Online Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
The University of Cincinnati offers reduced tuition rates for PreK-12 teachers to enhance their current credentials through our PreK-12 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Endorsement program.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Endorsement Highlights
High Quality Education
The TESOL Graduate Endorsement is aligned with the TESOL International Association’s and State of Ohio’s TESOL standards. This Endorsement is offered online in response to the growing population of English language learners in U.S. classrooms and the academic demand at national and international levels.
This PreK – 12 TESOL Endorsement online is geared toward individuals who are licensed in single or multiple subject areas and are interested in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).
The program is designed to:
- Meet the national TESOL standards
- Prepare theoretically informed and practically equipped ESL teachers, curriculum developers, and program administrators
- Support the growing population of English Language Learners (ELL) in U.S. classrooms
Flexibility
- 100% online
- Enroll in the spring, summer, or fall semesters
- Part time and full time options
- Scholarships available now: Eligible students applying for the endorsement program may qualify for the Professional Development Award equating to $215 off per credit hour, fees included, and the application fee is waived as well.
Support from Application through Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your go-to resource during the application process
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
Prerequisites
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college/university
- Overall minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (recommended)*
*Candidates who graduated from a non-accredited college or university or who do not meet the minimum grade point averages requirement for admission will need a waiver from the School of Education. For the program to request a waiver, the candidate must provide evidence that address mastery of the knowledge prerequisite to the courses required by the program, acceptable writing skills, the ability to engage in critical thinking, and a personal commitment to completing the program. The evidence must convincingly demonstrate the candidate’s potential for success in graduate level work.
Admission Materials
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Goal Statement
- Resume or CV
- Unofficial Transcripts
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees:
- $65.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $70.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- $20.00 for domestic applicants to Graduate Certificates
- $25.00 for international applicants to Graduate Certificates
- Application fees for UC Online programs are waived through Fall 2026 for all applicants who apply by July 1, 2026
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who: are currently serving in the US armed forces, or are veterans of the US armed forces.
Applications are accepted continuously throughout the year. Please review and submit the following materials:
All applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts during the application process, showing all undergraduate and graduate course work completed, including degrees granted and dates of conferral.
Official transcripts are not required until the student has received and accepted an offer of admission from the university. Once the offer has been confirmed, the student must submit official transcripts.
Students who have received degrees from the University of Cincinnati do not need to submit official paper copies of their UC transcripts.
For questions regarding international students, contact an Enrollment Services Advisor.
Transcripts can be submitted electronically or by mail. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly. Then, mail your sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
Please mail sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
University of Cincinnati
Office of Admissions
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
Two letters of recommendation are required.
- Recommendations should come from individuals who can attest to your academic and professional skills. References from current and former employers are always desirable. Additionally, recommendations from contacts within academia or professional organizations you’re involved in are also desirable.
- Those writing letters should explain who they are, their relationship to the applicant, and what they know of the applicant’s academic and professional abilities.
- Letters of recommendation from family, friends or current students are not accepted.
- Recommendations are submitted by the recommender themselves; they cannot be completed or submitted by the applicant or another party on behalf of the reference.
Professional Resume:
A resume relevant to academic and professional data. It should include the applicant’s name; phone; email; colleges attended with degrees, dates conferred, and grade point average; employment history; professional experience; present employer; and names of references.
Curriculum Vitae:
A detailed look at the applicant’s career path, including achievements, publications, and awards. Including comprehensive information about candidate’s research background, presentations, publications, committee memberships and other experience of an academic, clinical, or scientific nature.
The goal statement serves as a sample of the applicant’s writing quality and ensures their goals match with the program. It should denote applicant’s desired program concentration (if applicable) and highlight applicant’s motivation for pursuing a career in the field, and how the program will benefit them.
No GRE is required of applicants.
GRE scores are optional for admission. Scores are recommended to strengthen applications that may be weak in areas. For example, applicants with a minimum undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 should include GRE scores with their application.
You may transfer up to one third of the credits of the program, about 9 credits credit hours of graduate courses from a regionally accredited college or university. These credits must have been earned within the last five years prior to admission and be approved by the program faculty. Practicum coursework cannot be transferred into the program.
Transferring from one graduate program to join another at UC, all UC graduate credits taken as part of the incomplete program or under a certificate are eligible to use to fulfill requirements in the new program, based on faculty evaluation of the equivalence to courses in the new curriculum and program approval.
International students are required to provide specific information about their transcripts. Transcripts must have a course-by-course evaluation completed from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).
English Proficiency Requirement: English proficiency is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. Students can demonstrate proficiency in a number of ways at the graduate level.
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
Summer 2026 Fall 2026 |
April 24, 2026 August 8, 2026 |
May 11, 2026 August 24, 2026 |
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program. On average, students will accrue fewer fees than students attending on-campus classes.
The one fee applied across all UC Online programs is the distance learning fee. Students living outside the state of Ohio must also pay an additional “non-resident” fee to enroll in courses at UC Online. This fee is lower than the out-of-state fee for traditional on-campus programs.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
Accreditations
- The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. University of Cincinnati’s online certificate program in Pre K-12 Reading Instruction is aligned with the International Literacy Association’s (2010) Standards for Reading Professionals, is approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
- Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Test Pass Rate – Our students have a 98% pass rate for the OAE test.
- PreK-12 Reading Instruction and TESOL Graduate Certificates are Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredited.
- PreK-12 Reading Instruction and TESOL Graduate Certificates are chancellor-approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education for earning a Reading (K-12) or TESOL (K-12) endorsement after successfully completing the required graduate coursework and the Ohio Assessment for Educators test.
Rankings
- The School of Education at the University of Cincinnati is consistently ranked as a top institution in the field of Education. Most recently, US News and World Report placed it in the top 100 Best Education Schools (2016).
- UC pulls rank among its national peers in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2021 Best Online Programs standings, released January 26, 2021.
Effective July 1, 2011, federal regulations published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2010 [75 FR 66665 and FR 66832] by the U.S. Department of Education require postsecondary institutions that participate in the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended, to disclose to prospective students certain information about the institution’s GE Programs.
Generally, GE Programs include:
At public and private not-for-profit institutions: Title IV-eligible non-degree programs (e.g., certificate and diploma programs).
At for-profit institutions: All Title-IV eligible instructional programs, degree and non-degree.
Contact Information
Office of Recruitment
PO Box 210014
Cincinnati, OH 45221
(513) 556-6308
cechrecruit@uc.edu
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