The following information deals mainly with teacher education in Ontario. However the application process is similar across Canada and internationally. Check out related websites for more details.
Consecutive Teacher Education in Ontario
Consecutive Teacher Education is the traditional route to becoming a teacher in Ontario as it allows for greater choice in the type of undergraduate degree pursued. Students may apply for admission in their last year of an undergraduate program to a Faculty of Education. Students will spend four semesters at a Faculty of Education completing courses and several weeks of practice teaching. Upon graduating they will receive a Bachelor of Education degree and be certified with the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).
Average Entrance Grade: Varies with school, but usually 73% to 85%.
Teaching Divisions (varies with school):
- Primary/junior (junior kindergarten to grade 6)
- Applicants do not choose teaching subjects, except for French as a Second Language.
- Applicants have an advantage if they have taken a variety of courses in English, Math, Science, Fine Arts Social Science/Humanities (Canadian History/Geography)
- Junior-Intermediate (grade 4 to 8)
- Applicants choose 1 teaching subject. This means that applicants need a major or minor in one teachable subject.
- Intermediate/Senior (grade 7 to grade 12)
- Applicants choose TWO teaching subjects. This means that applicants need a major or minor in two teachable subjects.
- Technological Studies
- For details on the technological studies stream please see the following websites:
Technological Education Multisession Program (Queen's University)
University of Ontario Institute of Technology
- For details on the technological studies stream please see the following websites:
Ontario Universities with Faculties of Education
- Brock University
- Lakehead University
- Laurentian University
- Nipissing University
- University of Ottawa
- Queen’s University
- Trent University
- Ontario Tech University
- Western University
- Wilfrid Laurier University
- University of Windsor
- University of Toronto
- York University
- Niagra University
Information Usually Required for an Application
- OUAC Teacher Education application (TEAS), application service fee, and supplementary school fee
- Profile of experience or personal statement
- Official transcripts for all postsecondary institutions attended
- English Language Proficiency Requirement (if applicable)
- Prerequisites for teaching subjects
- Experience Counts! Consider: Volunteer work with children in the age group you hope to teach, Leadership roles and Summer jobs
Application Timeline
Mid-September: Online application available
Early December: Deadline for receipt of applications and program choice amendments at the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre
Early March: Offers of admission sent to applicants. For exact dates check out the website: ouac.on.ca/teas
Note: All information varies according to each school. Be sure to check out their individual websites
Helpful Tips
- College transfer credits do not always count toward your average , so make sure to check with the Faculty of Education early
- Preference will generally be given to applicants with a university honours degree
- Calculation of academic averages varies from school to school, so refer to each school for additional information.
- Read the application carefully to make sure that you are answering the question that is asked, as there are often several parts to one question
- Remember ‘teachables’ are teaching subjects identified by the individual Faculty of Education, and recognized by the Ontario College of Teachers
- Keep a log of your teaching-related experiences, which will help you to reflect on your insights regarding teaching and learning. The reflection logs will help you to complete the experience profile forms required when submitting your application. The log should contain name of school, the subject(s) you taught, age/grade of student(s) and any information on progress made.
Helpful Websites
- otffeo.on.ca - Ontario Teachers’ Federation
- oct.ca – Ontario College of Teachers
- edu.gov.on.ca – Ministry of Education
- educationcanada.com
- teacherdegrees.com – Directory of US programs
- komconsultants.com – Study abroad opportunities
Qualifications Required for
Teaching Specializations
- Guidance Counsellor: school counselling credential, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree for licensed School Counsellors, completion of an educational administration program, experience in classroom teaching
- Reading Specialist: B.Ed. with reading specialist endorsement, Master’s degree, completion of an accredited reading specialist credential program
- Special Education, Bilingual, and English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers: B.Ed. with a teaching endorsement in area of interest, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, completion of an accredited teacher education program
Professions Related To Teaching:
- School Psychologist: school psychologist credential, Master’s education specialist, or doctoral degree, completion of an accredited credential program
- School Social Worker: school social worker certification, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree; for school licensure, completion of an accredited credential program
- Speech-language pathologist: Certificate of Clinical Competence in speech-language pathology (CCSLP) certification, Master’s degree, completion of an education administration program.