Maryland School Counselor Certification

Step 1: Education Requirements

Applicants for a Maryland school counselor certification have multiple options for graduate level education and combined experience.

To be eligible for certification in Maryland, you must meet one of the following requirements:

1. Master’s degree in school counseling or school guidance and counseling from a college/university with a National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) certificate and two (2) years of experience as a school teacher or school counselor in a school setting
2. Master’s degree in school counseling or school guidance and counseling in program approved using state-approved standards under COMAR rules and regulations (see this webapage) and two (2) years of experience as a teacher or school counselor or 500 clock hours in a supervised practicum in school counseling or school guidance and counseling
3. Master’s degree in school counseling or school guidance and counseling from a program approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
4. Master’s degree in school counseling or school guidance and counseling from an approved program under the Interstate Contract agreement for support services and two (2) years of satisfactory performance as a teacher or school counselor or 500 clock hours in a supervised practicum in school counseling or school guidance and counseling. If you would like more information about Maryland’s participation in the Interstate agreement, visit the NASDTEC website and click on Maryland. To learn more about accredited online programs, contact the following schools:

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     Grand Canyon University

     M. Ed in School Counseling (leads to initial Licensure) Click here to contact Grand Canyon University and request information about their programs.

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     New York University (NYU)

     NYU Steinhardt's accredited master of arts program in Counseling and Guidance: School and Bilingual School Counseling. Through this online program, you will gain the skills you need to become a professional Pre-K-12 school counselor, working with children and families in your community to foster academic achievement and success. Click here to contact New York University and request information about their programs.

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     Liberty University

     Master's in School Counseling Online (M.Ed.) Click here to contact Liberty University and request information about their programs.

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     University of Denver

     Master of Arts in School Counseling. Click here to contact University of Denver and request information about their programs.

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     Peabody College at Vanderbilt University

     Master in School Counseling. Click here to contact Peabody College at Vanderbilt University and request information about their programs.

Step 2: Submit to a Criminal Background Check

Upon confirmation of your eligibility for certification, you will be asked to submit materials for a background check. The Maryland Department of Education will notify you via email once staff have reviewed your complete application packet.

If you would like to speak with a certification specialist about this, or any other certification requirement, contact the department at 1-866-772-8922.

Step 3: Examination Requirements

As of January 2020, there are no examination requirements for Maryland School Counseling certification.

Step 4: Know the Fees

Upon review of your application, the Maryland Department of Education will notify you via email of when to submit your fee. Do not include certification fees with your application. For more information, see the “Fee Payment” section on the Initial Application for Educator Certification.

The fee for initial certification is $10.

Step 5: Organize Your Application Materials

To begin the application process, you must create a portal account with the Maryland Department of Education Certification Branch Portal, located on the MSDE website.

Once your portal account is created, you can submit your application and all supporting documentation to the Certification office. Application materials include:

• Completed Initial Application for Educator Certification, located here
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities you have attended, including transfer credits that led to earned degree
• You must also complete a Verification of Experience, if applicable, located here

The Maryland Department of Education will require appropriate criminal background checking and application fees, to be submitted following verification of your eligibility for school counselor certification.

For detailed answers to frequently asked questions, visit the MSDE website

Step 6: Submit Your Application

Your application for Maryland School Counselor certification is completed online, using the Department of Education Certification Branch Portal.

You will also mail supporting documentation to:

Or send electronically to [email protected].

If you need assistance with the online submission portal, please contact the certification department’s helpdesk via email at [email protected].

Additional Information

If you need assistance with your School Counselor certification application, you can call the Certification Assistance Line at 1-866-772-8922.

To renew your Maryland school counselor certificate, you must submit six (6) acceptable continuing education credits. The credit requirements include:

• One (1) semester hour of college coursework; or
• One (1) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course; or
• An equivalent amount of Continuing Education Units (CPUs) based on the following topics:
  • Intervention services and/or referral services for mental illness and behavioral distress
  • Resources and other best practice models for assisting students and their families who are in crisis

For a detailed explanation of the types of courses that will be accepted, along with a list of colleges and universities that provided acceptable college courses, visit the MSDE website.

Additional Assistance

If you need assistance with your Maryland certification renewal, contact the Department of Education call center at 410-767-0412 during the following hours (EST) of operation:

Maryland will accept your current, valid professional certificate from another state, with completion of an educator preparation program and the state’s qualifying test scores, if applicable.

If you would like to apply as an out-of-state applicant, please submit the following:

• A cover letter, including your name, mailing address, last 4 digits of your SSN, date of birth, email address, and the area of certification for which you are applying
• An initial application for certification, downloadable here
• Verification of test scores for your required out-of-state professional certificate, if applicable
• A copy of your current, valid out-of-state professional certificate
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities you have attended, including transfer credits that led to earned degree

All applicants will create a profile with the Department of Education Certification Branch Portal.

Supporting documents, including official transcripts and a copy of your current, valid out-of-state certificate, should be sent to:

Or sent electronically to [email protected].

For more information about your out-of-state application for Maryland school counselor certification, visit this webpage.

Additional Assistance

If you have questions about your out-of-state application, contact the Maryland Department of Education during normal business hours at 410-767-0100.