How to Become a Virginia School Counselor
To become a school counselor in Virginia, you’ll need a master’s through a state-approved school counselor preparation program. It must include at least 200 fieldwork hours. You’ll also need two years of teaching or school counseling experience. Most new counselors earn it on a Provisional License. Many finish about four to five years after their bachelor’s, depending on program length.
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Virginia projects about 740 openings a year for school and career counselors over 2024-2034, so qualified candidates have real options. Getting licensed takes a specific sequence of steps. One of them surprises a lot of people: you don’t need a full license to start working. Here’s what meeting Virginia school counselor requirements actually looks like.
I’m a High School Graduate…
You’re earlier in the process than most people who land on this page, and that’s fine. You don’t need to have it all figured out at the bachelor’s level.
What you do need is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Your major doesn’t have to be counseling. Psychology, education, social work and sociology all give you a solid foundation, but Virginia doesn’t require a specific undergraduate field. Right now, the priority is finishing a four-year degree with a GPA that’ll hold up in graduate school applications.
Want a feel for the work before committing? Look for ways to work with young people in school-adjacent settings. Mentoring, after-school organizations and district volunteer programs show you what supporting kids day to day is like. Most Virginia school divisions post volunteer opportunities on their websites.
The Virginia School Counselor Association is another good way to connect with the profession early. Once you have your bachelor’s degree, the next section covers what comes after.
I Already Have a College Degree…
This is where the formal process starts. Virginia’s school counselor credential is the Pupil Personnel Services License with a School Counselor preK-12 endorsement. It’s a 10-year renewable license issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
Virginia School Counselor Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | What Virginia Requires |
|---|---|
| Degree | Master’s from an accredited institution, through a state-approved school counselor preparation program |
| Fieldwork | At least 100 hours in preK-6 and 100 hours in grades 7-12 (200 total) |
| Experience | Two years of full-time teaching or school counseling experience |
| Training | Child abuse recognition, first aid/CPR/AED, dyslexia awareness and mental health training |
| Licensure exam | None required by the state for school counselors |
| License | Pupil Personnel Services License, 10-year renewable |
Virginia’s regulation offers two options. Option I is a master’s degree from an accredited institution, earned in a state-approved school counselor preparation program. Option II is a master’s degree from an accredited institution plus completion of an approved school counselor preparation program. Both carry the same fieldwork and experience requirements.
The regulation doesn’t spell out who Option II is meant for. If your master’s is in another field, ask VDOE how it will evaluate your coursework.
Step One: Earn Your Master’s Degree
Your master’s has to come from an accredited institution, one accredited by an agency the U.S. Department of Education recognizes. It also has to run through a state-approved school counselor preparation program. Older guides say “regionally accredited,” but Virginia updated that wording in October 2024.
Considering an out-of-state or online program? Before you enroll, confirm with the program and VDOE that it leads to Virginia’s school counselor preK-12 endorsement.
CACREP accreditation (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) isn’t required by the state. CACREP is the accrediting body specifically for counseling programs, and its current standards set a 60-credit minimum. That usually means about two years of full-time study, or three or more part-time.
Virginia has 14 CACREP-accredited school counseling programs, according to CACREP’s directory as checked September 30, 2026. They include Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.
Step Two: Complete Your Fieldwork Hours
Virginia requires at least 100 clock hours of supervised practicum and internship in preK-6 settings. You’ll need another 100 hours in grades 7-12. You’ll complete these through your program, not on your own.
Treat 200 hours as Virginia’s floor, not the typical load. Accredited programs often require more. UVA’s program, for example, includes a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship. More hours mean you’ll walk into your first job having already handled real caseloads at both levels.
Step Three: Complete Virginia’s Required Trainings
Before your first license, Virginia requires training in child abuse and neglect recognition. You’ll also need emergency first aid, CPR and AED training with hands-on practice, plus dyslexia awareness training.
School counselors have an added requirement: training in recognizing mental health disorders and behavioral distress. That includes depression, trauma, violence, youth suicide and substance abuse. Many programs build some of this in, so ask yours what’s covered.
