Georgia School Counselor Certification

After putting in the hard work of obtaining a school counseling degree, graduates have only one final step before they can become full-fledged social workers in K-12 settings: receiving their school counselor certification.

Your certification reflects that you meet all of the state’s qualifications for school counselors, rendering you eligible for opportunities at institutions of all types.

Georgia employs over 5,500 school counselors across the state who provide services to students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. One must be state-certified in order to qualify for any of these positions, as this reflects that you have thoroughly prepared for the job ahead of you.

Your pathway to obtaining your guidance counselor credentials in Georgia will depend on your level of education and any previous experience you may have had as a certified school counselor elsewhere. If you are just completing your guidance counselor schooling, you will pursue initial certification, while those who are already working school counselors who are relocating to Georgia can qualify for reciprocity programs, allowing them to expediently earn school counselor certification in the state.

Skip down to find information relevant to your situation:

• Initial School Counseling Certification
• Certification Renewal
• Certification Through Reciprocity
• Additional Certification Resources

Initial Georgia School Counselor Certification

There are two kinds of certificates issued to applicants for initial certification in Georgia: Professional Certification and Provisional Certification. Requirements for both types of certification follow.

There are two kinds of certificates issued to applicants for initial certification in Georgia: Professional Certification and Provisional Certification.

Requirements for both types of certification follow.

Step 1: Education Requirements

Standard Professional Certificate

If your graduate work was intensively focused on school counseling, you will likely be eligible for a Standard Professional Certificate in School Counseling. This level of certification is available to those who meet one of the following options:

• Completion of a state-approved certification preparation program in School Counseling at the master’s degree level or higher. This can include a degree in School Counseling as well as degrees in Counseling Psychology and Educational Psychology with targeted concentrations in School Counseling.
• Completion of a master’s degree or higher in a counseling area and submission of a valid National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credential issued by the National Board of Certified Counselors
• Completion of a master’s degree or higher in a counseling area and submission of a valid State of Georgia Professional Counselor’s license issued by the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Office of the Secretary of State

You must also have completed at least three (3) semester hours of college credit with a grade of B or higher in special education. Applicants holding a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification satisfy the special education requirement.

Provisional Certificate

Even if you did not enroll in formal guidance counselor schooling, if you have studied and trained at the master’s level in a field related to school counseling, you may also be able to pursue certification as a school counselor on a provisional basis. You are eligible for a Provisional Certificate in School Counseling if you meet one of the following :

• Completion of a master’s degree or higher from a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-accepted institution in any counseling area; or
• Completion of a Master of Social Work degree; or
• Hold a valid State of Georgia Clinical Social Work license issued by the Professional Licensing Boards Division or the Office of the Secretary of State

The Provisional Certificate is issued for one (1) year pending verification of enrollment in a GaPSC-accepted educator preparation program leading to certification in school counseling. Once enrolled in the program, the certificate will be extended for two additional years.

Your provisional certificate can help you get started as a school counselor, but you will eventually need to pursue a Standard Professional Certificate to maintain this career trajectory in the long run. Simply put, this will require you to complete your school counselor preparation program, rendering you eligible for standard certification. Conversion from the Provisional Certificate to the Professional Certificate will happen when the following requirements are met:

• Completion of a state-approved certification preparation program in School Counseling at the master’s degree level or higher; or
• Completion of a master’s degree or higher in a counseling area and submission of a valid National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credential issued by the National Board of Certified Counselors; or
• Completion of a master’s degree or higher in a counseling area and submission of a valid State of Georgia Professional Counselor’s license issued by the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Office of the Secretary of State

You must also have completed at least three (3) semester hours of college credit with a grade of B or higher in special education. Applicants holding a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification satisfy the special education requirement.

For more information about the education requirements for applicants to the school counseling certification, visit the following GaPSC pdf document.

Step 2: Submit a Criminal Background Check

Upon hiring with a Georgia Local Unit of Administration (LUA), you qualify for a Clearance Certificate, which verifies that you have successfully completed fingerprint and criminal background check requirements and have no convictions disqualifying you from employment.

For more information about the Clearance Certificate, including the process for completion and all necessary requirements, visit the following GaPSC link.

Step 3: Examination Requirements

You must pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) content assessment for school counselors. For more information about the exam, and to register for a test, visit the ETS website.

Step 4: Organize Your Application Materials

Complete applications are submitted online and include the following materials:

• GaPSC Initial Certification Application, located here.
  The application is also completed electronically through the “Applications” tab on the following GaPSC webpage.
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities you have attended, including transfer credits that led to earned degrees. For more information about official transcript requirements, visit this webpage
• Verification of Lawful Presence affidavit, located here and a copy of an acceptable ID card. For more information about how to complete the VLP affidavit and a list of acceptable ID cards, visit the GaPSC website
• Proof of scores for the GACE content assessment for school counselors
• $20 certification transaction processing fee

For a detailed list of all materials that are required for application, visit this webpage.

Step 5: Know the Fees

Certification applications require a $20 processing fee payment, payable through the online application portal. This fee is payable with a credit or debit card here.

If you prefer to mail your payment, you can send a cashier’s check or money order payable to the State of Georgia:

Georgia Professional Standards Commission
200 Piedmont Avenue SE
Suite 1702, West Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334-9032

Step 6: Submit Your Application

Your application for Georgia School Counselor certification is submitted online. To register for an account with the MyPSC portal and to submit application materials, visit the GaPSC website.

