Find answers to commonly asked questions for new applicants.
The Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential offered by National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification® (NCTRC®) indicates to employers and the public that the CTRS is a qualified professional providing recreational therapy services, having met the specific educational and professional experience requirements, in addition to passing the NCTRC Certification Exam.
It is documented that CTRSs increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of recreational therapy services in comparison to noncertified individuals, significantly contributing to the expected outcomes of the healthcare delivery system. Federal agencies, national and international regulatory and accreditation organizations recognize the CTRS as the benchmark credential for recreational therapists.
There are many reasons for seeking professional certification. For some it represents the achievement of a career goal while for others it represents a credential necessary to perform their job. Specific objectives of certification often include:
(1) to provide governmental and nongovernmental agencies and organizations, and the public with a definitive minimum standard of education and experience for recreational therapy professionals; and
(2) to foster broader recognition of recreational therapy professionals as well-educated and experienced, acting in the best interest of the public.
Learn more about professional certification through NCTRC and earn the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist® (CTRS®) credential. The CTRS has become the professional standard that exemplifies each professional’s dedication to quality standards and excellence in practice.
NCTRC Certification Program – Accredited by NCCA
National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification® (NCTRC®) is an independent credentialing organization that was designed to meet the recognized credentialing standards for certifying agencies. Since inception, the organization has followed the standards of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (I.C.E.) and its accreditation branch, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). The NCTRC certification program for the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist® (CTRS®) credential has been accredited by NCCA since 1993.
NCTRC is committed to the safe and ethical provision of recreational therapy services to all consumers by CTRSs. The CTRS has become the professional standard that exemplifies each professional’s dedication to quality standards and excellence in practice.
Learn more about professional certification through NCTRC – see the details listed in the Path to Professional Certification.
Levels of Professional Certification offered through NCTRC:
For more information on professional certification through NCTRC, please review the requirements found in the NCTRC Certification Standards.
Individuals wishing to become certified through NCTRC and earn the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist® (CTRS®) credential must meet specific educational and professional experience requirements, in addition to passing the NCTRC Certification Exam. Follow the Steps to Become a CTRS found on the NCTRC website.
Click on the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal found on the NCTRC website home page. Create an account by entering a personal username and password. Once your profile is created you may access the Professional Eligibility Application under the ‘Applications’ portion of the dashboard profile. Submit the completed application and fees through your account dashboard.
NCTRC will send email notifications regarding the application status. If information is missing from your application, you will be placed in ‘Need More Information’ status allowing the opportunity to add information in a timely manner. Please be sure to review the Application Comments section of your application to determine information requested. NCTRC sends email notification to the email address on file in your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal, so be sure to keep your email address updated and check your inbox for communication from NCTRC.
Yes, individuals may apply for Professional Eligibility review after completion of the following conditions:
NCTRC requires that all candidates and certificants maintain their legal name and address in the official NCTRC records. To report a name change, login to MY NCTRC LOGIN and complete the Name Change process. If you only need to change your address, you may update your contact information by logging into your profile through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal or you may email your requested changes to nctrc@nctrc.org.
We recommend that you keep all of your contact information updated in your NCTRC account. NCTRC sends email notification to the email address on file in your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal, so be sure to keep your email address updated and check your inbox for communication from NCTRC.
NCTRC has a Military Extension Policy to support certificants and applicants who have been ordered to active military duty. Active military personnel who fall into this category can request a suspension of their certification or eligibility requirements with respect to required deadlines and fees. For more information or if you believe you qualify, please email nctrc@nctrc.org.
Once you earn a badge from NCTRC, you will receive an email notification from Credly (admin@credly.com) with instructions for claiming your badge and setting up your account. Accept your badge and start sharing it. For additional details, please view the NCTRC Badge Earner Guide.
Check out a selection of available resources listed under Publications and Forms that may help you navigate the certification process.
Transcripts must arrive within 2 weeks of application submission. Each transcript must include registrar signature and seal to be considered official. Transcripts may be delivered electronically directly from the university registrar to nctrc@nctrc.org or the official hard copy may be mailed to the NCTRC mailing address. Transcripts from all colleges/universities must be submitted for coursework and/or degree review.
