Skip to main content

Teacher Certification

Teacher Certification Candidates

If you are a prospective recipient of a New York State teaching certification (including administrative/school leadership and pupil personnel services professionals) you will apply through the New York State Education Department (NYSED) using the TEACH System.

The Registrar's Office role in the certification process is limited to supporting recommendations at the point of degree conferral, providing program codes for SUNY Cortland programs and processing TEACH account authorizations. To speak with a trained counselor, and for most other types of student certification support, please review the Career Services Office site or contact the Career Services office for assistance.

Program Codes and TEACH Authorizations

  1. Each student pursuing teacher certification must complete the TEACH authorization form, so we may provide required data to the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

  2. You will first need to create a TEACH account to apply online for certification. You do not need to wait to complete all of the certification tests before applying. Instructions for creating a TEACH account can be found on the TEACH system site.

  3. You will receive program codes and other important TEACH instructions (on a "Student Information Sheet" or SIS) from the Registrar's Office, as you prepare to have your degree conferred. Please retain the SIS for future reference. 

    Graduate and undergraduate students will be sent instructions and program codes in their Cortland email inbox after they have submitted the TEACH authorization form. If you are a graduate student, you must complete a an authorization for your current graduate level credential, even if you completed an authorization at Cortland previously. 

  4. After you have been awarded your degree in our registered program, the SUNY Cortland Registrar's Office will recommend you to the New York State Education Department for the teaching certificate.

  5. In order to graduate from a teacher certification program, students are currently required to complete all 3 mandated NYSED workshops DASA, CAR and SAV. Once you have applied for certification and the institution has made a recommendation, it signals NYSED to review the application process.