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Educator Certification

Applicants with Foreign Academic Training

Applicants who completed academic training outside the United States should submit the documentation described below with the completed CG-10 application form and processing fee. Additional information is provided for individuals who are not citizens of the United States.

1. Official documentation of academic degrees
   Canadian trained applicants should submit an official transcript reflecting all coursework and degrees conferred.

   Applicants with academic training from other countries should submit a true copy of the original DIPLOMA (or transcript*), which has been verified by either a certification officer in a Florida school district office or by a notary public. The verified true copy must state on the face of each page of the document “I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENT” and must bear either the original signature of the certification officer or the original seal and signature of the notary public. Do NOT send your original diploma to the Bureau of Educator Certification.

   *Note: A transcript is acceptable in lieu of a diploma only if it includes the title of the degree conferred and the specific date the degree was awarded.

2. Official documentation of additional courses
   To document individual courses completed outside a degree program, the applicant should submit a notarized true copy of the transcript, or an original letter from the institution, signed by the appropriate school official, outlining the course titles, dates completed, and grades earned. Canadian trained applicants should submit an official transcript.
   
   
3. Credential evaluation report of United States equivalency
   In addition to the documentation outlined above, the applicant must submit an original credential evaluation report that includes a statement of United States degree equivalency and a breakdown of coursework into descriptive course titles and semester-hour credits. Documents submitted to the Bureau of Educator Certification become part of the applicant's permanent certification record and cannot be returned. Photocopies are not accepted. The credential evaluation report may be provided by an accredited four-year college or university in the United States or by a credential evaluation agency approved by the Bureau of Educator Certification. Please see Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies for the current list of agencies that have requested and received approval from the Bureau of Educator Certification. Criteria for approval of credential evaluation agencies are outlined in State Board of Education Rule 6A-4.003.
   
   
4. English Translation
   All documents submitted in a language other than English must be accompanied by a translation prepared by someone with knowledge of both languages, such as: a member of the American Translators Association, an approved credential evaluation agency, or a professor of the language at an accredited university.
   
   
5. Noncitizens
   An applicant who is not a United States citizen may apply for the Statement of Status of Eligibility. However, appropriate immigration status must be established through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to employment. The Bureau of Educator Certification cannot provide assistance with visas since this is strictly an employment issue. Consequently, matters related to immigration status or visas should be discussed with any prospective employer. Upon employment in an approved Florida school, the employer must submit appropriate documentation of immigration status to the Bureau of Educator Certification as one requirement for issuance of a Florida Educator Certificate.
   
   

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