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Illinois offers multiple pathways to licensure. To find the route that best suites you, please review the options below.

Option 1: Reciprocity

Did you complete an approved out-of-state educator preparation program and become licensed in that state? You can qualify for the Illinois PEL by submitting the following documents:

  • A copy of your valid, comparable out-of-state license
  • A master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education
  • ​Passing the applicable Illinois content test(s).  Register here: ILTS (Effective January 1, 2026, this will also become a requirement.)
    • View the options below to see the required tests for each area.
    • Scores received directly from ILTS/Pearson will be honored.
    • All test scores are valid indefinitely.

Option 2: ISBE 80-02S

Did you complete an approved out-of-state educator preparation program but did not become licensed in that state? You must meet the following requirements to obtain the IL PEL:

  • A master's degree or higher from regionally accredited institution of higher education (except school nurse)
  • Proof of completion of a State Approved Program (Use ISBE form 80-02S: State Approved Program and Completion of Standards VerificationPDF Document - School Support Personnel Only)
    • ​Internship or equivalent experience
  • Passing the applicable Illinois content test(s).  Register here: ILTS (Effective January 1, 2026, this will also become a requirement.)​
    • View the options below to see the required tests for each area.
    • Scores received directly from ILTS/Pearson will be honored.
    • All test scores are valid indefinitely.

Option 3: Illinois Educator Preparation Program

If you are completing an educator preparation program at an Illinois institution, please work closely with the institution to ensure their specific requirements are met.

The menus below indicate the Illinois educator preparation program type and corresponding licensure tests.​​

School Social Worker - Pre K - Age 22
Tests ​Internship
School Social Worker (238) or (184)​
 Internship experience of at least 600 contact hours in a school setting.

Specific Requirements:

  • The graduate school of social work must be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
  • 400 hours of field experience supervised by a field instructor holding a master's or higher degree in social work.​

School Counselor - Pre K - Age 22
​
Tests ​Internship
​School Counselor (235)

​Completed an internship of at least 600 clock hours (at least one semester in length) with at least 240 hours of direct service work.

If the applicant has at least two years of teaching experience, the internship requirement is reduced to 400 clock hours with at least 240 hours of direct service work.

Specific Requirements:

  • Each applicant for the school support personnel endorsement for school counselor shall hold a master's or higher degree awarded by a regionally accredited institution of higher education in school counseling.
  • The following coursework is also required as part of the program: structure, organization, and operation of the educational system, with an emphasis on P-12 schools, growth and development of children and youth, diversity of Illinois students and the laws and programs that have been signed to meet their unique needs, and effective management of the classroom and learning process.
  • Completed a supervised counseling practicum of at least 100 clock hours that included at least 40 hours of direct service work.

School Psychologist - Pre K-Age 22
Tests ​Internship
School Psychologist (237)​ ​​Completed a supervised field experience of at least 250 hours in a school and/or child student center and a one-year, full-time internship.

Specific Requirements:

  • Requires a master's degree or higher in psychology or educational psychology with a specialization in school psychology.​
  • If a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential is held, no other requirements need to be provided.​​

School Nurse - Pre K - Age 22
​Tests ​Internship
School Nurse ​(236)

Completed an internship that was determined by the approved program to be sufficient in length for the candidate to meet the standards set forth at 23 Ill. Adm. Code 23.120, but in no case consisted of fewer than 300 hours of experiences and was supervised by a school nurse who holds an endorsement issued under this Section with at least two full school years of full-time experience as a school nurse and at least one full school year of full-time experience with the current employer;

OR​

Completed two years of experience as a school nurse prior to 1972.

Specific Requirements:

  • Requires a minimum of a bachelor's degree and a license as a registered professional nurse in Illinois.
  • Have completed an Illinois program approved for the preparation of school nurses or comparable approved program in another state or country or hold a comparable certificate or license issued by another state or country.​

Speech-Language Pathologist – Pre-K-Age 22
Tests ​Internship
​Speech-Language Pathologist  (232) ​​150 hours of supervised, school-based professional experience that consists of activities related to aspects of practice addressed in the content-area standard located in 25.250 and 23 Ill. Adm. Code 28 with respect to:
  • planning and intervention,
  • the learning environment,
  • service delivery,
  • professional conduct and ethics, 
  • and facilitation and advocacy.

Specific Notes/Requirements for Options Listed Above:​

  • Option 1:
    • A professional Speech-Language Pathology license can be used as a "valid, out-of-state license" if no educator license is issued by the awarding state.​
  • Option 2:
    • The preparation program must hold accreditation or "accreditation candidate" status issued by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) at the time the applicant completed the program.
    • AND one of the following:
      • Must also hold a Speech-Language Pathology license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR​) (may be a temporary license)
      • A Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology from ASHA, AND proof of application for the IDFPR license AND an out-of-state license for speech language pathology.
  • Option 3:
    • If you hold a Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology from ASHA and an Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) license, you may obtain your PEL​.​

*View a list of acceptable​ courses you may take to fulfill this coursework requirement.

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