English Composition 1
Standard general education credit.
Self-paced online English Composition 1 course (ENG 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →KansasTeachers
The 60 college credits for a Kansas substitute teaching license
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Without a teaching degree, the Kansas substitute teaching license you need is the Emergency Substitute License from KSDE. The main route asks for at least 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited college, shown on an official transcript (K.A.R. 91-1-203). CEUs and clock hours do not count. A second route, the Greenbush training modules, is tied to a hiring district.
The rule
Under K.A.R. 91-1-203, an applicant for a Kansas emergency substitute teaching license submits an official transcript showing at least 60 semester hours of general education or professional education coursework, and KSDE requires those hours from a regionally accredited college or university.
The rule asks for 60 semester credit hours. The legal source is K.A.R. 91-1-203.
| Requirement | What KSDE says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| College credit | At least 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university | s1, s2 |
| What does not count | CEUs and clock hours | [1] |
| Other route | Greenbush training modules, high school diploma, verification of hire, fingerprints | [1] |
| Fee | $60 application fee ($57 fingerprints on the Greenbush route) | [1] |
| Validity | First license runs through 30 June of the school year you apply | [1] |
Who decides
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), Teacher Licensure, for the Kansas State Board of Education decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Semester credit hours on an official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university; KSDE lists the accreditors it means.
- General education coursework, professional education coursework, or a mix of both.
- Credit from other sources once an eligible college posts it on its own transcript, if KSDE reads it as semester credit; ask first.
What does not count
- CEUs and clock hours, which KSDE says do not count toward semester credit hours.
- Credit on a transcript from a college whose accreditor is not on KSDE's list.
- Course records that are not on an official college transcript.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), Teacher Licensure, for the Kansas State Board of Education.
College Algebra
Common general education math course.
Self-paced online College Algebra course (Math 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Educational Psychology
Professional education background, NCCRS-recommended.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Psychology
ACE- and NCCRS-recommended general education credit.
Self-paced online Introduction to Psychology course (Psychology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Sociology
ACE- and NCCRS-recommended social science credit.
Self-paced online Introduction to Sociology course (Sociology 110). ACE and NCCRS recommend 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
US History 1
General education history credit.
Self-paced online US History 1 course (HIST 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Count your semester hoursCollect every college transcript and add up semester credit hours. Leave out CEUs and clock hours.
- Check the accreditorKSDE lists the accreditors it accepts as regional. Check that each college on your record, and any college you plan to use, is on that list.
- Ask KSDE firstWrite to KSDE Teacher Licensure and ask whether credit posted on your chosen college's transcript counts toward the 60 semester hours.
- Close the gap and move the credit via a college transcriptTESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. Use a transcript college that meets KSDE's accreditation list.
- ApplySubmit the application, the official transcripts and the $60 fee to KSDE.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; KSDE reads the result via a college transcript and checks the college's accreditor.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Johnson County Community College | $106 per credit hour (Johnson County), $128 (other Kansas counties) | 15 credits: $1,590 or $1,920 | 15 Nov 2026 |
KSDE's $60 application fee is extra on every route. Check the accreditation and transcript question with KSDE before you pay for courses.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; the credit reaches KSDE only via a college transcript.
- UPI Study cannot issue or speed up a Kansas license; KSDE decides.
- UPI Study does not run the Greenbush modules and cannot give the district verification of hire.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask KSDE Teacher Licensure in writing whether your planned college transcript, and its accreditor, count toward the 60 semester credit hours before you enrol.
Emergency or standard: which Kansas substitute license is yours
Kansas has two substitute licenses. The Standard Substitute License is for people with a bachelor's degree who also finished an approved teacher preparation program. KSDE says a bachelor's degree that did not lead to a teaching license does not qualify for it. Everyone else, including people with a non-teaching bachelor's degree, applies for the Emergency Substitute License.
