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International Applicants

Are you authorized to work in the United States and interested in becoming an Ector County ISD teacher? The Odessa Pathway to Teaching accepts applications from citizens and permanent residents of countries other than the United States. Note: Odessa Pathway to Teaching is unable to sponsor visas.

To be admitted to a teacher certification program in Texas, you must:

  1. Provide an official evaluated copy of all university transcripts, and
  2. Demonstrate oral English language proficiency.

More information on transcript evaluation services can be found here.

  1. Oral English language proficiency may be demonstrated through one of the following ways:
  2. Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution of higher education in the United States,
  3. Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside of the United States approved by the State for
  4. Educator Certification (SBEC), or A passing score of 24 on the oral portion of the TOEFL iBT test, a score of 22 on the listening portion, 22 on the reading portion, and 21 on the writing portion.  In addition, TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years.

If you choose to demonstrate English language proficiency through the TOEFL exam, follow the instructions below to sign up through ETS:

  1. Go to the TOEFL iBT Registration Website to sign up for the test.
  2. On the “Background Information” page, select the intended date of enrollment.
  3. On the “Free Score Recipients” page, type in Fort Worth Teaching Fellows and select from the drop-down (Fort Worth Teaching Fellows is the certifying agency for the Odessa Pathway to Teaching).