Teacher Candidates : FAQ

1. I had been to several post secondary institutions before I graduated from university, does QECO want documents from those institutions?
2. Should I have my transcripts sent from the institutions directly to QECO?
3. Do the faculties of education automatically notify QECO of courses that I have taken?
4. Does the College of Teachers automatically send information about my certification to QECO?
5. Will a Masters in Education degree automatically place me in Category A4?
6. What category will a 4-year degree usually merit?
7. Why did I receive a different category placement than my colleague who has the same qualifications?
8. Once I have finished my teacher education program and received my Bachelor of Education degree as well as my Certificate of Qualification from the College of Teachers and submit these documents to QECO, will this move me up a category?

Q. I had been to several post secondary institutions before I graduated from university. Does QECO want documents from those institutions?

A. Absolutely! Please provide a transcript from all post-secondary institutions you have attended. If your degree includes credits that were transferred from another institution then QECO will require a letter from the registrar of the institution you graduated from indicating the specific basis for the transfer credit by course number and institution.

Q. Should I have my transcripts sent from the institutions directly to QECO?

A. You can, right up to July 15, but it is better if you collect up all those documents and place them in the envelope with your application. Providing all your documents together in one mailing speeds up the process. It can often take a very long time for QECO to receive all the transcripts and match them with the right applications.

Q. Do the faculties of education automatically notify QECO of courses that I have taken?

A. No, teachers are responsible for sending all pertinent documentation to QECO.

Q. Does the College of Teachers automatically send information about my certification to QECO?

A. No, the teacher must submit all documentation to QECO.

Q. Will a Masters in Education degree automatically place me in Category A4?

A. No, it depends on what other qualifications you have. An approved Master’s degree must be exclusive of basic teacher training in order to be accepted as a Master’s degree on the QECO General Studies chart of program 5.

Q. What category will a 4-year degree usually merit?

A. A 4-year Ontario university degree with at least a B- average will likely merit a Category A3 placement.

Q. Why did I receive a different category placement than my colleague who has the same qualifications?

A. Evaluation of teacher qualifications is complex and is based on the number of courses, subject areas and grades received. This can account for differences in category placements for teachers who appear on the surface to have the same qualifications.

Q. Once I have finished my teacher education program and received my Bachelor of Education degree as well as my Certificate of Qualification from the College of Teachers and submit these documents to QECO, will this move me up a category?

No. The Bachelor of Education degree is the basis of your certification in Ontario and is required in order for you to obtain your Certificate of Qualification from the College of Teachers. Please note that QECO does not consider the year of basic teacher education leading to certification in Ontario in determining category placement. This applies equally to teachers trained inside Ontario as well as to those trained outside the province.