If you completed a program related to a field of certification you currently hold, and it did not lead to an additional field being added to your certificate, please ensure the following minimum documentation is submitted:

• Online application requesting an upgrade using the Applications link on the left-hand menu of your MyPSC Dashboard
• An official transcript reflecting your degree award date submitted electronically directly from the institution to mail@gapsc.com or by your human resources department through their institution’s GaPSC account if you are employed at a Georgia school
• Your Certification Specialist will be notified when your upgrade is applied and will submit an electronic Employer Assurance Form to GaPSC

If you completed a Georgia program that led to the addition of certification in a new field such as Curriculum and Instruction, School Librarian, Instructional Technology, etc., please ensure the following minimum documentation is submitted:

• Current Personal Affirmation Questions completed through the Personal Affirmations link on the left-hand menu of your MyPSC Dashboard
• An official transcript reflecting your degree award date submitted electronically directly from the institution to mail@gapsc.com or by your human resources department through their institution’s GaPSC account if you are employed at a Georgia school
• Electronic program completion verification submitted by the university’s certification officer through their institution’s GaPSC account
• Passing scores for the GACE corresponding to your program if applicable, which are transferred to your account automatically from our testing supplier within 1 month of passing all parts of an assessment
• Your Certification Specialist will be notified when your upgrade is applied and will submit an electronic Employer Assurance Form to GaPSC

Note that once the electronic recommendation and current Personal Affirmation Questions are on your file, a certification case will open automatically for review.

If you are working towards an approved in-field doctoral program, and you have completed 36 semester hours including 18 in-field credits and the university’s examinations (or equivalent), you may apply for consideration of an alternate level 6 through the submission of the following minimum documentation:

• Using the Applications link on the left-hand menu of your MyPSC Dashboard:
  • Online application requesting an upgrade
  • Alternate Level 6 Form
• An official transcript reflecting 36 semester hours including 18 in-field credits submitted electronically directly from the institution to mail@gapsc.com or by your human resources department through their institution’s GaPSC account if you are employed at a Georgia school
• A $20 processing fee completed through the Payments link on the left-hand menu of your MyPSC Dashboard or your human resources department may submit an electronic Employer Assurance Form through their institution’s GaPSC account if you are employed at a Georgia school which will negate the fee

Note that if your program leads to a new field upon completion, you would not be eligible for an alternate level 6 being that your program is currently not in-field. Once you complete your program and associated testing, you may submit the materials for a new field upgrade outlined above.

Please keep in mind that pay upgrades cannot be applied until the GaPSC has awarded the upgraded certificate level. 

Upon completion of an advanced degree meeting criteria outlined above and the submission of a complete application, the begin date of a level increase depends on the more recent of the following:

• Date all requirements were met: degree award date, applicable testing, or date eligible upgradeable certification was achieved.
• July 1: GaPSC cannot backdate a certificate level or field prior to the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) in which an educator submits a complete application:
  • Example: An educator completes an approved master’s degree leading to a general level 5 in May, yet does not submit all required documentation until August. The level increase would begin July 1 regardless of the degree award date.
  • Should an educator have met all requirements prior to July 1, the PSC may backdate a certificate validity date or level prior to July 1 should the superintendent of their employing school system submit a written statement verifying that all salary adjustments for the period prior to 7/1 will be paid using only local funds.

If you have completed an advanced degree and wish to view documentation required to apply for an upgrade to existing certification, please see Common Documents Required for Each Certification Transaction Type.

Completing an advanced degree in Educational leadership could result in receiving a "leader level" in addition to the "general level".  If this occurs, increased pay will only be applied to the leader level when serving in an actual leadership position (e.g. assistant principal, principal)