Occupational Licensure Pre-Admission Requirements
**We recommend working on Benchmarks 1 & 2 simultaneously.
Benchmark 1: Submit Occupational License Applications
Step 1: Create a TNCompass Account and submit an Occupational License application.
- Complete the “Occupational Work Experience and Qualification” form and have it notarized.
- Order high school and other transcripts such as community college, TCAT, college, etc. and send those to educator.licensure@tn.gov.
- Make a copy of your Industry Certification and upload it to TN Compass.
You MUST select "East Tennessee State University" as your university of choice. (It is important that you log-in regularly to check the status of your application.)
Benchmark 2: Admission to East Tennessee State University
Step 1: Apply to ETSU
- After submitting your Occupational License Application to the state, you will need
to apply to ETSU as a SPECIAL-Non-Degree Seeking Student.
- Choose “Personal Enrichment”
- If you do not have an undergraduate degree select “Undergraduate”
- If you have an undergraduate degree you may select “Undergraduate” or “Graduate”
- For clarification on the benefits to selecting gradaute or undergraduate call the Office of Educator Prep at 423-439-7957 or email alternativelicensure@ETSU.edu to ask.
Step 2: Intent to Hire
- Email an "Intent to Hire" letter to alternativelicensure@etsu.edu
- stating that "the candidate has been or will be hired as the teacher of record, by a school district in an occupational teaching area".
Step 3: Transcripts
- You will submit official copies of your transcripts with your admission application. You will also need to send a copy (unofficial is okay) to the Office of Educator Preparation (Alternativelicensure@etsu.edu).
Once you have received your full admission status to ETSU and have received an E-number, please proceed with fulfilling your Advisement and Enrollment Requirements