Application for School Counseling License

A month prior to graduation, students should get an application for license from the certification office at IU Southeast. The student may get both a Kentucky and an Indiana license. In Indiana the application requires a current criminal history check that must be no more than six months old at the time of license application. (Directions for the criminal history application are attached to the license application.)

Students should return the completed form to the Certification Office secretary. The certification officer will send the application to the appropriate state license office once the actual degree has been posted. This usually happens 7-10 days after the actual date of graduation. The certification officer CANNOT complete the application until this happens. It usually takes three to five weeks for the student to receive the license, depending on the time of year and how busy the state licensing people are.

Internships for First Year Counselors in Indiana

First year counselors in Indiana are required to do in an internship during their first year as a licensed school counselor. The counselor will receive an assigned mentor and be required to complete a portfolio by the end of the year to document his or her work. The school system where the counselor is employed works with the Indiana Department of Education to monitor the internship. Kentucky also requires teachers to do a one year internship after receiving their c counseling degree and non-teachers must do a two year internship.

Renewal of Indiana and Kentucky Counseling License

Indiana counselors are required to renew their license every five years. They can use a professional growth plan which is posted on the Department of Education website. As part of that plan, they CAN use six hours of graduate classes to renew, but this is NOT required. Indiana allows counselors to use any graduate class that would help the counselor in their job; therefore it is not necessary that these be counseling courses. However, graduates of the IUS program may do an independent study (G590) or serve as a lab assistant in the beginning counseling courses (G563) or after three years of practice, supervise an internship student for graduate credit. Contact the program coordinator for authorization for any of these options.

Completion of the Plus 30 Rank is governed by the local school system and is separate from license renewal. The IUS certification office will verify the hours for plus 30, if those hours were completed at IUS. To take graduate courses for license renewal, the student must complete a new application for non-degree status. There is no new fee and no need for transcripts. IUS also has an approved plan of study for a plus 30. Contact the counseling program coordinator for more information.

Kentucky counselors who are graduates of the IUS masters program in counseling, may get a Standard Certificate in counseling by completing one three hour graduate course in counseling and by completing one year of employment as a school counselor. Once the counselor has a Standard Certificate, s/he can use professional development credits to renew their license. Contact the IUS licensing advisors for paperwork for the Standard Certificate.

Kentucky requirements for Rank I are set by the state, but overseen by the university. The requirement states that Rank 1 is 60 hours of approved graduate credit, including a masters degree. For universities outside the state, there does not have to be an approved program for the student. You may take any graduate education courses to reach Rank I. However, you must complete the application for a non-degree student and pay the $35 application fee unless you have previously been a graduate student at IUS. The IUS certification office will verify the hours for Rank at least 15 hours were completed at IUS. To obtain the paperwork, contact the certification office at 941-2386.

Counselors who did not graduate from IUS may also get their Standard Certificate through IUS. These counselors must take six hours of graduate credit in counseling from IUS. Contact the counseling program coordinator for a list of courses that may be used. The student must apply as a non-degree student and submit the $35 application fee and a transcript from their Counseling masters.