Applying for a License or Endorsement from CDE

Licensure or Added Endorsements

Once you have completed your program in the SEHD you will need to assemble documents to apply for your license and/or endorsement from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). You will apply once your final passing (B- or better) grades (graduate students) and/or degree (undergraduate students) post to your transcript. You can find the dates that grades post each semester on the academic calendar. You can view grades through  UCDAccess (official grades post in UCDAccess, not Canvas). You can obtain an unofficial transcript in UCDAccess by following the instructions on the Registrar's site.

CDE requires an official transcript, but we recommend looking at your unofficial transcript first before ordering an official transcript. After all of your grades and your degree post, you can order an official transcript.

Please note the Colorado Department of Education’s instructions for sending them transcripts. CDE does NOT accept hardcopy mailed transcripts.

Licensure Instructions

The following instructions are for all undergraduate, MAT and graduate students pursuing the following:

  • Administrator
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Early Childhood Special Education Specialist (Initial Licensure and Endorsement)
  • Elementary Education
  • English Language Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Principal
  • School Psychologist
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education Generalist (Initial Licensure and Endorsement)
  • World Languages
  • Other license information included below

You will be required to submit fingerprints unless you already hold a valid and current CDE issued educational credential, i.e. a substitute license.

The fingerprints you submitted to the SEHD will not satisfy the CDE fingerprint requirement for your license. 

Please note: Your license and/or endorsement application to CDE MUST be submitted within 30 days of your fingerprint submission. If not, you will be required to submit new fingerprints, incurring an additional fingerprinting fee.

Please use this Approved Program Verification Form, which includes a statement indicating if your program is approved as meeting Colorado state English Learner standards. The form requires a signature from a Certification Officer in the SEHD. The Certification Officer for your program is typically your Staff Advisor or Staff Program Coordinator/Manager. Please fill out the top portion of the CDE form (the section that says, “To be completed by the Applicant”) and scan/email it to your Staff Advisor/Program Coordinator/Manager or to academicservices@ucdenver.edu or drop it off at Academic Services 1380 Lawrence Street Center, Room 701. We will process your form and email you a signed PDF for you to upload to CDE. For questions about the licensure process at the CDE, email CDELicensing@cde.state.co.us or call 303-866-6628.

Other Licenses and Endorsements

Other licenses and endorsements require their own Approved Program Verification form. Visit the CDE website for the correct Approved Program Verification form for all other endorsements.

Follow the checklist on the CDE website. Read the instructions and steps carefully.