If you prefer to submit your application through the mail, you can download necessary forms from here.

Mailed applications, including all supporting documentation and fee payment, should be sent to:

Georgia Professional Standards Commission
200 Piedmont Avenue SE
Suite 1702, West Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334-9032

Additional Information

If you need assistance with your Georgia School Counselor certification application, please contact the Professional Standards Commission at 404-232-2500. Applicants calling outside of the Metro Atlanta Area can dial 800-869-7775.

The Certification all Center is available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 AM until 4:30 PM, except on holidays.

You can also email a specialist at [email protected].

Additional Areas of Specialization for School Counselors

If you’re a school counselor looking to enhance your career, it’s possible to build skills through additional certification pathways, which are offered by a variety of educational institutions. This can be an excellent move for those who have already become certified as school counselors but wish to gain more advanced areas of focus, allowing you to become a specialist and in turn, opening up new opportunities that can be stimulating and lucrative, leading to advanced positions on school faculty.

What you choose as your specialization area should respond to the parts of the school counseling profession that most appeal to you. This is one reason why many guidance counselors choose to pursue additional certifications after several years of working in the field, having gained insights into the day-to-day work of a counselor and the responsibilities they most enjoy.

Some of the most popular specialization certificate options include the following:

• College and Career Readiness
• School-Based Mental Health Counseling
• Substance Abuse Prevention
• Behavioral Interventions and Special Education
• Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling
• Multicultural and Diversity Counseling

There are also opportunities to pursue specialized knowledge in working with particular communities, such as LGBTQ+ students, students of color, bilingual students, and more.

Though it is by no means a requirement to gain additional specialization, this can be a meaningful and remunerative way to reinvigorate your career and bring out even more from your greatest strengths as a school counselor.

Georgia School Counselor Certification Renewal

The initial Standard Professional certificate for Georgia School Counselor is valid for five (5) years from the date of issue. Requirements for renewal must be met within this time. All renewal requirements must be submitted electronically by the school counselor’s employing Local Unit of Authority (LUA).

Renewal requirements include a criminal record check, professional development activities, and a $20 renewal certification fee. For more information about the certificate renewal process and requirements, visit this webpage.

If you would like to renew your Georgia School Counselor certification, you should contact your LUA representative for assistance. You can also speak with a specialist at the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, by calling 404-232-2500, or toll free at 800-869-7775.

Additional Assistance

If you have questions about your renewal application, contact your LUA representative, or call 404-232-2500 to speak with a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GPSC) specialist. You can also email GPSC at [email protected].

Georgia School Counselor Certification Through Reciprocity

If you are an out-of-state applicant and your current and valid school counselor certificate meets certain requirements, you may be eligible to receive a Georgia certificate based on interstate reciprocity. Your certificate must be issued by another U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or the Department of Defense Education Activity. For more information about the requirements for reciprocity, including a listing of commonly accepted out-of-state certificates, visit this webpage.

Please note that you will be required to pass the Georgia school counselor content knowledge assessment unless you meet one of the following criteria:

• You have worked full-time as a school counselor for five years
• You were required to pass a comparable content assessment to receive your current and valid out-of-state certificate
• You hold a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification in school counseling

For more information about the special requirements for a reciprocity certification application in Georgia, visit this webpage.

Additional Assistance

If you need additional assistance with your application for reciprocity, please contact the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Metro Atlanta and Long Distance Line
(404) 232-2500

Toll Free Outside the Metro Atlanta Area
(800) 869-7775

The Certification Call Center is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, except for state holidays, between 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Email: [email protected]

Georgia School Counseling Certification Resources

For resources to assist you with continuing education and other career development opportunities, see the following websites:

• Georgia Department of Education School Guidance Helpful Links
• Georgia School Counselor Association
• American School Counselor Association
• National Board of Certified Counselors

FAQs

What degree do I need to be a guidance counselor?

Those who wish to learn how to become a school counselor in fact have several options to choose from. There are several routes to guidance counselor education at the master’s level: a Master of School Counseling degree, a Master of Counseling Psychology degree with a concentration in School Counseling, and a Master of Educational Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling.

What do guidance counselor classes in a master’s program involve?

Your coursework in a school counselor degree program is likely to touch on topics including (but not limited to) counseling theories and techniques, human development and psychology, ethics and legal issues in counseling, assessment and evaluation, and more. You will also be expected to complete a field internship, also known as a practicum, where you will be able to hone your skills as a school counselor through on-the-ground work experiences.

What do you need to be a guidance counselor if you hold a master’s degree in a related but different field, such as general counseling or social work?

In Georgia, certain degree pathways such as Counseling Psychology or a Master of Social Work can still meet qualifications for guidance counselor certification, as long as you are simultaneously enrolled in a supplemental educator preparation program focused on school counseling. You will initially be eligible for a provisional school counselor certificate before completing your supplemental program, and upon completion will be eligible for standard certification.

How much do guidance counselors make an hour in Georgia?

Georgia-based school counselors earn an average hourly wage of $32.03, which adds up to a $66,630 mean annual wage, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who take on leadership roles as school counselors or develop additional areas of expertise may be able to command significantly higher salaries than this, and over the course of the career you are likely to earn more and more as you amass experience and expertise.

2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed March 2025.

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