Formal Admission to Teacher Education Program(s)
Upon admission to the University, undergraduate students should meet with an academic advisor in order to follow a certified degree track, indicating to the advisor that the student is seeking teacher certification. During the sophomore year, students must prepare to apply for formal admission to the Teacher Education Program(s).
Students must then apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program at the Office of Educator Preparation and Accountability. All admission requirements are in accordance to Texas Administrative Code rules §227.10 and the HEA Title II accountability requirements. All applicants must meet the current certification requirements in effect at the time of application, regardless of the catalog year of degree plan. Students are responsible for completing the following:
(FOR INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATES ONLY) - As per Texas Administrative Code, Chapter §227.10(7)(B), an applicant to a university undergraduate program that leads to a bachelor's degree may satisfy the English language proficiency requirement by meeting the English language proficiency requirement of the accredited Institution of Higher Education (IHE) at which the candidate is enrolled, or candidate must take all four parts of the Test of English as a Foreign Language-Internet Bases Test (TOEFL-iBT) and obtain a minimum score of 24 for speaking, 22 for listening, 22 for reading, and 21 for writing.
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Download the Teacher Preparation Program Admission Requirements
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Download the Summer and Fall 2023 Application for Admission to Teacher Preparation Program Flyer
- Preliminary Criminal Background Evaluation
The applicant can submit a Preliminary Criminal Background Evaluation through the following link: Preliminary Criminal Background Evaluation.
Pursuant to the Texas Education Code (TEC), §22.083, candidates must undergo criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator. Pursuant to the TEC, §22.0835, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching.
As required by Texas HB1508, applicants need to be aware of the following.
- In order to receive certification in Texas, you must pass a criminal history background check.
- If you have been convicted of an offense that is considered not appropriate for an educator, you could be ineligible to earn this certification from the state of Texas.
- You have a right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency prior to admission into this program. The Texas Education Agency currently charges a $50 fee for this criminal history evaluation.
Candidates with Military Service and/or Experience in Education
In accordance with 19 TAC 228.35 (a)(5), and in alignment with organizational transfer credit policies, UTRGV’s College of Education may accept military service, training, or education toward the fulfillment of program requirements. Military service, training, or education must be directly related to the certificate being sought and may not take the place of certification examinations. Service, training, or education may not count as part of an internship, clinical teaching, or practicum requirements and must be provided by an approved Educator Preparation Program or accredited institution of higher education within the past five years.
A $35 TEA technology fee is assessed at admission to a program leading to educator certification.
The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is grateful for the investment and sacrifice of our military service members and veterans!
The program and curricula have been designed to effectively prepare candidates to be successful on certification examinations and in the profession. A review of military service, training, or education can be requested by contacting the Director of Educator Preparation and Accountability.
Any coursework credit considerations must include the following parameters, which have been developed in accordance with Texas Administrative Code (19 TAC 228.35 and 19 TAC 234) and under the discretion of the EPP):
- Training or education must have been received within the last five years;
- Training or education must be directly tied to the grade level/content area of the certification being sought;
- There must be strong evidence that any credit considerations would be a replacement for the instruction/content and that candidate performance on certification examinations or professional experiences would not be negatively impacted;
- Certification exams may not be waived or credited;
- Field-based experiences (30-hours) cannot be waived or credited unless the candidate has experiences as a long-term substitute as outlined in 19 TAC 228.25(e)(1)(C);
- A full day clinical teaching assignment up to 5 full days fewer (or up to 10 half days fewer for half-day assignments) than the minimum requirement if due to military leave may be permitted based on 19 TAC 228.35(e)(2)(A)(iv); and
- An internship of up to 30 school days fewer than the minimum if due to military leave may be permitted based on 19 TAC 228.35(e)(2)(B)(i).
Additional considerations can be made for our military service members and military veterans on a case-by-case basis. Final determination will be communicated to the candidate by the Director of Educator Preparation and Accountability.