Do you have a teaching certificate from India? Do you have a bachelor’s degree or higher? The process of becoming a teacher in Texas from India will mainly depend on these two factors. It should be noted that TEA does not accept foreign transcripts.

Case 1: Becoming a Teacher in Texas if You Have a Teaching Certificate from India

If you possess a teaching certificate from India and wish to now teach in Texas, you will have to go through the Review of out-of-country Credentials. Herein, all your degrees and certificates earned in India will be reviewed.

This process will ensure that your teaching certificate in India is equivalent to one earned by Texas classroom teachers.

You need to take care of these requirements as part of the Review of Credentials:

• Get a course-by-course evaluation done by one of the foreign evaluation services. This is done to determine if your bachelor’s degree or higher earned in India is comparable to the one earned in the United States.
• Have documents that support your educational coursework and teaching practice in India
• Provide the teaching document/certificate/credential issued in India, mentioning the effective date, validity period for the certificate, certification areas, and grade level.

Furthermore, you also have to prove your English proficiency by fulfilling one of the following requirements:

• Having an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized US institution in the US and not in US Union territory.
• Having an undergraduate or graduate degree in a country outside the US in which English is an official language approved by SBEC (State Board for Educator Certification).
• Having satisfactory scores in the TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language, internet-based test). The minimum passing scores are: Speaking – 24, Writing – 21, Reading – 22, and Listening – 22

Case 1: Process of Review of Credentials

If you think you fulfill the above conditions, you can submit your documents for review of credentials by following the below steps:

Step 1: Create a TEA account

Out-of-country candidates need to have a social security number to create a TEAL account. If you do not have one, you have to submit a request to the TEAL help desk, and they will assign a P number that can be used to create your TEAL account.

To create your account, visit the TEA official site. Go to TEAL Login and click on ‘Request a new user account.’ Fill out the form that appears. Under the organization type, choose Educator > Submit.

Once a TEAL account is created, you will be directed to ECOS (Educator Certification Online System), which is used to submit your out-of-country review of credentials.

If you have a teacher certificate in India but have not completed a teacher preparation program, you cannot apply for a review of credentials. In that case, move to Case 2.

However, if you have a teaching certificate in India and have completed the teacher preparation program there, you can apply for a review of credentials application and submit a non-refundable fee of $164 to kickstart the process.

Step 2: Submit a review of the credential application

To do so, click on Visit My Educator Certification Account (it appears after completing security questions while creating a TEAL account). This will take you to your Educator Profile.

Now, to apply for a review of credentials, click on Applications from the left horizontal menu. From the drop-down menu, click on Out-of-Country Certified Applicants. You can follow the on-screen prompts to submit the documents for review.

Step 3: Review the results

To see the result of the credentials review, log in to your TEAL account and go to the My Documents tab. Then, click on TEA Results of Review of Credentials.

You also need to complete the fingerprinting process to complete the credential process. As an out-of-country applicant, you will need a social security number to begin the fingerprinting process. You can get the social security number through the Social Security Administration website.

Once you complete the fingerprinting process, your educator certificate will be issued, provided your review of credentials is accepted.

Step 4: Download/Print the certificate

Once fingerprinting results are out, your educator certificate is now available to download/print from your ECOS portal. For this, open your Educator Profile and click on View Certificates to print it.

Case 2: Becoming a Teacher in Texas if You Do Not Have a Teaching Certificate from India

If you do not have a teaching certificate in India but have a bachelor’s degree, you can become a classroom teacher in Texas by earning the standard certificate. If you have a teaching credential but no bachelor’s degree, you will still have to go through the process down below and do not qualify for the Review of Credentials.

If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher equivalent to one granted by a US institution and have teaching experience but no teaching certificate, you will still have to go through the Texas Educator Preparation Program and earn a standard certificate to become a classroom teacher in Texas.

Case 2: Process of Review of Credentials

Step 1: Get a bachelor’s degree

You should get a bachelor’s degree or higher in the US, preferably in the teaching subject matter of your choice. Alternatively, if you already have a bachelor’s degree or higher in India from an equivalent accredited institution, you do not need to pursue it again in the USA.

Step 2: Complete the Educator Preparation Program

If you have a bachelor’s degree in India but do not have a teaching certificate, you have to go through EPP. To enroll in an EPP, you need to apply for it at an approved EPP college based on your subject area and the grade level you would like to teach.

Step 3: Apply for teacher certification tests

Once you complete your EPP, your approved EPP will help you apply for teacher certification tests. Again, the number of tests will depend on your subject area and grade level. You can register for exams at the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program.

While registering for the tests, you will be required to pay the exam fees and make an appointment at the test center. You can check your test scores through your ECOS profile (TEAL account).

Step 4: Create a TEAL account and apply for an educator certificate

Once you have scored well in your tests, you need to create a TEAL account, get a P number from the TEA help desk (as you are not a citizen of the US), and apply for a standard teaching certificate through your Educator profile (ECOS).

Step 5: Complete fingerprinting

If you are granted a teaching certificate, you will next be required to pass the fingerprinting process. For this, an email will be sent to your registered email address for payment of the fingerprinting fee. Once the fee is paid, you will receive another email from IdentoGo to schedule a fingerprinting appointment. This is a national criminal background check.

You can check your fingerprinting results through your TEA account. You may also receive an email with the results.

Step 6: Download your Texas educator standard certificate

Once the fingerprinting process is done and passed, you will receive your educator certificate, which can be downloaded from your TEAL account. This certificate is valid for five years before it needs to be renewed again by completing the CPE (Continuing Professional Education) hours through approved CPE vendors.

Become a Teacher in Texas from India Now!

Regardless of whether you have a teaching certificate from India, you can become a teacher in Texas. However, the process differs based on your certification status.

Join TeacherBuilder.com to start your journey to becoming a Texas teacher! Our 100% online curriculum and first-year teaching support make the certification process easy. With a remarkable 98% test pass rate, we provide the education you need for a successful teaching career in Texas.

Let us help you confidently step into a Texas classroom. Apply for free today, and let’s begin!

 

Disclaimer

This article does not contain legal, educational, or government advice. As regulations can change from time to time, readers are advised to check with their local education departments to receive up-to-date information.