Institutional Certification Office FAQs

K-12 Licensure

How can I check to see whether my license application has been approved?

To see whether a Wisconsin license application has been approved by the DPI, go to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Minnesota licenses can be monitored at Minnesota Department of Education.

What is Institutional Endorsement?

Most applications for teacher licenses require the signature of an approved Certifying Officer. UW-Superior staff verify information, endorse the application, and forward it directly to licensing agencies. Processing typically takes one to two weeks in our office.

What is a teacher license?

To be a certified teacher you must complete an approved teacher education program. To be a licensed teacher, you must apply to a state licensing agency for a teacher license.

Can I be licensed in other states?

This is a great question, as you may be currently living in a state other than Wisconsin or have interest in being eligible for a license in a state other than Wisconsin now or at some point in the future. 

All UW-Superior educator licensing programs are approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for licensure in the state of Wisconsin; when you successfully complete your degree program and related requirements (such as coursework, GPA requirements, clinical experiences, and Wisconsin licensure exams), you will be eligible for the Wisconsin educator license aligned with the UW-Superior program you complete.

However, every state has their own educator licensure requirements. Completing your UW-Superior program, or even holding your Wisconsin educator license, may not be everything you need for a similar license in another state. (Some states may require a specific number of credits, degrees or coursework in a particular area, a certain number of practicum/clinical hours, licensure exams, etc.). So, if you are interested in licensure in another state, you will want to contact that state’s licensing agency (early and often!) so you are aware of any additional requirements you may need to meet in order to receive your license in that state.

Check out this US Department of Education State Contacts searchable map to help find the licensing agency in your state of interest and contact them directly to discuss what you might need, in addition to your UW-Superior program, in order to be eligible for their state’s similar license.  While UW-Superior cannot generally determine the unique licensure requirements for each license in every state, you can access contact information for each state for your specific UW-Superior licensure program here.  This listing is updated annually.