The emergency license has two routes. The college credit route needs at least 60 semester credit hours. The Greenbush route needs a high school diploma, the Greenbush Emergency Substitute Training Modules and a verification of hire from a local district.
Kansas substitute teacher requirements on the 60-hour route
KSDE's page and the regulation together set out what you send:
- Official transcripts showing at least 60 semester credit hours, in general education, professional education or a mix.
- Credit from a regionally accredited college or university; KSDE lists the accreditors it means.
- The application and the $60 fee.
Why the 60-hour route can be worth it
KSDE's page describes the Greenbush license as non-transferable and limited to the district on the license, with no more than 25 consecutive days in the same assignment and up to 75 school days per semester in one district. If you want to work across several districts, or keep options open, the 60-hour route is the more flexible one. Ask your district which limits apply to your license.
The first license runs through 30 June of the school year you apply. KSDE lists renewed licenses as valid for two school years, with applications opening in February of the year the license expires.
Questions people ask
how to become a substitute teacher in kansas
Without a teaching degree, apply to KSDE for an Emergency Substitute License. Send official transcripts showing at least 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited college, with the application and the $60 fee. If you have fewer hours, the Greenbush modules route needs a high school diploma and a district's verification of hire.
can you substitute teach in kansas without a degree
Yes. The Emergency Substitute License needs 60 semester credit hours, not a degree. A second route uses the Greenbush training modules plus a high school diploma and a hiring district, and that license is limited to the district on it.
do ceus or clock hours count for a kansas substitute license
No. KSDE's licensure page states that CEUs and clock hours do not count toward semester credit hours. Only semester credit hours on an official transcript from a regionally accredited college count toward the 60.
how long is a kansas emergency substitute license good for
The first license is valid through 30 June of the school year in which you apply. KSDE lists renewed licenses as valid for two school years, and you can apply for renewal from February of the year the license expires.
how many days can an emergency substitute teach in kansas
KSDE's page lists, for the Greenbush-route license, no more than 25 consecutive days in the same assignment and up to 75 school days per semester in one district. Ask your district or KSDE which limits apply to your own license.
which colleges count for kansas's 60 semester hours
KSDE asks for credit from a regionally accredited college or university and lists the accreditors, including the Higher Learning Commission, Middle States and others. Check your college's accreditor against that list and ask KSDE in writing before you rely on a transcript.
Read next
- How to substitute teach in Kansas without a degreeYou can substitute teach in Kansas without a degree through the Emergency Substitute License. The main route needs 60 semester credit hours from a...
- Does transfer credit count toward the Kansas substitute credit rule?KSDE counts semester credit hours on official transcripts from a regionally accredited college, and it lists which accreditors it means. Transfer...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Close your credit gap, then send KSDE a college transcript from a college on its accreditor list.
Sources
- KSDE Teacher Licensure: License Information and Application (Emergency and Standard Substitute) (official)Emergency Substitute License option 1: minimum 60 semester credit hours from a regionally accredited college or university (accreditors listed); CEUs and clock hours do not count. Option 2: Greenbush Emergency Substitute Training Modules with a high school diploma and verification of hire. $60 application fee; $57 fingerprint fee on option 2; first license valid through 30 June of the school year of application. Greenbush license: 25 consecutive days in one assignment, 75 days per semester in one district. Standard Substitute License needs a bachelor's degree and an approved teacher preparation program. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- K.A.R. 91-1-203(e), Emergency substitute teaching license (Cornell LII copy of the Kansas regulation)Applicants submit an official transcript showing at least 60 semester hours of general education coursework, professional education coursework, or a combination, an application and the licensure fee; last amended in Kansas Register Vol. 42 No. 09, effective 17 Mar 2023. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Johnson County Community College: Current Tuition Rates (official)Fall 2026 rates per credit hour including fees: $106 for Johnson County residents, $128 for other Kansas residents. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- JCCC Current Tuition RatesPrice for Johnson County Community College, checked on 15 Nov 2026.