New Jersey

For certification in New Jersey, all candidates must:

• Earn a baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Complete an approved educator preparation program OR a district training program for licensure.
• Maintain cumulative GPA requirements in the baccalaureate or state-approved post-baccalaureate certification program.
• Pass the Praxis tests for their certification area.
• Submit the appropriate forms and fees (PDF) required for licensure.
• Pass an examination in physiology and hygiene, administered at the county offices of education. In lieu of this examination, the applicant may present basic military training or college level study in areas such as biology, health or nutrition.
• Applicants are strongly advised to consult the New Jersey Licensing Code (PDF) for specific eligibility requirements for obtaining provisional and standard instructional certificate

• ETS discontinued paper-delivered testing; however, Praxis tests will continue to be available in a paper-delivered format as required for ADA accommodations. All scores for previously administered paper-delivered tests are reportable for 10 years from the date the test was taken.
• New Jersey requires a Social Security number (SSN) in order to process educator certification paperwork. ETS does not require your SSN for its own purposes, but will submit it to New Jersey with your test results. Failure to provide your SSN could delay processing of your certification application.
• Applicants for New Jersey licensing for subject teaching fields must pass the appropriate Praxis Subject Assessments. The tests are required for all applicants, including those who are licensed in other states. Certain teaching fields are exempt, as noted in the listing below.
• Applicants for licensing for the Speech-Language Specialist endorsement must pass the Speech-Language Pathology specialty area test.
• Applicants for licensing for the Principal and/or School Administrator endorsements must pass the appropriate School Leadership Series test.
• The following teaching fields are currently exempt from passing Praxis Subject Assessments: Agriculture; Bilingual/Bicultural Education; English as a Second Language; World Languages, Other; Health Education; Military Science; Psychology; and Special Education. Please contact the New Jersey Department of Education's Office of Certification and Induction for current requirements.

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• If you test in New Jersey at a test center or at home, and your Praxis profile address is in New Jersey, your score report will be sent automatically to the New Jersey Department of Education.
• If you test outside New Jersey or your Praxis profile address is not in New Jersey, your scores are NOT automatically sent to the New Jersey Department of Education. To have your scores sent to the New Jersey Department of Education, you must select the New Jersey Department of Education (state code 7666) as a score recipient when you register.
• For all methods of Praxis testing, to request additional score reports you must select the New Jersey Department of Education (state code 7666) with each additional score report request.

Teacher candidates or those wishing to become certified must take the Praxis tests.

Prior to entering an educator preparation program at your college or university, you may also be required to take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) tests to demonstrate your qualifications.

In New Jersey, you must take the appropriate Praxis tests for each area of certification you seek.

For more information on alternate routes to educator certification in New Jersey, visit the Department of Education's page on how to enter New Jersey's Alternate Route Program.

To get additional information on educator certification in New Jersey, visit the New Jersey Department of Education's Certification and Induction Frequently Asked Questions page.