Do you want to be a teacher in Georgia? Here are the seven steps you’ll need to take.

Step One: Show verification of your bachelor’s degree. If you are enrolled in a Georgia-approved teacher education program, you must apply for a certificate of eligibility, which will transfer to certification upon employment. If you do not have a bachelor’s degree in education, you can get certified by attending an accredited college and completing an educator certification program.

Step two: Maintain a 2.5 GPA. To be considered, students must have finished their bachelor’s degree within 10 years of applying for teacher certification and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. Students with a bachelor’s degree obtained more than ten years prior to obtaining certification, as well as those with a graduate degree, are exempt from the minimum GPA criteria.

Step three is to complete the required learner teaching hours. Students in a state-approved educator preparation program are required to complete a teaching residency. This is often referred to as learner teaching. When submitting authentic college transcripts, applicants for a Georgia teaching certificate must provide verification of completed learner teaching hours.

Step four is to get a passing mark on all required exams. Candidates for Georgia teaching certification must pass a set of certification tests conducted by the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE). This set of tests serves as an alternative for the PRAXIS. A basic skills examination is necessary for entrance to a Georgia teacher education program, therefore teacher hopefuls must take it first. Applicants seeking certification must also pass a content assessment, which tests their understanding of the subject matter.

Step 5: Georgia must approve your background check. To teach in a Georgia public or private school, educators must pass a criminal background check. To renew their certification, educators must submit to a criminal background check every five years. In addition, students pursuing a pre-service credential before graduation must submit to a background check. As part of the employment process, school districts pay for background checks.

Step Six: Submit an Application for Teaching Certification. Students seeking initial teacher certification must fill out an online application, which is available on the GaPSC website. Candidates must also present authentic college transcripts, confirmation of U.S. citizenship, and a photo ID copy. Graduates of a Georgia teacher education program are required to complete a program completion form. Educators with degrees from states other than Georgia must complete an experience verification form. These documents will be uploaded to the applicant’s GaPSC account online.

Step 7: Pay all of your fees. When submitting an application for certification, candidates must pay a $20 processing fee. For initial certification, this price is waived.

Students who want to enroll in a state-approved teacher education program must take a $78 entrance test. Educators must additionally pay $30 for an ethical assessment and $123 for a content assessment in Georgia.