Apply for an Independent School Teaching Certificate - School and Subject Restricted Certificate (SSR)

Before you apply for an Independent School Teaching Certificate in British Columbia:

• Review the following requirements and make sure you meet the standards
• If you are still unsure of whether or not this certificate is suitable for you try our Teaching Certificate Application Selection Tool

This certificate restricts educators to teach:

• Only the subjects related to their specialized post-secondary training, unique life skills or practical experience (e.g. religious studies or board authority approved courses)
• Only for the independent authority seeking to hire them
• Specific grades, depending on the applicant’s credentials, training and experience

The certificate is initially valid for up to 60 months. It can be upgraded to a non-expiring certificate if the teacher demonstrates successful teaching experience for at least 1.5 years full time (or equivalent part time). Teacher-on-call experience (substitute teaching) is not accepted.

SSR certificates are not issued for Special Education or for core, provincially-regulated subjects such as: Drama, English, Fine Art, French, Math, Music, Science (including Biology, Chemistry and Physics), Social Studies (including History and Geography), Physical Education, and Technology Education.

In some cases, an application for these courses may be considered, depending a school authority’s specific school or community identity or if it's difficult to find teachers for a specific teaching area. As an alternative, you may consider applying for a Letter of Permission.

The application fee for an Independent School Teaching Certificate is $245.

Please Note:

• Applications cannot be processed until the fee is paid
• Application fees are non-refundable
• Pay when you submit your application in your account by using Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Visa Debit or Debit Mastercard. You can also use pre-paid Visa or Mastercard