Licensure Application Processing

This summary provides a general overview about what to expect regarding the timeline for becoming licensed and what you can do to make sure this process goes smoothly.  The Council on Teacher Education can not guarantee a date by which your licensure application will be processed, as there are many variables that are not controlled by CoTE that impact when your licensure requirements can be confirmed as completed.  In addition, your licensure application is one of hundreds of applications received each year and every application requires a manual review to verify the completion of all applicable licensure requirements.

Submit your application for licensure through the Student Portal.  Complete your licensure application at the beginning of the semester in which you will complete your program. 

NOTE:  Do not apply for your license or subsequent endorsement(s) through your Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) account.  If you apply through your ELIS account, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) may be charge you twice for your license and you will likely experience delays in getting your license issued.

Complete the licensure requirements outlined in the Student Portal.  A checkmark indicates a requirement has been completed.  Licensure applications can not be processed until all requirements have been completed.  

NOTE:  The Recommendation for Licensure requirement will be completed by your program at the conclusion of your final semester, as long as you’ve satisfied the requirements to be recommended by your program.  Contact your program coordinator for questions about your recommendation.   

Complete your transcript order for ISBE and forward your order confirmation email from Parchment to info@cote.illinois.edu.  Transcript orders can be completed after midterm of your final semester of coursework.  You will find transcript order instructions in the Student Portal or on the Quick Links page.  Follow the transcript order instructions carefully to assure your order is completed correctly.   

Final grades and GPA review.  You can find the date for “Final Grade Roll” on the Office of the Registrar Master Calendar to see when your grades will be available for review.  Grade and GPA reviews begin on the next business day after grades roll.  

Degree verification.  Degrees have not yet been awarded at the time of commencement.  Degrees post in multiple weekly batches as departments submit this information for their students who have graduated.  This means that degrees are not confirmed at the same time for every student.  Licensure application processing for students requiring the completion of a degree begins on the next business day after their degree has been submitted by their department.  You can find the dates for “Batch Degree Processing” on the Office of the Registrar Master Calendar. 

• Degrees for Spring graduates post in the final week of May through June. 
• Degrees for Summer graduates post throughout August. 
• Degrees for Fall graduates post throughout January. 

All undergraduate students must wait for their degree to post for their licensure application to be processed.  For graduate students, the application can be processed after the final grades and GPA review and prior to the master’s degree posting for the following:  LBS I, LBS II, Library Information Specialist, post-MSW School Social Worker, Principal and Superintendent candidates with a previous master’s degree, and teaching programs.

Licensure application processing and getting your license issued.  Once it has been confirmed that all requirements have been completed, licensure applications are processed and the Illinois State Board of Education is notified of those individuals who have completed all licensure requirements (and subsequent endorsement/endorsements, if applicable).  CoTE will send an email to the address you provided on your licensure application to notify you when your application has been processed.  The email will include instructions on how to claim and register your license through your ELIS account.  Your license will not be “issued” until you have completed the process to claim and register it and paid the applicable fees to ISBE.