Alaska School Counselor Certification

Step 1: Education Requirements

Applicants for Alaska school counselor certification must meet the following minimum educational requirements:

• Completion of a state-approved special services program in school counseling:

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• Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university
  • Applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree must also complete a teaching certification program or alternative teaching certification program with endorsement in school counseling.
  • Applicants who have earned a master’s degree or higher must complete a program that includes either (1) a school psychology internship of 1200 hours with 600 hours in a school setting; or (2) hold a master’s degree and a national school psychologist certification
• Completion of three (3) semester hours of approved Alaskan studies and three (3) semester hours of multicultural education/cross-cultural communication – completed within five (5) years prior to the date of application
  • For a listing of approved Alaska studies courses, visit this webpage
  • For a listing of approved multicultural education/cross-cultural communication courses, visit this webpage
  • Applicants who have not completed three (3) semester hours of approved Alaskan studies and three (3) semester hours of multicultural education/cross-cultural communication are eligible to apply for an initial certification that is valid for two (2) years. Applicants who earn the two-year initial certification must complete the required Alaskan studies and multicultural education/cross-cultural communication courses within these two years in order to apply for the five-year certificate.
• Completion of mandatory training requirements – completed within five (5) years prior to the date of application
  • Sexual abuse and prevention
  • Alcohol and drug related disabilities
  • Dating violence awareness and prevention
  • Suicide awareness and prevention

Step 2: Organize your Application Materials

Applicants who are new school counselors or who are new to Alaska will complete the Regular Special Services (Type-C) Application.

The following materials are required for application and must be notarized prior to submission:

• Initial Special Services Certification Application, located here
• Fingerprint Card; used to complete a criminal history report by the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Official transcripts from each college or university you attended to complete each degree and state-approved preparation program
• Mandatory Training Form, located here

Step 3: Know the Fees

The following are the associated fees for processing your Alaska school counseling certification application and background check requirements.

• Initial Certification Fee $200
• Background Check Fee $60
• Fingerprint Card Fee $260
• *Credit card payments are accepted online via the DEED Online Payment Center. You may also include a cashier’s check or money order with your application materials, payable to DEED. Personal checks are not accepted. Fees are non-refundable.

Step 4: Submit your Application!

All required materials must be included in a single application packet and mailed to the Alaska Teacher Education & Certification office. Scanned, faxed, or emailed applications will not be accepted.

Additional Assistance

If you have questions about your application, contact the Teacher Education & Certification office via email [email protected] to consult a Certification Analyst.