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Renewing Your Teaching License: Frequently Asked Questions

According to the Division of Professional Standards, any applicant may renew a teaching license by successfully completing six semester hours of appropriate course work within five years prior to the renewal date. Renewals are valid for five years from the date the license was issued.   This does not apply to licenses issued under Rules 2002.  The following are some questions and answers which may help you with the renewal process.

Q.   I need to renew my license. What is “appropriate” course work?
A.   Appropriate renewal course work must either be in professional education (EDUC graduate-level courses) or in the certification major or minor.  You may not retake a course you have already taken.

Q.   Do the courses I plan to register for have to be approved in advance by a School of Education advisor?
A.   No.  However, if you are in doubt about the courses being appropriate, you should consult the graduate advisor (317-278-5739).

Q.   Do workshops count toward renewing my license?
A.   If they are offered for college credit, most should.  All of the workshops offered by the School of Education in this book can be used to renew an Indiana teaching license.

Q.   Can workshops or courses with pass/fail or satisfactory/fail grading be used for license renewal?
A.   Yes

Q.   Will the courses I take for renewal apply later to a graduate degree?
A.   There is no guarantee that any course will apply toward a graduate degree until you are officially admitted to a graduate program and receive approval from your assigned graduate program advisor.

Q.   How do I apply to take classes for renewal?
A.   You must be admitted to IU School of Education at Indianapolis.  The application is included in this book right after the Table of Contents.  After you submit the application, it will take approximately 7 – 10 business days for processing.  You’ll receive an e-mail when your application has been completed.

If you have previously taken a graduate class for license renewal at the School of Education IUPUI, there is no need to re-apply; however, you need to have    your registration status updated. Send an email to sabrande@iupui.edu and state in the subject line – REINSTATEMENT FOR LICENSE RENEWAL. The following information is needed in order to complete this process: Name(s) listed with the university, last 4 digits of SSN, and DOB. You will receive a follow-up email once the reinstatement has been complete.

Q.   I earned my undergraduate degree from IUPUI. Do I have to apply to take classes for renewal?
A.   Yes. Once you have completed a degree at IUPUI, you are no longer considered an active student and must be readmitted.

Q.   If I am taking classes only for renewal, must I pay graduate fees?
A.   At IUPUI, course fees are assessed according to the level of the student (graduate or undergraduate). You will be charged graduate fees, because you are a graduate non-degree level student.

Q.   My license expires this summer. Can I take six hours in Summer Session II and still have enough time to renew my license before school starts?
A.    No. You probably will not receive your renewed license until mid‑September.  If your school corporation requires evidence that the
renewal is in progress, you may request a verification letter (letter of eligibility) after your courses are completed and your application has been submitted. The request form is available from the web:
http://education.iupui.edu/soe/forms/applications/eligibility.pdf

Q.   I have completed my course work. Where can I get the state license renewal application?
A.   If you are applying for the renewal of a license issued under Rules 46/47 or prior bulletins, you must use the state’s teacher online licensing system (TOLS).  Read the instructions page http://www.doe.state.in.us/dps/licensing/online-licensing_instruction_page.pdf first before you access the system.  The TOLS system can be accessed at: https://dc.doe.state.in.us/dpsweb/public/login.aspx

Q.   When do I submit the state application?
A.   Your application should be submitted upon completion of the six (6) credits of appropriate course work, but no more than two months prior to the license expiration date.  Renewals are valid for five years from the date of issuance. The fee to renew your license is $35.00.    After the Licensing Advisor has verified the information, your application will be routed to the Division of Professional Standards via TOLS.

Q.   What if I took half of my renewal work at IUPUI and half at another university?
A.   Either university can handle your license application.  If you want IUPUI to process it, you must include an official transcript showing the three hours not taken at IUPUI with your license application.

Q.  The Division of Professional Standards says that if I have a master’s degree, I may use Continuing Renewal Units (CRUs) toward renewing my license.
A.   The IUPUI School of Education does not handle Continuing Renewal Units.  For information about CRUs, contact the Division of Professional Standards at (317) 232‑9010.