NCTRC offers an optional Pre-Application Coursework Review process which may be used to determine whether or not you meet current certification coursework and/or professional experience requirements before submitting a formal Professional Eligibility application.
To access the application, click on the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal on the NCTRC homepage, click on “New Customer” and create a profile. After you click Submit, you will be at your Dashboard Profile. Select Pre-Application Coursework Review (OPTIONAL) under the ‘Application’ section.
Once NCTRC completes the review process, you will receive an email notification. You may then access the review results by logging into your account through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal, go to the dashboard profile page and click on the application details.
Per NCTRC Certification Standards, all coursework must be assigned college credit from an accredited College or University and must appear on an official College or University transcript. Coursework completed outside of an accredited college or university must be transferred to credit posted on an official transcript from an accredited academic institution. Please refer to the NCTRC Certification Standards to review the coursework requirements in order to meet NCTRC eligibility and certification requirements.
The completed and signed Employment Verification Form may be uploaded to the Professional Eligibility online application under the ‘Paid Work Experience’ section with the signature of the human resource designee.
Academic Internship – You will need to complete a minimum 560-hour, fourteen (14) week internship in therapeutic recreation services that uses the therapeutic recreation process as defined by the current NCTRC Job Analysis and under the supervision of both academic and agency internship supervisors who are CTRS® certified. Please review and verify ‘Initial Certification Date’ and ‘Annual Expiration Date’ of prospective agency supervisor prior to start of internship. For more information, review the Path to Professional Certification page found at NCTRC.org. See the NCTRC Certification Standards for full details and requirements.
Internship requirements for a graduate student would be established by the academic program. The academic CTRS® supervisor would be best in providing clarification to this question. See the NCTRC Certification Standards for full details and requirements on an acceptable academic internship.
The internship experience is determined by the collaborative efforts of both the agency CTRS® and academic CTRS supervisors. This does not come under the purview of NCTRC.
The total hours of the internship may be split among different agencies or accumulated over multiple sites. You must still meet the requirement of a minimum 560-hour, fourteen (14) week internship in therapeutic recreation services that uses the therapeutic recreation process as defined by the current NCTRC Job Analysis and under the supervision of both academic and agency internship supervisors who are CTRS® certified.
An internship must take place at an agency that uses the therapeutic recreation process as defined by the current NCTRC Job Analysis under the supervision of both academic and agency internship supervisors who are CTRS® certified. Supervision by an agency internship supervisor who must be an active CTRS on the first day of the applicant’s internship. Any change in certification status of the supervisor during the internship shall not affect the certification eligibility of an applicant. For more information, review the Path to Professional Certification page found at NCTRC.org. See the NCTRC Certification Standards for full details and requirements.
If the internship was split among different agencies or accumulated over multiple sites, the intern will need to provide the name of the Academic Internship supervisor, who must be an active CTRS® at the start of the internship experience. For each site, please add the name of the Agency CTRS supervisor, who must possess active certification status at the CTRS® level on the first day of the applicant’s internship and have been certified for at least one year prior to supervising interns.
The format and structure of the internship is up to the agency CTRS supervisor, academic CTRS supervisor and the student, and is not the purview of NCTRC. The Academic Internship Supervisor must be an active CTRS at the start of the internship experience and must be employed at the college/university. The CTRS cannot serve in the capacity of both the academic supervisor and agency supervisor during a given internship experience. For more information about the Academic Internship, review the Path to Professional Certification page found at NCTRC.org. See the NCTRC Certification Standards for full details and requirements.
The primary agency supervisor must possess active certification status at the CTRS® level on the first day of the applicant’s internship. Any change in certification status of the supervisor during the internship shall not affect the certification eligibility of an applicant. See the NCTRC Certification Standards for full details and requirements.
NCTRC requires identification of an agency CTRS® supervisor and academic CTRS supervisor. Decisions related to the format of the internship experience, including secondary supervision would not be under the purview of NCTRC.
Utilize the CTRS Verification Portal found on the NCTRC website to access the full registry of active Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRSs). Review the CTRS Verification page at NCTRC.org to learn more about verification tools available through NCTRC.
