NJ State Certification

Please read all the directions below:

Rider students may apply for NJ state certification through our Office of Field Placement and State Certification within one year of completing their corresponding Rider Education program(s). Students who want to take advantage of this service, complete the questionnaire (step 3) during the semester in which they will complete their certification program requirements. If in the meantime you have further certification questions, please email Jeanette Friscia, Certification Coordinator, at [email protected] and include your Bronc ID and the program you are completing.  Zoom appointments are also welcomed and encouraged.

Here are the steps required during your final semester to get NJ certifications underway.

1. Apply to graduate - As a program completer for the current semester, log into your MyRider account and select “apply for graduation.”  This step is required, whether applying for completion of a degree program or a certification program or both. Each degree/certification program is handled individually so be sure to apply accordingly.  Students will be charged the graduation fee upon applying for their degree program. And they will not be charged for the separate certificate applications.
2. Establish your NJEdCert account in the New Jersey Dept. of Education’s new application system (see guidance tips here and examples in these video tutorial clips). You may have already completed this creation step.  There are three possible choices, depending if and when you acquired previous certifications.  Here are the options: 
   • a) If you recently applied for a substitute credential or other certification on or after May 31, 2022 you've already established your NJEdCert account and may skip this step, but note your NJEdCert email address (also known as your username) for the questionnaire in step 3.
   • b) If you have previous certification(s) in the old TCIS system (applications made prior to May 25, 2022*), your data, including your name and email address need to match exactly to how they were listed previously in order to tie the records together in order to avoid creating a duplicate account with no previous certifications.  You can look up your NJ DOE Tracking Number(s) through a search tool at the bottom of the  NJEdCert page.  It's below the "Log In" and "Create Account" buttons, titled "Educator License Search" Also, you may reach out to Jeanette Friscia ([email protected]) if you need help identifying the email address you used previously to assist in accurately connecting your new NJEdCert account to your previous certifications. Be especially careful creating your account if you’ve had a name change since the TCIS system, because you'll need to create your new NJEdCert account under that previous name so that the application system recognizes you and connects your previous certifications.  Then once your account is created, you'll proceed with the name change process found in the customer service portal on the home page of your NJEdCert account (see video clip on how to submit customer service inquiries for an example of how to input a name change request).
     *substitute applications made prior to mid 2021 are paper format only and do not have a tracking number. These may still be active, but will not be listed within the TCIS or the new NJEdCert systems.
   • c) IF this is your first experience with certifications, you’ll start by creating your NJEdCert account  and leave the Tracking Number question blank. 
     
     *Be very careful creating your account, use a computer or laptop, not your phone. Be mindful of autofill features.  Make sure all information is double-checked before actually entering it.  Here are some general instructions, noting exceptions above:
     • Use your full legal name.  (exception for previous TCIS account holders under a previous last name as explained in step 2 b.  You will need to do a name change AFTER creating your new NJEdCert account in your previous name so that your previous certifications stay in your records.)
     • You’ll also want to input your ETS candidate number if applicable, which is found on the top left corner on your Praxis Test Taker Score Reports.  And if you’ve taken any OPI or WPT exams (applies to ESL, Bilingual and World Languages certifications) prepare to input the email address you used in conjunction with creating your account with Language Testing International (LTI) (languagetesting.com)
     • A tip to be sure you've created your account successfully, is that you'll be able to see any previous certifications in the certification section of the home page.  The default may be set to recent certifications so change it in the drop down menu to "certifications" first to see all.
     • As a doublecheck within your established NJEdCert account, navigate to the top left, and click on the three bars to open a menu.  Select "All My Data" and review all your data to see that it has been entered correctly.  If at this point, you find any issues, you will have to reach out to the NJ DOE to find out what is required to get them fixed.  Their Customer Service phone line (609-292-2070) operates from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays except holidays.
     • DO NOT apply for your certification at this point.  The goal is simply to create your account in advance of being nominated.  The "nomination" process (described in step 4) is the fastest, most expedited way to achieve certification.
3. The questionnaire - Now that you've successfully created your NJEdCert account, complete the questionnaire here making sure you're logged into your Rider email account in order to access this survey for Rider University.
4. The nomination process - After your transcript is awarded with your program completion, approximately one month after your program completion date, a nomination process will take place in the Office of Field  Placement and State Certification using the information you provided on the questionnaire. This process will generate a nomination email to the email account associated with your NJEdCert account, (which should be the same email address you input on the questionnaire.) The nomination email will contain a link to take you back into your NJEdCert account so you can accept the nomination(s). Next, click on the "Apply Now" button to find a message congratulating you on these nomination(s). Click on the box(es) to accept the nomination(s) and continue to proceed through the screens, and pay the certification fees. This new nomination process is the fastest, most expedited way to achieve certification.  

Need more help?  The New Jersey Department of Education has created a 10-Point Checklist for NJEdCert Applications.  Also, see video tutorials for additional help and send questions to Jeanette Friscia at [email protected]. Zoom requests are welcomed and encouraged too. Simply list a few dates and times you are available to Zoom within your email inquiry.

Additional certifications: Applicants must apply directly with the state for additional certifications for which they may qualify but did not complete a formal Rider program.

Out-of-state licensure: Please see State Websites for some resources that may help you with your research. Also, if the other state requires verification of program completion (VOPC) forms, they may be mailed to us or emailed to [email protected] as needed.  Transcript requests will go through the Registrar's Office.

New Jersey Certification Fees (PDF)

Get an idea of what's next for newly hired first time teachers.

ATTN: Advanced program completer certification applicants

Your application requires a Verification of Employment letter(s). These are needed ONLY for the following certifications and requirements are:

• Principal: 5 years
• Supervisor: 3 years
• Director of School Counseling Services: 3 years
• Reading Specialist: 2 years

Acceptable documentation may be in the form of an original letter(s) as applicable, signed in ink on original letterhead from your Personnel Office (Principal or H.R. Dept.) reflecting the minimum years of full-time employment for your respective certification area. Or, In lieu of a letter, the newer Record of Professional Experience (ROPE) form may be used. This form must be emailed or mailed directly from the school district email address of the listed employer to Jeanette Friscia, Certification Coordinator, at [email protected].