Certification Application Instructions

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires all certification applications to be submitted through an online application process using the Teacher Information Management System.

You will complete their application online and pay with a credit card. It is important to remember Teacher Certification is granted through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and is separate from your graduation from Shippensburg University. The certification process is a very important step for your future.

NOTE: Your initial certification application should be for your major(s) area only. You may apply for additional certification after the initial certification has been granted by PDE.

Certification applications should not be filed through TIMS until the first day of the month of your graduation (December 1 for fall graduates or May 1 for Spring graduates). 

Submitting your application online will ensure that your application is in PDE's system immediately. Be sure to complete ALL parts of the online application, including your affiliation with Shippensburg University and that you have graduated (or will be graduating) from an educator preparation program at Ship. Do NOT list other institutions and do NOT list student teaching as teaching experience. 

Failure to complete all questions submitted to PDE could cause a delay in processing your application. If there is a delay, you may contact the Office of Field Experiences and Partnerships at (717) 477-1487 or dlacke@ship.eduone time to confirm that you have been recommended. Any questions regarding your application status should be directed to PDE. Only PDE can make corrections, assist you with errors, and give you status updates.

Shippensburg's role in your application process is to: 

  1. Verify that you completed an educator preparation program and are eligible for certification
  2. Recommend you for a teaching certificate based on your good moral character

This will be done once degrees are conferred, which could take several weeks after graduation. The PDE certification office phone number is (717) 787-3356. Call Center hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Once you have submitted your application, you can periodically check the status through TIMS. PDE does not print teaching certificates. It is your responsibility, once approved, to log in to TIMS and print your certificate. 

If PDE requires additional information to process your application, it should be mailed, along with your cover sheet that includes the bar code to:

BUREAU OF TEACHER PREPARATION AND CERTIFICATION
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
333 MARKET STREET
HARRISBURG PA 17126-0333

Additional information on applying for certification can be found on PDE's website.

PDE Certification Application Instructions