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Ontario Teacher Certification (MT & MA-CSE)

To teach in Ontario's publicly funded schools, you must become a member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) and receive an Ontario teaching certificate. If you have questions about the process, the OCT offers information sessions on the registration process to obtain your Ontario teaching license in December as part of the Professional Preparation Conference.

. This webpage is intended to help you navigate OISE and U of T processes in relation to your OCT application. 

(Please note: the MA-CSE and MT are consecutive teacher education programs, not multi-session programs)

OCT Transitional Certification Process

Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration

The Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration (TCQR) is available to eligible teacher candidates who are enrolled in an Ontario-accredited teacher education program. According to students who have successfully completed at least 30 postsecondary credits and 40 practicum days of their initial teacher education program. It allows candidates to work as occasional or supply teachers while completing their program, provided they meet the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) eligibility requirements. The certificate is valid for 18 months, with a possible six-month extension. 

At the University of Toronto’s Âé¶ą´«Ă˝ (OISE), current Master of Teaching (MT) and MA in Child Study and Education (MA-CSE) students may apply for the TCQR. Please note, the earliest time to apply is after completing first-year Fall/Winter term courses and practicum with satisfactory grades. The equivalent of 30 postsecondary credits is 5.0 Full Credit Equivalents (FCEs).

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Once these eligibility requirements are met, students in the Master of Teaching and MA-CSE programs have the option of applying for a TCQR. Students apply for the TCQR via the College’s . This choice is entirely voluntary, and students will not be dissuaded or compelled to apply for or engage in the TCQR. Information about the TCQR and answers to   can be found on the  .


Should you decide to apply for the TCQR and engage in supply teaching upon receiving it while competing your teacher education program, please note:

1. As the TCQR holder, you are an Ontario Certified Teacher and member of OCT and as such, you are expected to uphold and demonstrate the College’s professional and ethical standards at all times. As an OCT member, if you fail to uphold these standards, you will be subject to potential findings of professional misconduct and any resulting discipline.

2. While engaged in supply teaching with your TCQR, you are still required to fully participate in all aspects of your academic program. This includes attending classes, completing coursework, and fulfilling all practicum placement requirements, as outlined in the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) calendar for your program. Meeting these requirements in full is essential in order to be eligible to graduate.

3. The supply teaching days gained through the TCQR may not be used as a replacement for the required supervised practicum experience outlined in our degree program requirements.

 4. In order to process an application for a TCQR, the OCT requires that you have submitted the general application and all required documentation and fees related to the general application. You will need to submit an official transcript (via ACORN or OUAC) that documents the courses that you have completed so far in your teacher education program. 

In addition, OISE ROSE team will work closely with your department to confirm your TCQR eligibility requirements with OCT.

Please complete the "" form, following the TCQR instructions. The OISE ROSE team will send your information to the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) according to the timeline outlined below.

If you are a teacher candidate experiencing issues accessing the form, please contact ROSE for assistance.

The 2025 deadlines (For students who have completed first-year Fall/Winter term courses and practicum) to submit the form are: April 25, May 21, Jun 18, July 16, Aug 20, Sept 17, Oct 15, Nov 19, and Dec 17.

The Faculty Report will be sent to the OCT between 5 to 7 business days after each deadline. 

OCT Teaching Certification Process

Certificate of Qualification and Registration

The Certificate of Qualification and Registration (CQR) is a member's annual licence to teach in Ontario. The CQR lists a member’s teaching, academic and technological qualifications. The CQR is also known as a General Certificate of Qualification and Registration.

Note: The below is required even if you have applied for the Transitional Certificate of Qualification and Registration 

This can be done at any point during your MT or MA-CSE program, but most teacher candidates apply around December of their final year. You can get the needed number without paying – you pay when you complete your OCT application.

You can opt to become an OCT member when your degree is complete in order to:

  • Have valid AQ credentials.
  • Take Additional Qualifications courses after graduating. You will need to have an OCT number to get visible credit for the course – for it to “count”.
  • Work for a public board of Education.
  • Verify that you are a teacher in good standing through your membership.

For Year 2 MT and MA-CSE students who have completed their degree requirements with satisfactory grades and are applying for the Teaching Certificate:

  • If you have already applied for the Transitional Certificate in the past and have provided your OCT number, you do not need to submit it again. We will retrieve your OCT number from your previous Transitional Certificate documentation and proceed with recommending you for the Teaching Certificate.
  • If you have not previously applied for the Transitional Certificate, you must provide your OCT number by submitting the .
  • If you are an MA-CSE student, please send your OCT number to Vanessa Dane Kirkham at vanessa.dane@utoronto.ca.

Annual Deadline: May 31

The following documents are required by OCT:

  • Official Transcripts 

     

    Official Transcripts can be ordered through ACORN and OUAC

     

    ACORN: You should order your transcript after your convocation to ensure that the "Degree Conferred" notation appears on the document. Before ordering transcript through , students should first check their on ACORN to ensure that their degree conferral has been updated. Please note: The conferral of your degree will typically appear on your official transcript approximately two days after the end of the final university convocation period.

     

    OUAC:  You have the option to order your transcript now and request that OUAC send your final transcript after your convocation, once the "degree conferred" status is updated. 

     

    If you do not have an OUAC account, you will need to select “Create My OUAC Account” to set one up.
    Once your account is created, log in using your username and password. Click “Continue” and select "Proceed to Transcript Requests".

     

    Request a transcript for “After Degree Conferred”. OCT prefers transcripts that say “degree completed” – however, same with the ACORN approach, this cannot take place until after the convocation. Be sure to set the print date for your transcript to so that your transcript will show that the degree has been conferred. Ordering your transcript too early (before convocation) means it won’t include your degree conferral, and you’ll need to submit a new one—costing you extra time and money.

     

    You may also need to provide the following:

  • Proof of identity – provide a photocopy of your birth certificate or passport (passport only valid if shows full name at birth).
  • The original copy of a newly acquired,  basic employee criminal record check - make sure it is not a vulnerable sector check.
  • Proof of a name change (if applicable) â€“ photocopy of marriage or name change certificate.
  • MT and MA-CSE are consecutive programs. If you were graduating from a Combined Degree program, THEN you would answer yes to the question, "Was your teacher education program included as part of another degree program?"

 

Once you’ve completed the steps above, no further action is required. OISE will take care of the remaining process.

In early June, OISE will issue the "Report from Faculty" (also referred to as the “Letter from the Dean”) to OCT, recommending teacher candidates who have completed all requirements of the MT or MA-CSE but you will only be included in this report if you complete Step 2 by May 31. You do not need to email the Dean or the OISE Registrar's Office & Student Experience (ROSE) to request the letter if you completed Step 2 by this date. After that point, students must submit a manual request for a "Report from the Faculty" (see below for instructions). 

  • If you need to register with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) for a spring or summer job, you can request a Confirmation of Degree Requirements through the to verify that you are eligible to graduate.
    Please note: Your official degree conferral will appear on your transcript only after the full has ended.

Completed Your Teaching Certification in a Previous Year?

For students who have completed their teaching certification program in a previous year and have been asked by the OCT to have a "Report from the Faculty," otherwise known as a “Letter from the Dean” sent, please email us at oise.registration@utoronto.ca, and include:

  • Your 6-digit OCT application number
  • Full name
  • Birth date
  • Program information (teaching divisions and subjects if applicable)
  • Date of graduation
  • Student number