Institutional Recommendation Request Instructions for The University of Arizona

The Institutional Recommendation (IR) is awarded to applicants who have completed an Arizona State Board approved educator preparation program. Applying for Certification with IR allows the applicant to pay a reduced certification service fee and qualify for faster processing of the certificate through the Arizona Department of Education. Please review the following information carefully before completing the IR request form. This IR request form is for students who are completing a University of Arizona educator preparation program within the upcoming year.

Click the red button below to submit the IR Request Form by Dec. 1 for December program completion OR by April 1 for May-August program completion. This allows for the timely processing of your IR request.

  • Bachelor’s degree must be posted by Graduation Services (usually 1-4 weeks after finals).
  • Master’s degree must be posted by Graduate College Graduation Services (usually 1-4 weeks after finals).
    • Your degree will not be posted (official completion) if coursework for your degree is incomplete or missing.  If you have an incomplete grade on a course or courses that have not been officially transferred to the university and these courses are necessary for your degree, your degree will not be posted.
    • You must submit all required graduation paperwork by posted deadlines in order to graduate.
    • You must have completed at least 3 units of Structured English Immersion (SEI) for teacher certification programs; official documentation is required for posting to your IR. The US & Arizona Constitution course is cheaper and easier to include with the IR, but this deficiency can be removed after certification if needed.
  • All grades for the current semester must be posted (usually 1-2 weeks after finals).
  • You must also provide an official transcript from the institution where your degree was awarded if it was not completed at the University of Arizona.
  • You must have completed at least 3 units of Structured English Immersion (SEI) for teacher certification programs; official documentation is required for posting to your IR. The US & Arizona Constitution course is cheaper and easier to include with the IR, but this deficiency can be removed after certification if needed.

Please have your AZ IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card information in hand before beginning this application.

Submit your IR Request Form

 

When completing the IR request form:

  • Please fill out the request form in its entirety and check for completeness before submission.
  • Please include any required documentation as outlined in the form to verify the information required for certification.
  • Additional instructions for obtaining your certification will be provided when you receive your IR.

If you have questions regarding the IR or certification, please contact the Certification Officer, Sara Knepper by email or 520-621-7865.

If you need to mail an official transcript or other documentation to the Certification Officer, please send it to:

Sara Knepper
Student Services
PO Box 210069
Tucson, AZ 85721-0069

For more information about certification rules and requirements, please visit the Arizona Department of Education.

For certification exam information, please visit the Educator Certification: Testing Information page.

Some University of Arizona teacher preparation programs allow students to be on a Student Teaching Intern Certificate (STIC) or Alternative Teaching Certificate (Alt Cert). If directed by your program coordinator, please submit this form BEFORE you apply for your STIC or Alt Cert. The University of Arizona needs to provide the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) information as part of your initial application process, which should expedite your application.

Submit your STIC or Alt Cert request form

 IR candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for certification through the Arizona Department of Education Online Portal (AzEDCert). Below are some instructional guides to support you in account setup and utilizing the Online Portal to apply for certification. You are encouraged to set up your Online Portal account early to troubleshoot any barriers in account creation, but you must wait for your IR to be issued to apply for your certification.

If you have questions or issues with the AzEDCert Online Portal, please contact ADE directly at certification@azed.gov or (602) 542-4367.