Virginia School Counselor Certification

School counselors are making a difference in K-12 schools across the state of Virginia, offering their wisdom and expertise to support students of all ages and backgrounds. If you live in Virginia and wish to pursue a meaningful and high-impact career, this is an excellent path for you.

Because school counselors take on such critical roles in students’ lives, the qualifications for guidance counselor certification are strict.

Without certification, those who wish to become guidance counselors will not be authorized to do so in the state of Virginia or anywhere else in the country. This is to ensure that anyone who takes on these delicate responsibilities has received a thorough guidance counselor education, with the training and expertise that that confers.

To acquire school counseling certification in the state of Virginia, candidates must apply for a Pupil Personnel Services License. Once obtained, the license is good for 5 years. This particular license does not require applicants to have teaching experience unless their college or university program requires it for endorsement, but there are other important benchmarks aspiring school counselors must reach in order to obtain their guidance counselor credentials in Virginia.

Skip down to find information relevant to your situation:

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

Initial Virginia School Counselor Certification

As soon as you enter the field of school counseling, you will be expected to hold active guidance counselor credentials. Upon graduating from your master’s program, you will be eligible for your initial school counselor certification, which will serve you in the first years of your career.  Here are the steps you can take to obtain initial certification in Virginia:

Step One: Education Requirements

There are two options for educational requirements in Virginia.

• Option One: Earn a master’s degree from an approved school counseling program. There are several degree pathways that can prepare students for their school counselor exams. The most straightforward of these is a Master of School Counseling degree. Other schools offer concentration pathways in school counseling within larger programs, such as Counseling Psychology or Educational Psychology. Contemporary students have the chance to take advantage of online guidance counselor education opportunities.
• Option Two: If you already hold a master’s degree in a subject outside of school counseling or related fields, it can be possible to receive certification through a school counselor program including required course work and experience related to the field. The cumulative time it takes to do so is likely to be longer than it would take to enroll in a Master of School Counseling or related form of guidance counselor schooling, so this is only recommended if you already hold a master’s degree in another subject. The guidance counselor classes in your certificate program will help you build the same skills and expertise as other school counseling professionals.

* Please note: Candidates who did not receive their school counseling education within the United States may still have their credentials evaluated by an agency listed on their foreign institute document. This evaluation must include proof that the applicant’s degree is equivalent to a school counseling master’s degree accredited in the U.S. All credit hours and defined courses must be listed in the evaluation to be considered.

Step Two: Experience Requirements

In addition to education requirements, the state of Virginia has strict field work experience requirements to become a guidance counselor in the state. Those who complete a Master of School Counseling or related degree are likely to meet these requirements through their field internship (also known as practicum) hours while in school. However, if you complete a certificate program, you may need to complete these separately. Field hour requirements are as follows:

• Option One: Complete 100 or more hours of counseling experience in the K-6 grade levels, as well as 100 or more hours in the secondary 7-12 grade levels.
• Option Two: Show teaching experience for at least two full years as a teacher or guidance counselor.

* Please note: Two years of experience in the school counseling field under a provisional license will also suffice for the experience requirements.

Step Three: Additional Training Requirements

All applicants must receive training in Child Abuse, Neglect Recognition and Intervention. Verification of completed training is required with every application packet. Curriculum must adhere to the Virginia Board of Education model. This process can be completed under the “Required Training Courses” tab.

Completion of a comprehensive Emergency Training/CPR/AED and First Aid program is mandatory for all applicants. This must be achieved through a nation-wide program such as the American Heart Association or American Red Cross for acceptance.

Sufficient training is also required in the area of Dyslexia Awareness. Proof of training will be required for every applicant. A no-cost module for this training is available through the Virginia Dept. of Education.

State mandatory training is required in the areas of mental/behavioral health. This includes recognition of vulnerability for depression, addiction, suicide, and other adverse behavioral issues. More information about this training can be found here.

Step Four: Organizing Your Application Documentation

Once you have completed your master’s program, your required field hours, and your additional training requirements, you only have one remaining step: preparing your application materials to submit to the Virginia Department of Education. Congratulations! Take a look at the guide below to get a sense of what to prepare for.

• Complete and sign all pages of the application. Your social security number must be included to proceed with the application process. Failure to provide your SSN will result in a rejected application.
• Expect a fee of $100 for in-state applicants, and a $150 fee for out-of-state applicants. This fee can be paid via a money order, certified check, personal check, or a cashier’s check. Please make checks payable to the “Treasurer of Virginia.”
• Obtain a completed College Verification Form from your approved and accredited institution. This must be officially filled out by the certification officer of your college/university. The Internship Verification Form must also be filled out by an official from the approved internship program where you completed your practicum hours.
• Include a report signifying required experience hours filled out and signed by a school official where your experience hours were completed.
• Acquire copies of test scores for any Virginia examinations that were taken. For more information, check out the examination information on the Virginia Licensure website.
• Gather and submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities. It is preferred that transcripts are NOT sent from the educational institution to the Virginia office. Instead, it is required that all applicants acquire said transcripts and include them with their application packet.
• If applicable, please include a copy of your out-of-state license along with supportive documentation.
• Retrieve all additional training forms mandatory by the state of Virginia, including proof of sufficient training in Child Abuse/Neglect Intervention, Emergency Training, Dyslexia Awareness, and Mental/Behavioral Health.

* Please note: No fingerprinting or background checks are required in Virginia prior to applying for certification.

Step Five: Mailing Your Application

All applicable forms, documentation, and license application must be gathered and sent in ONE packet. Please mail your packet to:

Virginia School Counselor Certification Renewal

Your initial school counselor certification will be valid for five years, after which you will be required to renew your license. All renewal applications must be submitted after January 1st of the expiration year and must include 180 additional professional development points which prove personal growth in the school counseling profession. Adequate training in all mandatory areas must also be included in the renewal process. More details from the Virginia License Renewal Manual can be accessed here.

Virginia School Counselor Certification Through Reciprocity

Out-of-state applicants who have acquired a valid school counseling license and who would like to apply for certification in Virginia are required to file their application through the Virginia Dept. of Education. You will need to fill out all pages of the application and include all official transcripts/documents into one packet.

* Please note: No professional teaching assessment of your license will be required, so long as your state license is fully accredited without deficiency, you should be able to meet reciprocity requirements.

FAQs

What degree do I need to be a guidance counselor in Virginia?

There are several degree pathways that can prepare students for guidance counselor credentials in Virginia. These include master’s programs in fields related to school counseling, such as a Master of School Counseling or a Master of Counseling Psychology with a concentration in School Counseling. It is also possible for those who already hold unrelated master’s degrees to pursue guidance counselor schooling through certificate programs.

What are the requirements to become a school counselor in terms of supervised field hours?

In Virginia, school counselors are required to have completed 100 or more hours of supervised field experience in order to qualify for credentials. Those who have completed master’s programs are likely to have covered this requirement in their field practicum. If you have already worked for two or more years as a teacher in Virginia, it may be possible for you to bypass this requirement.

How long does it take to be a guidance counselor in Virginia?

If you already hold a bachelor’s degree and intend to proceed with your guidance counselor education through a master’s program, your studies and field work will take 2.5 to three years to complete on a full-time schedule. This is the fastest route to becoming a credentialed school counselor.

How much do guidance counselors make an hour in Virginia?

The BLS reports that guidance counselors in Virginia earn a mean hourly wage of $29.77. As an annual salary, this adds up to $65,470 a year. Those in the D.C. area – which, it should be noted, is more expensive overall as a place to live – earn a significantly higher mean hourly wage of $36.66, or $76,250 a year.

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