When using the CTRS Verification Portal, please be sure to use either a last name OR certification ID number (not both). Confirm the spelling and/or numbers entered in your search and click “Submit”.
NCTRC requires certificants to regularly update changes in their name and address, but occasionally, such changes are not reported to NCTRC. If name change has not been reported, the CTRS may not be found within the verification portal. Contact the NCTRC office or review the CTRS Verification page at NCTRC.org to learn more about additional verification tools available through NCTRC.
Please note that NCTRC staff may request your assistance if we believe the individual that you are searching for may be using the “CTRS” or “Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist” designations in violation of NCTRC’s trademark rights. You should not assume that the individual is violating NCTRC’s trademarks or that the individual’s certification has been suspended, revoked, or sanctioned. NCTRC does not include information related to current or past disciplinary sanctioning on the verification portal.
During these uncertain times, NCTRC understands that some students may encounter unforeseen issues related to their internship site or site supervisor status. We would like to remind you and the students to review the NCTRC Certification Standards for valuable insight into options to successfully complete an academic internship.
If you or your students have questions, please email nctrc@nctrc.org.
NCTRC provides an Agency Internship Supervisor Resource Guide available at NCTRC.org. For more information about the Academic Internship, review the Path to Professional Certification page found at NCTRC.org. See the NCTRC Certification Standards for full details and requirements.
The NCTRC Certification Exam registration fee is $350.00. You may access the Exam Registration Form by logging into your dashboard profile page through the MY NCTRC LOGIN portal and selecting the appropriate exam link. For further details, please visit the NCTRC Certification Exam information found at NCTRC.org.
NCTRC offers Exam Preparation Tools – these are exam content resources and study aids on computer-based testing.
They include:
⦁ Exam Content Outline,
⦁ Exam Reference List,
⦁ NCTRC Job Analysis,
⦁ NCTRC Practice Exam (FREE online)
Review the Exam information within the NCTRC Certification Standards.
To request testing accommodations, please visit NCTRC Testing Accommodations Guidelines and complete the application. Then you will need to Request Accommodations in the appropriate exam application and upload the completed document for review.
To learn more about testing administration through Pearson Vue, please visit https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/test-takers/resources.html#what-to-expect for more information.
The exam is delivered continuously throughout the Pearson VUE network of test centers along with live remote proctoring through OnVue. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
NCTRC offers continuous testing delivered throughout a network of test centers along with live remote proctoring. Test dates for the NCTRC Certification Exam are determined annually. Please visit the Certification Exam page at NCTRC.org for more information, including exam delivery window dates.
To learn more about the OnVue Online Proctoring option through Pearson Vue, please visit https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/test-takers/onvue-online-proctoring.html.
Taking an exam with OnVUE, Pearson Vue’s online testing system, is very different from in-person exams, with specific rules and requirements. If you think it’s the testing route you’d like to take, please visit https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/test-takers/onvue-online-proctoring.html for full details and requirements regarding OnVue Online Proctoring.
No one else is permitted in the room with you while you are testing and communication is prohibited. Talking or mouthing words while testing is also prohibited. Professional and courteous manners are required at all times. Exhibiting abusive behavior towards a proctor via chat or other candidates will be reported to NCTRC and may result in criminal prosecution. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
You may not exit the camera view or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the examination. Your hands must be visible to the camera at all times. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
Conversation or communication with others will not be permitted once your exam has been released. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
You may not exit the building or use your cell phone or other electronic devices during the examination. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
During OnVue Online Proctoring, breaks are not permitted. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
You may connect with a proctor for testing up to 15 minutes prior to your scheduled start time provided your exam is ready to launch. Your launch button will be enabled when your exam is fully prepared for delivery. If you need assistance during your exam, you may initiate a chat with the online test administrator using the chat tool. Review the Pearson Vue page with helpful resources and FAQs for test-takers. Also review the Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules Agreement through Pearson VUE.
The score notification will be available on the computer screen and not in written format at the conclusion of the exam. Official written score reports will be available in your account at https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/nctrc.html
