North Carolina Eligibility Requirements

So you want to apply to an educator preparation program (a.k.a. teaching program), and you’re figuring out what you need to enroll. That’s great news!

When you apply, program staff will look at a few different pieces to make sure you’re eligible for admission, including: 

• Your academic history. 
• Your related work experience. 
• Your test scores. 
• Your essay.
• Letters of recommendation.

In this guide, we’ll look at each of these components. 

Jump to:

• Academic history and transcripts
• Degree requirements
• Practical experience requirements
• Test scores
• Essays, letters of recommendation and interviews
• International application requirements
• Explore more guides

When you submit your application, you’ll need to show your transcripts and any previous degrees or college credits you’ve earned.

What transcripts do I need?  

With your transcripts, teaching programs want to see your GPA and what courses you’ve already taken (that includes transcripts for any college classes you took in high school!). 

You may be able to upload unofficial transcripts for the initial application, but you will need to formally request your official transcripts before (or shortly after) you’re admitted.

To request your transcripts:

Contact the transcript office or records office of the schools you attended.

Follow their transcript request procedures. You can often find the procedures on the school’s website. You can also try calling or emailing the school.

Budget at least three to five days for processing.

Some schools will send transcripts by mail; others may have electronic copies.

In your request, be sure to include:

• Your name. If your name has changed since you attended school, let them know your name as it appeared when you attended the school.
• Your student ID number, if you have it.
• How many copies of your transcript you need.
• Your signature.
• Where to send the transcript, such as the physical or email address of the program you’re applying to.

You don’t need a bachelor’s degree when you start an undergraduate teaching program, but you’ll need one before you become a licensed teacher. Many programs let you earn your bachelor’s and license at the same time. To learn more about your program options, look at the statement below that best fits your situation. 

You can also visit the TeachNC About Programs page for a closer look at choosing a program.

In addition to your academic history, admissions staff may look at your work experience so far, including any experience you’ve had working in education or in your subject area.

What kind of experience do I need?

Some teaching programs—especially master’s and residency licensure programs—will require you to have a certain amount of meaningful experience working in education.  

Education experience

Ideally, you’ll already have experience working with the age group and subject area that you want to teach, but other education experience can work too. Maybe you’ve worked in an after-school program or as a classroom paraprofessional. Maybe you’ve been a camp counselor or an instructor for a weekend program, like Saturday school or Sunday school. Those all count! 

Subject area experience

If you’re a career changer, your work experience can also be useful for your teaching program applications. For example, if you’ve worked in business administration or marketing, you might be a great candidate to teach business education. Or you might be an experienced musician who could teach music classes. Or maybe you’ve worked as a researcher or computer scientist—you could make a skilled science or technology education teacher.  

Vocational and professional work experience all count as valuable background and expertise in your chosen subject area! 

How much practical experience do I need?

The exact number of experience hours you’ll need will vary from program to program. Ask your program about their specific requirements.  

When applying for a teaching program, you’ll need to submit scores from a core academic skills test or a content area exam. 

We’ll briefly go over each of these tests here. You can find more detailed information about what the tests cover and how to prepare at our testing guide! 

Contact your teaching program to learn more about their testing requirements for applicants.

The Core Academic Skills Test

If you’re applying to an undergraduate program, you’ll need to provide test scores that show you’ve mastered core skills in reading, writing and math. The SAT or ACT both count toward this requirement! If you haven’t taken these tests, or if you need a higher score, you can sign up for the Praxis Core exam (our testing guide also has info about required test scores). 

If you take the Praxis Core, some programs only require you to register for the test before you apply. Ask your teaching program staff about the core academic skills requirement to find out what they need from you. 

The Content Exam

If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you don’t need to take the Praxis Core. You may need to take a content exam though, to show you know your stuff well enough to teach it. 

Most North Carolina teachers will take a Praxis II content exam. You might also take the ACTFL tests for world languages or the Pearson Foundations of Reading test for elementary and special education teachers. Certain subjects may require other tests as well. 

Some programs require you to pass your content exam before you apply. Other programs only require you to have registered for your test when you submit your application. Check with program staff if you’re not sure when you need to take your subject area test.

How do I send my test scores? 

Like your transcripts, you can usually submit unofficial copies of your scores with your application. 

For most exams, you can designate several schools to automatically receive your scores. To get your hands on additional official copies, head over to the testing website to order them. We’ve gathered the links to make it easier for you! 

• SAT
• ACT
• AP

If you’re taking a Praxis, Foundations of Reading or world languages exam, you can request that your scores automatically get sent to your program when you register for the test.

Finally, you’ll probably need to submit an essay or personal statement and at least one letter of recommendation. You may also need to complete an interview.

If there’s anything in your academic or work history that you’re worried about, these can be good places to address those. 

Essay 

In most applications, you’ll need to either write a personal statement about your interest in the program, or answer a series of essay-style questions. This is your chance to share a little more about your background and interests to show why you’re a good fit.

For many people, the essay can feel like the most stressful part of the application process. But there are resources to make it easier! 

Check out our essay guide for advice and a template to get started. 

Letters of recommendation

You’ll usually need to include at least one letter of recommendation from a former teacher or supervisor in your application. Letters of recommendation can show off your strengths in a way that’s hard to do for yourself.

To get a stellar letter of recommendation, it’s important to follow some basic asking etiquette. We’ve got you covered there too—take a look at our letter of rec guide and template for more.

Interviews

For many teaching programs, you’ll need to interview with program admissions staff. This is an opportunity to tell your story, share what you’ll bring to the program and show why you’ll make a great teacher. 

It’s a great idea to prepare for your interview—so we’ve gathered a few of our favorite pieces of interview advice. (Need more of an interviewing 101 refresher? Check out these interviewing tips from The Muse.)

How to prepare for your teaching program interview

Practice talking about yourself

You’ll get to explain why you want to be a teacher—and why you’ll make a great one—in your admissions essay. The interview is your chance to tell your story out loud. Ask a friend or family member to listen to your answer, then aim to tell the story in about two minutes, give or take.

You’ll also want to practice explaining what you will bring to the program. What will make you a great colleague to your fellow classmates? What unique perspectives or teamwork skills do you bring?

Get to know yourself on paper

Your interviewers may want to know more about your academic background or have questions about specific courses, changes in major or grades on your transcripts. Review your transcripts with a critical eye. What questions might your interviewers have? Practice answering them. 

As with your admissions essay, this is your chance to use potential negatives to your advantage, showing how you have grown from challenges.

Prepare to give specific examples that show how you work

Interviewers often ask about how your life experiences demonstrate the qualities they’re looking for. They may want to know how you creatively tackle challenges, collaborate on projects or handle stress. 

You’ll want to do more than tell them you’re creative and a great collaborator. This is your chance to show your great qualities with short anecdotes. Think of specific examples from your school work, jobs you’ve had or other experiences. Come ready with a few great stories that illustrate your skills and how you work.

If you’re from outside the U.S., you may need to provide additional paperwork to show that you’re ready for your program or licensure. This may include:

• Documentation that you are eligible to work legally in the U.S. This could include a copy of a valid work authorization, a permanent resident card or a U.S. passport.

• Copies of any relevant test scores.