Different Types of Teacher Candidates

The NYC Teaching Fellows is an alternative certification program designed to prepare individuals who do not have a background in education for entering the classroom through an expedited route.

• Mission: to raise student achievement by providing an influx of high-quality teachers to the classrooms which need them most.

•  Operated by the NYC Department of Education.

•  Participants train in an NYC public school classroom in one of our Teaching Academies (DOE schools which have agreed to host pre-service teachers during their training_.

• Participants take university coursework towards a master’s degree in education that is tailored to support their work effecting change in high need schools and will provide a foundation for a lifelong career in education.

• Participants are eligible to be hired at schools that receive Title I Funding.

NYC Teaching Fellows provides an expedited summer immersion training experience. Fellows train from June to August and are placed at a Teaching Academy and paired with an experienced Coach in their classroom during summer school to complete their classroom-based field experience. Fellows simultaneously begin master's degree coursework in education and attend Skill-Building Sessions led by NYCTF program staff. After their summer training, Fellows will then begin teaching full-time in their own NYC classroom while continuing their master’s degree studies. 

Thank you for your interest in partnering with the NYC Teaching Academies to host Fellows at your school during their training! Please see the Summer 2025 NYCTF Overview to learn more about the benefits of partnering with us as a Teaching Academy and reach out to nycteachingacademies@schools.nyc.gov for more information.

If your school is currently an NYC Teaching Academy, you may request to have a specific pre-service teacher train at your school by emailing nycteachingacademies@schools.nyc.gov. If your school is not yet a Teaching Academy, please read here to learn what it means to become a Teaching Academy and your next steps to indicate your interest. 

Do you know someone who would make a terrific teacher? Refer them to apply to the NYC Teaching Fellows program by completing this brief survey. We will gladly reach out and invite your referral to apply. 

During the residency year, aspiring teachers are paired one-on-one with a mentor in their content area and teach part-time while completing Masters Degree coursework; receiving intensive coaching and feedback on their practice and pedagogy. Residents are available for hire after their residency year as full-time teachers of record in Special Education (7-12) or TESOL certification areas.

The UTR program aims to address educational inequity through supporting the preparation of effective new teachers who will improve academic and life outcomes for students increasing the percentage of teachers and teacher leaders who represent the racial, cultural, linguistic diversity of New York City students. 

If you are interested in learning more about residents and their availability for hire, please contact UTR@schools.nyc.gov.

Education Prep (Ed Prep NYC) is a teacher career pathway program supported by NYC Men Teach. It aims to leverage the talent that already exists in New York City Public Schools by supporting staff members who have a passion and aspiration for education. Ed Prep NYC partners with CUNY and private institutions to provide opportunities for potential candidates to attain a TransB certification. Some of the programs offered are TESOL, Childhood 1-6 + Bilingual Certification, and Students with Disabilities 7-12.

More information can be found here.

What is an Internship Certificate?  

An Internship Certificate is a two-year certificate available to education students who have completed at least 50% of an approved graduate program leading to an Initial Certificate. 

Why should I interview a candidate with an Internship Certificate?  

With the NYC Online Teacher Application now closed, considering internship certified candidates can be a great avenue for recruiting teachers for immediate vacancies.  

How can I find candidates who are working under an Internship Certificate?  

You can use the New Teacher Finder (NTF) to identify new candidates available for immediate positions, including those with and without Internship Certificates. In the NTF Home Portal, select ‘Search for Candidates’ in the ‘Find and Track’ section and then select ‘Active Candidates for Immediate Opportunities’ from the sidebar. Then search for your subject area vacancy to see a new list of candidates who have expressed interest in immediate opportunities at the NYC DOE. Once you select to view a candidate's profile, you will be able to see whether or not a candidate is working under an Internship Certificate.  

Note that candidates with Internship Certificates will also be invited to midyear hiring events on Brazen. 

Do I do anything different when hiring a candidate with an Internship Certificate?  

Once you are ready to make an offer, you will need to confirm that the candidate’s Internship Certificate subject area and grade level match the Galaxy vacancy. Please contact your HR Director for confirmation and any next steps. 

A candidate told me they need to have a job offer in order to receive their Internship Certificate from NYSED. Is this true?  

Different universities have different policies regarding granting Internship Certificates, with some universities requiring that students have proof of a job offer before nominating the student to NYSED for their Internship Certificate. In this case, you can provide students with an email confirming the job offer that they can share with their university certification officer.  

Is there a timeline for candidates with Internship Certificates to begin teaching?  

Similar to all new teacher hiring, candidates will need to have their NYSED certification, and their NYC DOE onboarding completed to begin teaching. Additionally, some universities require that students don’t begin teaching until a specific date aligned with their university’s capacity to provide adequate supervision. Check with candidates during the interview process about any start date specifications. 

Contact the Office of Teacher Recruitment and Quality through HIRE Connections with any additional questions. 

Please see the attached document for information that schools need to know when they hire an Alternative Certification candidate. 

• So You Hired an Alternative Certification teacher One-pager (With Link).pdf

NYC Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) and NYC Teaching Collaborative Partner Teachers (NYCTC), through the Office of Teacher Recruitment and Quality (TRQ), are expected to take positions in one of New York City's highest-need schools. This information has been shared with all candidates in their enrollment survey and again in their Job Search Guide. The revised lists of schools eligible to hire NYCTC and NYCTF candidates will be available soon. Please contact our office for additional information.