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See below for information on fingerprint requirements and other certification details if you are a student without a Social Security Number. Many of the answers to your questions may be found in this FAQ for Undocumented Students enrolled in CUNY Education Programs.
If you have a F1 Student visa, follow the instructions for fingerprint records for your fieldwork and student teaching in New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) while you are in college.
If you do not have an official Social Security number (SSN), you must send an e-mail to Wanda Morales and to the Office of Personnel Investigation to make an appointment for fingerprinting. Indicate that you are an international student teacher without an SSN. Please start this process early, as records cannot be expedited. We recommend that you use a personal e-mail address instead of a college or work address. You must make an appointment, and when you go to the appointment you must bring in the following four items:
After your records are processed, contact the certification officer.
If you are not studying under an F1 International Student visa and/or are not eligible for fingerprint clearance as described above, read this guidance (PDF).
If you do not receive an SSN (either for employment purposes only or otherwise) before you complete your requirements for New York State certification, you may need to process your fingerprint clearance again with IndentoGo.
If you do not have an SSN and want New York State certification, send an e-mail and ask for a number you can use to create a New York State TEACH for NY State teacher certification. You should include your name and date of birth, and say that you do not have an SSN. Once you have that number, e-mail it to Helen Spencer. The number can only be used for that account. You should then create a New York State TEACH account for New York State teacher certification records.
Although the word “citizenship” appears in the certification requirement, United States citizenship and/or permanent residence is no longer required for Professional, Permanent and TA–Level 3 certificates. Applicants must simply prove that they are legally residing in the United States.
You can find more information about the citizenship requirement at the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) Office of Teaching Initiatives (OTI).
When you register for the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE), you may enter all nines when prompted to enter your SSN.
Information about working in New York City public schools is available here.
For your fingerprint records: If you receive your SSN while you are enrolled in a School of Education program, you will need to contact NYCPS HR Connect. Indicate that you are an international student teacher who was previously fingerprinted without an SSN.
If you use a number obtained from any source other than the Social Security Administration (including numbers generated by CUNY and/or Brooklyn College) to be added to the NYCPS PETS fingerprint roster, you will lose your security clearance and will be required to be fingerprinted a second time at your expense.
For your other test and certification records: Contact each office where you used a temporary number to give them the updated information.
