While you're enrolled at Relay GSE New York, you'll work toward three certificates in sequence: a Transitional B certificate first, then an Initial certificate, and ultimately a Professional certificate once you graduate. This guide walks you through applying for each certificate, finding and tracking your application on TEACH, and getting help if you run into questions along the way.

Table of Contents

• Process Overview
• For Students Applying for Initial and Professional Certificates
• Access Your Application
• View Your Application Status
• Support with Your Application

Process Overview

Earning your New York State teaching certificate happens in four stages, all managed through TEACH — the state's online system for applying for and tracking your certificate. Here's the path your application will follow:

• Create your TEACH account and apply. You'll register for a TEACH account, build your profile, and apply for your certificate.
• Enter your program code. Each Relay program and certification pathway has its own TEACH program code, listed in a dedicated table in the full TEACH Guide.
• Track your application status. Once you've submitted your application, it will move through several statuses until your certificate is issued.
• Register for your required exams. Your program and certification pathway determine which CST exams you'll need to pass — and every student, regardless of program or pathway, is also required to pass the EAS exam.

If you're in Relay's Dual Certificate (TEL) program, you'll need to apply and pay for both certificates in your program: one for the special education pathway and one for the general education pathway.

📄For full instructions on every stage, including the program code and CST exam tables, click here to access the TEACH Guide.

For Students Applying for Initial and Professional Certificates

If you've already gone through this process once for your Transitional B certificate, applying for your Initial or Professional certificate works the same way.

What stays the same: The application steps are identical for every certificate type. Your program code doesn't change either — it's tied to the certification pathway you pursued during your enrollment at Relay, not to which certificate you're applying for.

What's different: On the "Select Your Certificate Title" form, you'll choose Initial or Professional under Type of Certificate instead of Transitional B.

Access Your Application

Once you've submitted your certificate application, here's how to find it on TEACH:

1. Log in to your TEACH account.
2. From the Account Information page, select Certificates and click Go.
3. Your certificate application(s) will appear at the bottom of the page.

View Your Application Status

Once you locate your application, you'll see it's been assigned one of the following statuses:

Digging Into the Details of Your Status

To understand what your status means for your specific application:

1. Click "View Evaluation History" on your certificate application.
2. Click the most recent action (for example, received college recommendation).
3. A new window will list your "met" and "unmet" requirements.
4. Look for comments from the TEACH evaluator — these can help you figure out your next steps.

Support with Your Application

TEACH Support

If there's a delay with your certificate issuance, or you believe there's a discrepancy with your application, email TEACH directly: [LINK NEEDED: TEACH contact email].

Relay Support

If you need help navigating your TEACH account or understanding your application status, we're here for you:

• Email us: [email protected] — include a screenshot of your TEACH account so we can point you to the right answer.