Vermont School Counselor Certification
To work as a school counselor in Vermont, you need a School Counselor endorsement on an educator license from the Agency of Education. That means a master’s in school counseling with a 600-hour internship, passing basic skills scores, a fingerprint background check, and an application through the state’s VLSE portal. Vermont doesn’t require a Praxis school counselor content test.
Vermont Links
What most people call Vermont school counselor certification is officially a School Counselor endorsement. It appears as a code on your Vermont educator license and can cover PK-12, grades 5-12, or PK-8. Getting there means finishing your degree and internship, meeting the basic skills test requirement, applying online, and clearing a fingerprint check. Here’s what each step involves and what it costs as of October 2026.
Vermont updates its licensing rules and fees periodically, so confirm current requirements with the Vermont Agency of Education before you apply.
Initial Vermont School Counselor Certification
Step 1: Earn a Master’s Degree in School Counseling
Vermont requires a master’s degree in school counseling or the equivalent. Your program also has to formally recommend you for licensure, and that recommendation needs to appear on your official transcript.
You don’t have to study in Vermont. The state’s licensing rules let graduates of approved programs in other NASDTEC Interstate Agreement states be considered on the same basis as Vermont graduates. The Agency still reviews each application. If you’re looking at an online program, ask before you enroll whether it can recommend you for licensure.
Vermont doesn’t require CACREP accreditation. The University of Vermont runs the state’s CACREP-accredited school counseling program, with accreditation running through October 31, 2029.
Step 2: Complete Your Supervised Internship
Vermont’s school counselor requirements call for a supervised internship of 600 clock hours. You’ll need at least 60 hours of school counseling experience at each grade level your endorsement will cover. Confirm how your program structures these hours before your internship placement begins.
The split between levels is intentional. A second grader navigating a family move and a junior mapping out college applications need different approaches, and Vermont wants counselors prepared for the students they’ll actually serve.
Step 3: Meet the Basic Skills Test Requirement
Vermont doesn’t require a content exam for the School Counselor endorsement. The Praxis School Counselor test isn’t part of Vermont’s requirements, even though some other states require it.
What you do need is a passing basic skills result in reading, writing, and math. Most applicants use Praxis Core:
| Test | Code | Vermont Qualifying Score |
|---|---|---|
| Praxis Core Reading | 5713 | 156 |
| Praxis Core Writing | 5723 | 162 |
| Praxis Core Mathematics | 5733 | 146 |
You can take all three together as the Core Combined test (5752) for $150, or take each subtest separately for $90 each (2026-27 ETS fees). Vermont also accepts certain SAT, ACT, and GRE scores and other alternatives. The Agency’s current testing requirements list which scores qualify.
If you hold a current, non-conditional professional educator license from another state, you’re exempt from Vermont’s testing requirement.
Step 4: Apply Through VLSE
All Vermont educator license applications go through the Vermont Licensing System for Educators (VLSE). If you’ve seen references to ALiS, that system shut down on July 1, 2025. Before you can open VLSE, you’ll need to create a MyVermont account.
Gather these before you start:
- Official transcripts showing the institution’s seal, the registrar’s signature, your degree conferral date, and your program’s recommendation for licensure
- Your basic skills test scores
- A copy of any out-of-state educator license you hold
You’ll also answer the application’s disclosure questions. The Level I license fee is $200. That covers a $50 nonrefundable processing fee plus $50 for each year of the three-year license.
The Agency handles application updates by email. Check your spam and junk folders, because a filtered status message is easy to miss. For questions, contact the licensing office at [email protected] or (802) 828-3440.
Step 5: Complete Your Fingerprint Background Check
The order here trips people up. Don’t get fingerprinted until after you’ve submitted your application. Once it’s in, you’ll print a Fingerprint Authorization Certificate and have your prints taken at an identification center or police station.
You then have 15 calendar days to upload proof that you were fingerprinted. The criminal record check fee is $15 as of October 1, 2026. Fingerprinting sites may charge their own fee on top of that. Results can take several weeks, so build that time into your job search.
