Ontario Teacher Certification (MT & MA-CSE)

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.

When you apply, the OCT will issue you a temporary number that will be used to track your application. You must submit this number to OISE to be recommended for certification. 

Current Students: MA-CSE students, please email your OCT number to Vanessa Dane (vanessa.dane@utoronto.ca). MT students submit your OCT number on your candidate record in PeppeR by clicking on the "Practicum" button at the top of the screen. Make sure to save your OCT number in order for it to be processed. Don't have a Pepper account? Submit your OCT number by email to admissions.oise@utoronto.ca.

Annual Deadline: May 31

The following documents are required by OCT as per their instructions:

• U of T Transcripts - transcripts can be ordered through OUAC and sent directly to OCT.

  At this time, transcripts ordered from ACORN will not be accepted. You will need to order them from OUAC via the OCT website. Follow these steps to do so:

  Click the "Becoming a Teacher" tab (found on the top navigation toolbar).

  Scroll down and click on "Apply Now".

  Scroll down and click the "OUAC Transcripts" link. This is just below the OCT address and above the heading "Creating a Password".  You will be directed to the OUAC site.

  If you don’t have an OUAC account, you will need to "Create My OUAC Account" before you can log in with your username and password. Once logged in, click on "Continue". Read the Terms and Conditions and select “Proceed to Transcript Requests”.

  Request a transcript for “After Degree Conferred”. OCT prefers transcripts that say “degree completed” – however, this cannot take place until after the MT/MA-CSE June convocation. Be sure to set the print date for your transcript to after convocation so that your transcript will show that the degree has been conferred. If you order your transcripts earlier than your convocation date, you will have to submit them again, costing you extra money and time.

  Students ordering transcripts via ACORN should check their Academic History on ACORN before submitting an order to ensure the conferral of their degree has been updated on your record.**Conferral of your degree will appear on your official transcript approximately one week after your convocation ceremony.**

• 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.
• If applicable, proof of a name change – 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 above, you don’t need to do anything further. OISE will provide the rest.

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 OCT for a spring or summer job, you can have the Registrar’s Office produce a letter for OCT, confirming that you are eligible and are set to graduate. There is an $8 fee for this, for more info, please email lucy.stellato@utoronto.ca.