CSDE Bureau of Certification. Learn more.

Skim through this comprehensive set of FAQs to get your questions answered. Learn more.

Create an Account

A device shows TEACH Connecticut resources, including application checklists, program profiles and deadline reminders

Sign up for your free, all-access pass to TEACH products and services.

  • Create a career roadmap.
  • Get 1-on-1 expert advice.
  • Follow how-to guides for getting certified.
  • Access prep program application checklists.
  • Claim fee reimbursements towards application and testing expenses.

We’re always working on something new to help the next generation of great teachers. With an account, you get first dibs!

Create an Account

Subscribe

Enter your email to get the updates that matter.

  • Career insights.
  • Teacher spotlights.
  • Think pieces on the state of education.
  • Deadline reminders.

You can always customize what and when you hear from us.

By signing up, you agree to TEACH.org’sTerms of UseandPrivacy Policy. You understand that you will receive email and/or SMS communications from TEACH.org. You can opt out at any time by updating your Communication Preferences in your Profile. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the GooglePrivacy PolicyandTerms of Serviceapply.

References

  1. Federal Student Aid, Wondering whether you can get your federal student loans forgiven for your service as a teacher?, https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/teacher
  2. Connecticut State Department of Education, Becoming Certified in Connecticut, https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Certification/Bureau-of-Certification/Getting-Certified-in-Connecticut