Registration is done online. You can register for courses on the registration website.

The cost of an OSSTF/FEESO AQ course is $650 dollars which includes a $50 processing fee (non-refundable).

OSSTF/FEESO members are eligible for a $50 discount on course fees. Please contact your District Office for the voucher code. Codes can also be found in the Members section of the OSSTF/FEESO website.
Member Login → myOSSTF button → Services → Teachers

NOTE: OSSTF/FEESO members will need their Member ID to claim their discount.

Your OSSTF/FEESO member is on your physical or digital Membership card. If you need help with finding your Member ID please send an email to either GetMyMemberID@osstf.ca or WhatISMyMemberID@osstf.ca. Your Member ID will be sent to you automatically.

OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office does not offer subsidies for most AQ courses. Candidates are encouraged to contact their District and Board to see if there are funding options available.

OSSTF/FEESO members interested in taking AQs with a focus on Equity and Anti-Racism can apply for funding from Account 2890. The First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies courses are currently the only OSSTF/FEESO AQ offerings that would qualify for this funding.

If you are taking a Part 2 or Specialist course, you will need to submit a Teaching Experience form completed by a Supervisory Officer.

For a teacher employed by a district school board in Ontario, the academic supervisory officer is a superintendent or assistant superintendent of the board. For a teacher employed by a private school or First Nations Education Authority in Ontario, the supervisory officer is the Ministry of Education official appointed to provide supervisory services for the school authority.

You can withdraw from a course by completing a Withdrawal Form and submitting it to aq-admin@osstf.ca. Please see the Policies page for more details about dates, fees, and refunds.

Yes, you can transfer your registration to a different session of the same course by completing the Withdrawal Form and submitting it to aq-admin@osstf.ca. Please see the Policies page for more details about timelines.

All OSSTF/FEESO courses are delivered in an asynchronous instructor-led format.

OSSTF/FEESO currently offers Schedule D AQ courses and plans to expand to Schedule C courses in the coming years. Please see the Understanding Types of Additional Qualifications page for more information.

As per Ontario regulations, all AQ courses are 125 hours in duration. The hours are spread across engaging with course content and syllabus resources, participating in discussions, and completing assignments.

The Fall and Winter sessions are 9 weeks long and the summer session is 4 weeks long.

All OSSTF/FEESO courses are pass/fail based on completion of all course requirements. A pass is equivalent to a Level 3 (75%) achievement.

Attendance and participation are demonstrated through consistent engagement with course materials, discussions, and assignments, supported by a total of 125 hours of learning. While the online format offers flexibility, candidates are expected to participate regularly in alignment with the session pace. Engagement is monitored through Brightspace analytics and instructor tracking, including logins and interaction with course components. Clear timelines support steady progress, and instructors provide ongoing feedback and communication. Candidates should notify the instructor of any anticipated disruptions, as extended unexcused inactivity may affect successful course completion and eligibility for recommendation to the Ontario College of Teachers.

Please see the Policies page for more details.

It is possible to enrol in more than one AQ course at the same time, but it is not recommended. Each course requires active participation in scheduled discussions, reflections, and collaborative activities that occur within specific timeframes, along with the completion of all assignments, including a professional inquiry, by the course end date. These requirements contribute to the overall hours expected by the Ontario College of Teachers and can be demanding, especially when combined with ongoing teaching responsibilities during the fall and spring sessions. For summer sessions, due to the shorter and more intensive timeframe, enrolling in more than one course at a time is strongly not recommended.

Yes, all educators who are members of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) are welcome to enroll in OSSTF/FEESO AQ courses. Candidates should ensure they can meet the prerequisites prior to enrolling.

Participants who are not members of the Ontario College of Teachers are able to complete OSSTF/FEESO AQ courses for personal professional development purposes. A letter of completion will be issued at the end of the course, but course completion will not be reported to the Ontario College of Teachers. Please contact aq-admin@osstf.ca for registration information.

NOTE:
If OCT certification is obtained later, the course must be retaken to receive the qualification. Non-OCT participants will be required to sign a waiver acknowledging they understand they will not be awarded the AQ if they later become members of the Ontario College of Teachers

No, candidates must have completed their Bachelor of Education to be eligible to take an AQ course.

Yes. Candidates with complementary education requirements that must be completed to convert their OCT certificate to permanent are eligible. Please visit the OCT website for more information.

At the end of the session, OSSTF/FEESO AQ Program with submit the AQ to the OCT. It can take up to 16 weeks for OCT to add your AQ to your teaching certificate. Please note, teachers with terms and conditions on their teaching certificates may experience longer timelines.

No, all candidates who complete an AQ are responsible for submitting their results to QECO to obtain an updated rating statement. Teachers are then responsible for submitting any QECO rating statement that results in a category change to their employer. Not submitting updated rating statements to your employer can result in remaining in the incorrect category and missing out on significant pay.

OSSTF/FEESO strongly recommends members who have not yet reached Category A4 (or Group 4) to formally apply for upgrading advice or for re-evaluation on a yearly basis to ensure they are following the most expedient route to a higher category. Teachers can apply for a rating statement or re-evaluation through QECO’s online application form.

No, you will not receive a transcript. However, you will receive a certificate of completion upon successful completion of the course.

You will not be issued a T2202 form. Instead, you will be able to claim course fees on your federal income taxes using your registration receipt.

We do not accept unsolicited applications for AQ Instructors. When OSSTF/FEESO is hiring instructors, the call will go out to members through DBUs, the Update newsletter, and social media posts.

Interested applicants must minimally hold the following qualifications:

• A minimum of five years of teaching experience in Ontario secondary schools with experience teaching in the AQ subject area
• Specialist or equivalent (e.g., Master’s level courses) in the AQ subject area
• OSSTF/FEESO active member (non-pensioned)
• Member in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers

Interested applicants should also have experience with online learning, D2L Brightspace, and teaching adult learners. Previous experience with AQ instruction and/or course development is an asset but not required. Preference will be given to OSSTF/FEESO members who teach, consult, or coordinate in the subject area.