Passport to Teaching: Physics (General)

Enroll in the Physics Certification Program

Become a teacher and have a classroom of your own in less than a year! We offer comprehensive resources to help you prepare for a new career as a teacher.

Your program includes:

• Self-Assessment: Identify your strengths and weaknesses on each exam.
• Advisor and Study Plan: ABCTE assigns you an experienced teacher to design a custom study plan based on your needs and to guide you through the certification process. View a sample study plan.
• Prepare to Teach workshops: Get a head start with online lessons, video case studies and printable resources. Preview workshops.
• Online Refresher course: Explore over 300 pages of material at your own pace, dedicate more time to material that needs intense review and skip over what you already know. Preview refresher courses.
• New Teacher Hotline: Download free podcasts featuring fun, practical advice from teaching experts. Start listening today.
• Exams: Take exams when you are ready, according to your own schedule. Testing is available year-round at Pearson VUE centers, Monday-Saturday.

We also offer practice tests on CD-ROM for purchase.

Your advisor may also recommend other resources based on your needs. A comprehensive list can be found on our Exam Preparation pages.

Want to learn more? Request more information or download our Information Kit.

Biology - Grades 6-12

Once you have fulfilled the requirements for Passport to Teaching, you are ready to find a teaching job in a charter or private school. Be sure to inquire about any additional requirements at the schools you are applying.

ABCTE also has preferred employers to give your starting salary a boost.

Want to learn more? Request more information or download our Information Kit.

To earn a Physics certificate, you must:

• Hold a Bachelor's degree or higher
• Submit your official college or university transcripts
  Download transcript request form
• Pass our computer-based Physics exam consisting of 125 multiple choice questions
  Download a snapshot
• Pass our computer-based Professional Teaching Knowledge exam consisting of 100 multiple choice questions and a writing component
  Download a snapshot
• Pass a national background check
  Download the background check authorization form

Want to learn more? Request more information or download our Information Kit.

Refunds

ABCTE understands that, after enrollment, a candidate may decide to withdraw from the program. However, because ABCTE begins to incur administrative costs as soon as enrollment begins, it has adopted the following policy regarding requests for refunds:

• All refund requests must be in writing (letter, fax) using the Refund Request Form. You may obtain this form by contacting ABCTE at 1-877-669-2228.
• No Refund Request Form will be accepted if it is submitted more than 30 days after the date of the original payment to ABCTE.
• Not more than eighty percent of the payment will be refunded when a written refund request form is received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time thirty days after payment was received. If you purchased services as part of a package, only the certification portion of the package is eligible for a refund. No preparation materials are eligible for a refund.
• No refund will be issued if written cancellation is received after 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time thirty day after payment was received.
• Retake payments are not eligible for refund.
• This refund policy does not apply to Teach & Inspire or Installment Payment Plan participants.

There are no "extenuating circumstances" which will result in an exception to these policies.

Retake Exams

Your fee includes your first attempt at all exams that are part of that program. In the event you fail one or more of the exams, you must purchase a retake at a cost of $150 if you wish to attempt the exam again. This fee includes:

• Exam appointment with Pearson VUE
• Advising services
• 6 month extension of the enrollment period.
  Note that your initial enrollment period of 1 year cannot be extended beyond 2 years. Once you reach the 2 year point, you must purchase an enrollment extension. These are available for 6 months at a cost of $150.

Candidates are eligible for two retakes of a failed exam. In other words, candidates may take any one examination a maximum of 3 times (first attempt plus two retakes). After three failed attempts, candidates must choose a new subject area or pursue a different route to certification.

Installment Payment Plan

ABCTE offers a payment plan for new candidates. If you are looking for a flexible way to join the program, use this plan to divide the fee into four monthly installments of $240.

The total fee for enrollment with the installment plan is $960 and includes one standard subject area. This option is only available on new single-subject enrollments in the following subject areas:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• English
• Physics
• General Science
• Elementary Education
• Mathematics

Download payment plan application

Candidate Handbook

All candidates should read the candidate handbook to familiarize themselves with all policies and requirements.

Download the candidate handbook

International Candidate Guidelines

ABCTE accepts foreign-educated applicants. ABCTE requires that all international applicants submit a credential evaluation in addition to university transcripts. All applicants for certification MUST have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree or higher.

The process for submitting international credentials is outlined below:

1. Request that one original copy of your postsecondary academic records be forwarded to ABCTE directly from the issuing institution.
2. Apply for a document-by-document or general credential evaluation through the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, World Education Services or from a company listed on the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or Association of International Credential Evaluators websites.

Your statement of equivalence and post secondary transcripts should be forwarded directly to ABCTE from the evaluation organization. Address all documents to:

American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence
Attn: Candidate Information
1225 19th Street, NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

ABCTE recommends that international candidates select credential evaluating services accepted in the states where they wish to teach. Please carefully read the terms of any credential evaluation application to make sure that your evaluation will be accepted by your State’s Department of Education or if an additional evaluation is required. The document by-document evaluation or basic statement of comparability should cost $70-$100, plus any additional fees determined by the evaluation service.