Applying for Your License

The FSU Education Licensure Office endorses the applications of candidates who have completed all licensure program requirements. The electronic endorsements are completed in:
  • late January (December completers)
  • mid-February (January completers)
  • early June (May completers)
  • mid-September (August completers)

NOTE:  All approved Initial licensure programs require a practicum and university endorsement.

If you completed an approved licensure program at FSU, please complete the Endorsement Request Form and follow the steps below to apply for your license with FSU endorsement and to help ensure timely processing of your licensure application.

If you did not complete an approved program, continue through the steps below, but
replace the FSU Education Licensure Office address with the following:

MA DESE Office of Educator Licensure
at 75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148

  1. Order an official copy of your transcript from Framingham State University. On the request form, select Hold until current semester degrees or licensures have been posted. Request for the transcript to be sent to:

    FSU Education Licensure Office
    O'Connor Hall 125
    Framingham State University
    100 State Street
    Framingham, MA 01702

    Please remember to print, sign, and submit the authorization form.  Transcripts requests without a signed authorization form are deleted after 30 days.

  2. If you are seeking your first Initial license either by PBTL or a M.Ed. degree, please also submit an undergraduate transcript. 

  3. Go to the Educator Licensure and Recruitment (ELAR) login at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's web site. If you already have an ELAR account, skip to the next step.  Otherwise, click on Create ELAR Profile and create your ELAR profile and account.

  4. Candidates completing approved Initial licensure programs must also apply for the Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement. All candidates applying for a first Initial license must already have the SEI endorsement or have taken EDUC 222 or TESL 910 as part of the approved Initial licensure program.  There is no additional cost for the SEI endorsement.
  5. Log in to your profile area and select the option to Apply for a new license. Follow the prompts to add your education information. Then, use the following to apply for your specific license:

    • Initial Academic Teacher Licensure
      Category:Academic Teacher
      Select Field: <license name/subject/field> e.g. Elementary
      Level: <grade level> e.g. 1-6
      Type:Initial

    • Initial Specialist Teacher Licensure
      Category: Specialist Teacher
      Select Field: Reading
      Level: All
      Type: Initial

    • Professional Licensure
      Category: Academic Teacher
      Select Field: <license name/subject/field> e.g. mathematics
      Level: <grade level> e.g. 5-8
      Type: Professional

  6. When asked which path you are following, select the option with the most recent date, which indicates you have completed an approved program for the license. Complete the remaining screens to apply for your license.  If you are unsure of the appropriate path, consult the FSU licensure office or contact the MA DESE Licensure Call Center at 781-338-6600 9a.m.-12p.m or 2pm-5pm Monday – Friday.

  7. Use a credit card to pay for your license application via ELAR.

  8. If you are applying to advance your Initial license to Professional, you must provide verification of three years of employment under the Initial license you are advancing to Professional and completion of the required induction and mentoring activities. Please send your completed verification form to:

    FSU Education Licensure Office
    O'Connor Hall 125
    Framingham State University
    100 State St.
    Framingham, MA 01702

    We will submit this form and your transcript to the Licensure Office at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

  9. If you are applying for the Specialist Teacher of Reading Initial license, you must provide verification of at least one year of employment under an appropriate Initial and completion of the required induction and mentoring activities. Please send your completed verification form to:

    FSU Education Licensure Office
    O'Connor Hall 125
    Framingham State University
    100 State St.
    Framingham, MA 01702

    We will submit this form and your transcript to the Office of Educator Licensure (OEL) at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

  10. If you've had a name change (e.g. marriage, divorce, other legal proceeding) and have not notified MA DESE, you must submit a name change form with appropriate documentation of the name change.  If you send to us, we will submit this with the rest of your documents. 
To expedite your endorsement (and the licensing process at the DESE), please plan accordingly and make sure you have:
  • set up your ELAR profile,
  • applied for the license,
  • applied for the SEI endorsement, if appropriate
  • paid for the license
  • requested transcripts to be sent to the FSU Education Licensure Office
  • submitted the Endorsement Request Form and other required documents to the FSU Education Licensure Office.

prior to your program completion date. Once your endorsement is complete, you will receive a confirmation email from the FSU Education Licensure Office and MA DESE.


Educator Licensure and Placement Office

O'Connor Hall 125
Ms. Sandra Shaw, Director
Educator Placement and Licensure
sshaw1@framingham.edu
Phone:   508 626 4573