Certification Procedures for Cultural Exchange Visitor Program Sponsors

The International Certificate is issued to foreign teachers participating in the Cultural Exchange Program on a J-1 visa status.  The International Certificate is a short term certificate renewable on a year-to-year basis up to three years.  An application for the International Certificate must be submitted by the participating teacher’s program sponsor once the teacher has received a Social Security number.

Program sponsors are required to evaluate the qualifications of each international teacher applicant to ensure that the participating country’s certification criteria are met and that the educator is proficient in the English language.  An International Certificate is issued once the program participant meets the following criteria: 

• holds citizenship in the participating foreign country;
• holds the U.S. equivalent of a bachelor’s degree or higher in education or in the specific subject area to be taught;
• holds foreign educator credentials in a teaching field comparable to those recognized in South Carolina;
• has a minimum of three years teaching experience; and
• is proficient in written and spoken English.

Program sponsors must submit a completed certification packet that includes the following documents:

• A detailed course-by-course translation and evaluation of the teacher’s foreign transcript(s) stating degree equivalency from an approved agency (http://www.naces.org/).
• A copy of the applicant’s U.S. Social Security Card.
• A copy of official transcript(s) from all institutions attended.
• A $105.00 fee made payable by check to the SCDE (no cash).  
• Official verification of teaching experience (minimum of three school years or 27 months).

In addition, applicants must complete the electronic fingerprint process.  

Please note: these requirements are for the International Certificate.  Teachers must also meet the NCLB requirements for Highly Qualified (HQ).