Virginia doesn’t require a licensure exam for school counselors. The Praxis isn’t required for the Pupil Personnel Services License. Virginia also dropped the VCLA for all initial licenses on July 1, 2024. Some programs may still require the Praxis or another exam to graduate, so check your program’s requirements.
Step Four: Start Working on a Provisional License
This is the step that makes the timeline workable. Finished your degree without two years of teaching or counseling experience? You can work as a school counselor on a Provisional License while you earn it.
The Provisional License is nonrenewable and valid for up to three years. Two years of full-time school counseling under it can satisfy the experience requirement. In practice, you’ll usually go through the school division that hires you.
Take Dana, who spent five years as a case manager before earning her school counseling master’s. With no teaching background, she’s hired by her local school division as a middle school counselor on a Provisional License. Two years later, she’s met the experience requirement and is ready for her renewable license.
Step Five: Apply for Your Renewable License
Once your degree, fieldwork, trainings and two years of experience are complete, you’re ready for the renewable license. You’ll apply to VDOE through Virginia Licensure Online (VALO). VDOE’s licensure page lists the current forms, documentation and fees. For questions about your situation, the licensure office takes email at [email protected].
Already a Licensed Clinician?
Virginia law gives a separate route to licensed clinicians. It covers licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, psychologists and other licensed counseling professionals with appropriate experience and training.
A school board may hire you on a provisional license for three school years. The division superintendent can approve a two-year extension. You’ll need to make progress toward full school counselor licensure during that time.
Keep the two credentials separate in your planning. Your clinical license comes from a health professions board, such as the Board of Counseling. On its own, it doesn’t authorize you to work as a school counselor. That credential comes from VDOE, so check with VDOE on how your background applies.
I’m a Certified Counselor from Another State…
If you’re licensed in another state, VDOE will review your credential against Virginia’s school counselor preK-12 requirements. Transfer isn’t automatic, and you may need to meet additional requirements if your credential doesn’t line up. You’ll also need Virginia’s required trainings. The Virginia school counselor certification requirements page covers reciprocity and renewal in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a teacher before becoming a school counselor in Virginia?
No. Virginia accepts two years of full-time teaching or two years of full-time school counseling experience. Without a teaching background, you can work as a school counselor on a Provisional License. Those two years count toward your renewable license.
Do I need a specific undergraduate major to apply to a Virginia school counseling master’s program?
No. Most Virginia programs don’t require a specific major, and psychology, education and social work are all common backgrounds. Programs mostly look at your GPA, recommendation letters and sometimes an interview or writing sample. Admissions requirements vary, so check each program directly.
Does my master’s program have to be CACREP-accredited?
Virginia requires a state-approved school counselor preparation program, not CACREP accreditation. CACREP programs follow a 60-credit standard and often include more fieldwork than the state minimum. CACREP coursework can help if you later pursue an LPC or move to another state. Requirements vary by state and licensing board, though, so don’t assume anything transfers automatically.
Can I work while completing my master’s program?
It depends on the program and whether you’re full-time or part-time. The 200 required fieldwork hours happen during the school day, which makes full-time outside work hard during placements. Many students work part-time or in school-adjacent roles during coursework and cut back during internship. Talk with your program advisor early about scheduling.
How long does it take to become a school counselor in Virginia if I already have a bachelor’s degree?
It depends on your program and how quickly you complete the experience requirement. A 60-credit master’s typically takes two to three years, and the renewable license requires two years of experience. Many people land at about four to five years total, longer with part-time study. Most new counselors spend those two experience years on a Provisional License, so you’ll be employed for part of it.
- Two options, same destination: Both require a state-approved master’s program, 200 fieldwork hours and two years of experience.
- No teaching background required: Two years of school counseling on a Provisional License can meet the experience requirement.
- No state licensure exam: Virginia doesn’t require the Praxis or VCLA, but you’ll need four state-mandated trainings. Some programs still require an exam to graduate.
- 200 hours is the floor: Accredited programs often require more, and that time pays off in your first job.
- Licensed clinicians have a separate route: LPCs, clinical social workers, psychologists and other licensed counseling professionals can be hired provisionally. They still need to finish school counselor requirements.
If you’re comparing master’s programs, start by confirming each one leads to Virginia’s school counselor preK-12 endorsement. CACREP accreditation will narrow your list from there.
