How to Apply to the Teaching Credential Program
Apply to the Cal State East Bay Teaching Credential program using the online application. There is a $25 non-refundable application fee.
Apply to Cal State East Bay using the online application. There is a $55 application fee.
Submit your transcripts AFTER you have completed both the Department and University applications. In order to be accepted into the program, you must have a cumulative GPA of 2.67 or a 2.75 GPA in your last 60 units to be admitted and be in good academic standing with your current institution.
Applicants must send their transcripts to BOTH offices listed below.
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Electronic Transcripts
You should request all paper transcripts to be sent directly to your home address, once you have gathered all transcripts you may submit them to both offices separately. The Credential Student Service Center does not accept electronic transcripts, however, the Office of Graduate Admissions does. Electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the institution and can be sent to ElectronicTranscripts@csueastbay.edu.
Current Cal State East Bay Students or Former Graduates
Transcripts do not need to be submitted unless you have completed
Applicants from Other Institutions
If you are in the process of completing a bachelor’s degree at a school other than Cal State East Bay you will be required to provide a Certificate of Completion from your university’s registrar’s and one additional official transcript after your degree has been awarded. Your bachelor's degree must have been awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education.
Foreign Transcripts
Applicants with international transcripts must provide a copy of an official evaluation of that coursework by an approved agency. View a list of CTC-approved Foreign Transcript Evaluation organizations.
Review and complete the Teaching Credential Program Admissions Checklist. This form must only be submitted ONCE. Please use this helpful checklist to ensure that you have submitted all of the appropriate materials in the final application packet.
This certification serves as evidence of having undergone the fingerprint, character, and identification process required by the CTC. You must obtain a Certificate of Clearance or hold a valid CTC-issued document in order to be accepted to a credential program.
Accepted CTC-Issued Documents
- Emergency 30-Day Substitute Teaching Permits
- Short-Term Staff Permits
- Child Development Permits
- Other CTC documents for which a fingerprint clearance is required for issuance.
If you submit the document printout from the CTC website, it MUST display the document name, issuance date,
Find more information about the Fingerprint Identification requirement.
To demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English and that you have met the California Basic Skills Requirement (BSR), you must either: A) submit proof of meeting the basic skills requirement via exam or other method or, B) submit proof of registration for the CBEST exams.
Proficiency is verified by one of the following methods:
- Passed the CBEST exams? Submit a legible hard copy of the official full score report or other approved documentation as noted on the CTC website. You may also submit the online score report with the barcode displayed or a copy of the report. Online reports without the barcode are considered unofficial. Find more information about the CBEST exams.
- Passing basic skills examination from another state and providing proof of successful completion.
- Passing the CSU Early Assessment Program or the CSU Placement Examinations.
Information about the CBESTs
It is highly recommended that you complete the CBESTs after the completion of relevant coursework. The test results are valid for life. Meaning that if you pass in your Freshman or Sophomore year, that successful completion early on will allow you to focus on more important requirements as you near time to apply to a Teaching Credential Program.
To demonstrate subject matter competency, applicants must either: A) submit proof of meeting the subject matter competency via exam or waiver program or, B) submit proof of registration for the CSET exams or, C) proof that your Subject Matter Waiver Letter is in-process or received.
Proficiency is verified by one of the following methods:
- Passed the CSET exams? Submit a legible hard copy of the official full score report or other approved documentation as noted on the CTC website. You may also submit the online score report with the barcode displayed or a copy of the report. Online reports without the barcode are considered unofficial. Find more information about the CSET exams.
- If you have completed a CTC-approved subject matter waiver program appropriate for your credential, please submit the signed original waiver documentation along with course evaluation with your application packet.
Information about the CSETs
The CSET exams can be quite challenging. About half of the applicants who take them will need to retake one or more subtests. Plan out which tests you know will be more challenging for you by reviewing the CTC website. Since CSET results are valid for 10 years, it's best to take each CSET subtest right after the successful completion of a relevant course so that your knowledge is fresh.
CSET Priority Admission
State law requires that credential candidates meet the subject matter requirement before working with TK-12 students in field placements. Because of this, priority admission is given to applicants who have already passed the CSETs prior to the document deadline. Applicants who have not passed the CSETs by the document deadline can be enrolled as Conditional Admitted candidates. However, Conditional Admitted candidates who fail to pass the CSETs before the fieldwork start date will be dismissed from the program.
