Step 1: Fill out the Teacher Education Application
Step 2: Complete the Background Check and Fingerprinting Process
Step 3: Admission Board Review
Step 4: Admission Decision and Verification
Detailed instructions for each step are below.
Admission Step Details
Step 1:The Teacher Education Application
The first step toward admission to the Teacher Education Program is completing the Teacher Education Application. Candidates should carefully review and complete all required sections, provide the requested information, and respond to the three short-response questions included in the application.
The Teacher Education program application runs three times a year: fall, spring, and summer.
The expected application dates are below.
Fall: September-October
Spring: January-March
Summer: May-June
Fall 2026 Application: Open August 31–October 9
Completing the Application
Before submitting the application, candidates should be prepared to:
- Provide the requested information. Complete all required fields accurately and thoroughly.
- Respond to the short-response questions. Answer all three questions thoughtfully, providing specific examples and explaining your interest in becoming an educator.
- Review your responses. Check your answers for completeness, clarity, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- Submit the application. Review all sections to ensure the required information is complete before submitting.
Preparing for the Application Questions
As part of the Teacher Education Application, candidates will respond to three short-response questions. These questions provide an opportunity to share experiences, interests, goals, and reasons for pursuing a career in education.
Candidates should be prepared to answer:
- Why do you think you could become a successful teacher or educator?
- Why have you chosen this particular field or program area of teaching or education?
- What experiences have you had working with children and/or youth?
There is no single “correct” response to these questions. The goal is to provide thoughtful, specific answers that help reviewers understand your interests, experiences, and potential as a future educator.
Tips for Writing Strong Responses
You do not need to be an experienced essay writer to submit strong responses. Before beginning, consider the following:
- Answer the entire question. Read each question carefully and make sure your response addresses everything being asked.
- Be specific. Explain what experiences, people, goals, or observations have influenced your interest in education.
- Use examples. Experiences may come from schools, employment, volunteering, tutoring, coaching, mentoring, childcare, camps, community organizations, or other settings involving children or youth.
- Explain the impact. Describe what you learned from your experiences and how they influenced your decision to pursue a career in education.
- Share your motivation. Explain why teaching matters to you and what motivates you to pursue the Teacher Education Program.
- Connect your experiences to your future. Consider how your experiences may help you become an effective educator and support future students.
- Write clearly and professionally. Use complete sentences and organize your thoughts so they are easy to follow.
- Proofread before submitting. Check spelling, grammar, punctuation, and clarity. Reading your responses aloud can help identify areas that need improvement.
Take time to complete each part of the application. This is an opportunity to reflect on your decision to pursue education and share the experiences, interests, and goals that will help shape your development as a future educator.
Step 2: Complete the Background Check and Fingerprinting
A fingerprint-based background check is required for admission to the Teacher Education Program. This requirement is based on Tennessee law and is necessary for participation in educator preparation programs and school-based experiences.
The complete CEHHS Criminal Background Check and Fingerprinting Policy provides additional information about this requirement.
Start this process at least four (4) weeks prior to the application deadline to prevent delays.
Steps to complete the Background Check and Fingerprinting
- Complete the Background Check Authorization Form
- Complete and upload the VECHS Form. This is included in the Background Check Authorization Form
- Complete the fingerprinting scan. Instructions are sent after the Background Check Authorization form is verified complete.
Start this process at least four weeks before the application deadline. Applications cannot be reviewed until background clearance is received.
Out-of-state applicants who are not currently enrolled at UT should contact [email protected] before beginning the process.
Step 3: Admission Board Review
Once all required application materials have been received, the application will be sent to the appropriate program admission board for review.
The admission board will review the completed application, including the candidate’s qualifications, experiences, and responses to the application questions. Some program areas may also require an interview as part of the review process. Candidates who need to complete an interview will be contacted with additional information and scheduling instructions.
This is an opportunity for the program to learn more about each candidate’s interest in education, preparation for the program, and potential for success as a future educator.
After the review is complete, an admission decision will be sent to the candidate’s UTK email account by the Office of Professional Licensure & School-Based Experiences.
Step 4: Admission Decision and Verification
Candidates recommended for admission will receive an official admission letter through their UTK email account.
The admission email will include instructions for completing the required Admission Verification Form. This form confirms the candidate’s decision to accept admission to the Teacher Education Program and must be completed before moving forward with the next steps of the program.
Admission is not complete until the Admission Verification Form has been submitted. Candidates should carefully review the admission email, complete the form by the provided deadline, and keep the admission letter for their records.