Occupational Licensure Pre-OTE Admission Requirements
We recommend working on Benchmarks 1 & 2 simultaneously.
Benchmark 1: Submit Occupational License Applications
Step 1 / Confirm District Partnership
Confirm with Elora Davis, Test Preparation Coordinator / Advisor, that your district holds a partnership with Tennessee Tech prior to submitting applications.
Step 2 / Create a TNCompass Account
Create a TNCompass Account and submit an Occupational License application. *TNCompass Guide dated 10/2020 from TN Dept. of Education. You MUST select "Tennessee Technological University" as your university of choice. (It is
important that you login regularly to check the status of your application.)
Step 3 / Begin License Application Process
Once you have submitted your information, Certification Analyst Ethan Grissom, will contact you with additional instructions.
Benchmark 2: Admission to Tennessee Tech
Step 1 / Intent to Hire
Email an "Intent to Hire" letter to Elora Davis at eldavis@tntech.edu
stating that "the candidate has been or will be hired as the teacher of record, by a school district in which Tennessee Tech holds a partnership, and in an occupational teaching area."
Step 2 / Transcripts
Email all official high school and/or college transcripts to Mr. Ethan Grissom, Certification Analyst, at egrissom@tntech.edu or mail to:
Office of Teacher Education
Attn: Mr. Ethan Grissom
Tennessee Tech | Campus Box 5092 | Cookeville TN 38505
IMPORTANT: OTE will forward transcripts to the Tech Admissions Office for a candidate's
university admission application.
If a candidate sends transcripts directly to the Admissions Office or College of Graduate
Studies, they will be required to send additional copies to OTE for licensure.
Step 3 / Submit Online Application
Submit an online admission application to Tennessee Tech and obtain full admission status (keep application deadlines in mind).
Please designate your desired program as the following: undergraduate, teacher certificate, non-degree. Candidates will be given a student ID number, known as a T- number, upon admission.
If you have previously earned a bachelor's degree and are interested in applying occupational coursework towards a graduate degree, please contact Elora Davis, eldavis@tntech.edu prior to submitting your admission application to the:
Once you have received your full admission status to Tech and have received a T-number, please proceed with fulfilling your OTE Admission Requirements.
For Assistance
Please contact Elora Davis, Test Preparation Coordinator and Advisor
Email: eldavis@tntech.edu | Phone: (931) 372-3860 | Fax: (931) 372-6286