Submit a
- You must maintain current TB test results throughout your entire program. If your results expire during the program, you will need to retake the test.
- TB skin tests are valid for 3 years and chest x-rays are valid for 5 years.
- You may also be required to have more recent results by the fieldwork site.
Meeting the TB Test Requirement on Campus
The TB requirement is separate from the Cal State East Bay application “Immunization Requirement” which is due by the end of your first semester in the program and is submitted to the University’s Student Health Center. The Student Health Center also administers TB Tests for a fee. Students enrolled in the following courses/programs receive a free TB test as part of their involvement in the program:
Applicants must have documented field experience of at least 45 hours in a K-12 classroom or a documented field experience from the past three years. Pre-professional experience must be in a classroom or classroom-like setting with groups of adolescents ages 12-17. Art, music, physical education, or science applicants want to teach in elementary grades may fulfill a portion of their early field experience with groups (5 students or more) of children ages 5-11.
Submit the Early Field Experience Verification Form with your application to verify this requirement.
For the Single Subject candidates:
- At least 15 of the 45 hours must be in a California public school classroom setting within the last two years.
- An acceptable public school experience includes work as a substitute teacher, para-educator, instructional aides, or classroom volunteer. Faith-based instruction is not acceptable.
- An acceptable public school experience includes work as a substitute teacher, para-educator, instructional aides, or classroom volunteer. Faith-based instruction is not acceptable.
- The remaining 30 of the 45 hours must have been satisfied within the last three years.
- These hours may be completed in public or private school settings; in community-based venues such as the YMCA, park recreations center, or in a structured summer camp, after-school, or other formally organized programs. Faith-based instruction is not acceptable.
Meeting the Early Field Experience requirement through Cal State East Bay
If you have taken TED 3001 (or TED 301) at Cal State East Bay, this course will cover 15 hours of your early field experience. To show proof, you will need to print an unofficial transcript from your MyCSUEB student profile and highlight the course so we can see that you received passing credit.
Students in the following courses/programs receive Early Field Experience as part of their enrollment in the course/program. Find out if these programs are right for you to meet this requirement through in-class engagement.
To demonstrate knowledge of the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution, applicants must provide proof through ONE of the following methods:
- A Bachelor’s degree earned from a CSU campus in any major. Indicate this option on the Admissions Checklist and do not submit an additional supplementary transcript for this requirement.
- Completion of an authorized college-level course (two semester or three quarter units). Submit a scan or photocopy of your official transcript(s)—this is from your personal transcript copy; you must not open the official transcripts from your institution that required for the admissions packet.
- If the course is already listed on your degree-bearing transcript then you do not need to submit additional documentation for this requirement. Simply highlight the course(s) that you think may satisfy the U.S. Constitution requirement and include a printout of the course description(s). There is no expiration date for course validity. The transcript must show a passing grade of “C” or better.
- If the course is already listed on your degree-bearing transcript then you do not need to submit additional documentation for this requirement. Simply highlight the course(s) that you think may satisfy the U.S. Constitution requirement and include a printout of the course description(s). There is no expiration date for course validity. The transcript must show a passing grade of “C” or better.
- Passage of U.S. Constitution examinations verified by a regionally-accredited college or university will be acceptable for certification purposes. Submit the official score report showing your
passage of the U.S. Constitution exam. For the online U.S. Constitution exam, certification of completion must be printed in color.
Submit a printed copy of your Statement of Purpose essay along with the Statement of Purpose Form which should respond to both of the following prompts. Your essay must be typed, double-spaced, and 300-500 words.
Provide TWO letters of recommendation that demonstrate a
- Both letters of recommendation must be submitted on official letterhead, signed, and dated by the observer. If an official letterhead is not available for your observer, please include their business card.
- Academic letters of recommendation and letters written by Student Teachers will not be accepted.
After the successful submission and review of your application to the Cal State East Bay Teaching Credential Program, you will be contacted to schedule an interview. Interviews are offered in-person, over-the-phone, and virtually as needed.
An interview is the final step to admission to the program. An interview will only be scheduled once you have completed all of the steps above. Review the Admissions Checklist or contact the Credential Student Service Center if you need additional application support.