Out-of-state applicants use the FBI’s FD-258 fingerprint card. Mail it with a self-addressed 9×11 envelope that includes postage to:
Department of Public Safety, Vermont Crime Information Center45 State Drive
Waterbury, VT 05671-1300
Vermont School Counselor Certification Renewal
Vermont uses a two-level license. Your first license is a Level I, valid for three years. After three years of practice in Vermont, you can move up to a Level II, valid for five years. Renewals go through VLSE. Your local or regional standards board approves them, or the Agency does if your employer isn’t served by one.
Level I Renewal
To renew a Level I license, you’ll need 45 hours of professional learning, or three credits. At least 15 of those hours, or one credit, must address the specific standards for school counseling. Academic course credits only count with a grade of B or better. The renewal fee is $200. The Vermont Standards Board’s professional learning policy lists which activities count.
Moving to Level II
To advance to Level II, you’ll need three years of practice in Vermont on your Level I license. You’ll also need 45 hours of professional learning and verification from your supervisor.
Level II Renewal
Level II renewal requires 90 hours of professional learning, or six credits, over the five-year cycle. At least 30 hours, or two credits, must address school counseling standards. The rest can fall under Vermont’s Core Teaching and Leadership Standards. The Level II fee is $300.
If your renewal triggers an updated background check, you’ll schedule fingerprinting after you submit your renewal application.
Vermont School Counselor Certification Through Reciprocity
Vermont accepts professional educator licenses from other U.S. states through the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement. Reciprocity isn’t an automatic transfer. You apply through VLSE and the Agency reviews your credentials.
If you hold a current, non-conditional professional license with a school counseling endorsement, you may qualify for a Level I license. You’ll also need a master’s degree in school counseling or the equivalent. Vermont doesn’t list a minimum years-of-experience requirement for this route, and current out-of-state license holders are exempt from Vermont’s testing requirement.
If your out-of-state license has lapsed, Vermont encourages you to reinstate it in your home state before you apply.
Candidates who don’t qualify through reciprocity can apply through Peer Review, an alternate route that still requires the master’s degree. The Peer Review fee is $1,200 per endorsement, but the Vermont legislature has waived it through June 30, 2029.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vermont require the Praxis School Counselor exam?
No. Vermont doesn’t require a content exam for the School Counselor endorsement. You’ll still need passing basic skills scores in reading, writing, and math, which most applicants meet with Praxis Core. Applicants with a current professional license from another state are exempt.
What happened to ALiS, Vermont’s old licensing portal?
ALiS shut down on July 1, 2025. Vermont now processes educator license applications and renewals through the Vermont Licensing System for Educators (VLSE). You’ll need to create a MyVermont account before you can log in.
Can I transfer my out-of-state school counselor license to Vermont?
You may qualify for a Vermont Level I license through the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement. Eligible applicants hold a current, non-conditional professional school counseling license and a master’s degree in school counseling. The Agency reviews each application, and current out-of-state license holders are exempt from Vermont’s testing requirement.
How many hours do I need to renew a Vermont school counselor license?
A Level I license requires 45 hours of professional learning every three years, with at least 15 focused on school counseling. A Level II license requires 90 hours every five years, with at least 30 focused on school counseling. Renewal costs $200 for Level I and $300 for Level II.
When do I get fingerprinted for a Vermont school counselor license?
After you submit your application, not before. You’ll then have 15 calendar days to upload proof that you were fingerprinted. The criminal record check fee is $15 as of October 1, 2026, and results can take several weeks.
- Endorsement, not a separate certificate: School counseling is a School Counselor endorsement on your Vermont educator license.
- No content exam: Vermont requires basic skills scores only. The Praxis School Counselor test isn’t required.
- 600-hour internship: You’ll need at least 60 hours at each grade level your endorsement covers.
- Apply first, fingerprint second: Submit through VLSE, then upload fingerprint proof within 15 days.
- Two license levels: Level I lasts three years ($200), Level II lasts five ($300).
- Reciprocity is reviewed, not automatic: A current out-of-state professional license and a master’s may qualify you for a Level I.
The smoothest Vermont applications start with the right program. Before you enroll, confirm that your master’s program can recommend you for licensure and that its internship covers the grade levels you plan to serve.
