The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee provides endorsement for teacher certification, pupil services and administrator licenses for the School of Education, Peck School of the Arts, College of Health Sciences, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, and School of Information Studies.

How To Apply For Your License

  • Make sure your legal name, address, phone number, major, minor and concentration are all accurate in PAWS. Contact your adviser if your major, minor or concentration is inaccurate. Any discrepancies in this information will cause a delay in getting your license.
  • If applicable, check that your Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test score is on your transcript. Please note that it takes 4 weeks after you’ve tested for your score to be processed, so plan ahead.
  • Create Your Login/Access to the ELO License Application. You will access the ELO using your personal information. If you are a returning educator, you will immediately be directed to a license confirmation page. If you are a new educator, you will be directed to a new user registration page. Here’s a helpful resource: TEPDL Log-in Job Aid (PDF).
  • Fingerprinting: If you have lived outside of the State of Wisconsin after age 17, you must provide fingerprints. Visit the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Fingerprint Requirement webpage to find out how.
  • Be prepared to answer the background check questions, Background Check for Licensure. If there is some type of misconduct that needs to be reported, prepare and attach a written explanation of what happened. You must also provide complete electronic (scanned) copies of documents associated with the matter that can corroborate / illuminate your explanation of the incident. These may include the criminal complaint, judgment of conviction, police reports, disciplinary letters/findings, correspondence, etc., as applicable. (Note: Court history information printed from the CCAP web site is NOT sufficient.)

Undergraduates

If you are getting a bachelor’s degree:

  • Wait for your degree to post and show up on your transcript before applying for your license.
  • If your degree has not posted 6 weeks after the last day of student teaching, contact your adviser and/or Enrollment Management.
  • Wait to receive an email from the UWM licensing office with instructions on how to apply for your license. This email will come only after your degree has posted on your transcript.
  • After you have received your email from the licensing office, apply for your license using DPI’s Educator Licensing Online (ELO) system.

Post-Baccs and Non-Degree Candidates

If you are completing a teacher certification program as a post bacc or non-degree student:

  • Wait for your final grades to post on your transcript.
  • After your final grades have posted, complete and submit this web form, Certification and Licensing web form. This starts the process for you.
  • Wait to receive an email from the UWM licensing office with instructions on how to apply for your license.
  • If after 6 weeks you have not receive your email with instructions to apply, contact the licensing office.
  • After you have received your email from the licensing office, apply for your license using DPI’s Educator Licensing Online (ELO) system.

Graduate Level Candidates

If you are completing as an administrator or pupil services professional with a Master’s, Education Specialist or Ph.D. degree:

  • Wait for your degree to post on your transcript.
  • After your degree has posted, complete and submit this web form, Certification and Licensing web form. This starts the process for you.
  • If your degree has not posted 6 weeks after the last day of internship/externship or clinical experience, contact your adviser or the Graduate School.
  • Wait to receive an email from the UWM licensing office with instructions on how to apply for your license.
  • After you receive your email from the licensing office, apply for your license using DPI’s Educator Licensing Online (ELO) system.

ELO System Tutorials

Renew Your License

Click Here for Instructions for Applying to the University as a Post-Baccalaureate to Renew Your License (PDF)

Click Here to Find Your Courses

Stipulations

Click Here for Instructions on Applying to the University as a Post-Baccalaureate to Meet DPI Stipulations (PDF)

Click Here for Classes, Tuition and Registration Fees

Out of State Licensing

If you plan to move to another state, you will need to check the licensing requirements for that state. The Certification Requirements by State webpage has links to teacher licensing agencies in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. If you have already moved and need UW-Milwaukee’s signature verifying your program completion, please forward that state’s form to UWM’s certification officer, Christie Peters, peters19@uwm.edu.