Membership Services Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I’ve
just completed an Additional Qualification course and want to arrange to have the
qualification added to my record of qualifications with the College. What steps must I
take to ensure that the qualification is added?
A:
Additional Qualification (AQ) courses are offered by faculties of education across
Ontario. These courses are offered specifically to certified teachers. Once a teacher
successfully completes the Additional Qualification, the faculty sends a
"recommendation" to the College noting the teacher’s successful completion
of the AQ. The College updates the teacher’s qualifications on the registry and sends
an acknowledgment letter to the teacher confirming that the qualification has been added
to their record. The new AQ will appear on the teacher’s annual Certificate of
Qualification when it is issued the following year. It takes four to six weeks for
recommendations to be sent from the faculties and added to the College registry once the
course has been completed.
Q:
I want to take an Additional Qualification course this summer but I’d like to enroll
in Part 2 of the course rather than Part 1 since I’ve completed other courses which I
believe deal with the same subject matter that’s covered in Part 1. The faculty of
education wants confirmation that the College recognizes that I’ve completed
coursework that is equivalent to Part 1. What do I have to do to get Part 1 noted on my
current qualifications?
A:
You need to request equivalency for Part 1. If you contact Membership Services at (416)
961-8800 or toll-free in Ontario at 1-888-534-2222 the College will send you an
application for equivalency. There is a $50 fee for requesting a review of the coursework
that you feel is equivalent to Part 1 or Part 2 of an Additional Qualification course. The
College does not grant equivalency for Part 3 (specialist level) of AQ courses.
Q:
My Certificate of Qualification has my maiden name on it. I would prefer to teach under my
married name. What do I need to do?
A:
College certificates are legal documents, so they must reflect your legal name. If you
change your legal name and send us back your old certificates, the College we will
re-issue your Certificate of Registration and Certificate of Qualification in your new
legal – married – name, free of charge.
However, you may teach under your married name without changing it legally. In that
case, the College will issue your Certificate of Qualification annually in the legal name
we now have on file for you. However, if you notify us of your married name, we will note
it on our records so we can find you under either name.
The procedure for a legal name change after marriage changed in 1987 and still affects
how changes are made on legal documents in Ontario. If you married before April 1, 1987,
please write to the College with your request and send a photocopy of your marriage
certificate.
If you married after April 1, 1987, you would need to include an official "Change
of Name" certificate with your written request. A "Change of Name
Certificate" can be obtained by applying to the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial
Relations, Office of the Registrar General, Manager Change of Name, P.O. Box 4600, 189 Red
River Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 6L8 (Telephone 1-800-461-2156).
Q:
My Certificate of Qualification lists my undergraduate degree. However it doesn’t
mention that it is an honours degree. How can I get this fact noted on my Certificate?
A:
If the degree is already listed on your Certificate, please send the College a photocopy
of the original degree certificate or transcript and highlight the correction to be made.
Q:
I am a member of the Ontario College of Teachers and hold a Certificate of Qualification.
I am applying for certification to teach in another province. One of the documents they
need to complete my application is a Statement of Standing. What is this document and how
would I arrange for it to be sent to them?
A:
A Statement of Professional Standing is issued by the ministry or department of education
or licensing body in jurisdictions where you are or have been licensed to teach. The
statement identifies the licence or certificate that was issued to you and confirms that
the licence has never been suspended or cancelled. The Ontario College of Teachers can
send a Statement of Professional Standing to attest to your certification in this
province. Send a written request for the Statement of Professional Standing to the College
and include a $25 fee. Please include your registration number and specify where you would
like the Statement of Professional Standing sent.
