How to Become a Licensed SLPA in Georgia

Georgia actually has two separate credentials, and mixing them up will send you down the wrong path, so read this closely.

The first is the Speech-Language Pathology Aide registration through the Secretary of State, this is what most people mean by "getting licensed as an SLPA" in Georgia. The minimum education requirement is a high school diploma or GED, and it's the credential used in private practice settings.

The second is a Professional Certificate for SLPA through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC), meant for school settings and requiring a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders. Here's the catch: as of this writing, GaPSC has created the certificate category but hasn't finalized the actual requirements to obtain it. On paper it exists. In practice, there isn't yet a process to actually get one, even if you have the CSD bachelor's it's built for.

Step by step (SLP Aide registration)

1. Confirm you meet the minimum requirement: a high school diploma, GED certificate, or college transcript.
2. Work with your prospective supervising SLP to write a job description listing your specific duties as an aide, this gets submitted with your application.
3. Confirm your supervisor understands they're required to retain two years of documentation of their supervisory activities.
4. Create an account in the state's GOALS online portal, Georgia no longer accepts paper applications and will return any that are mailed in.
5. Submit your Speech-Language Pathology Aide registration application and fee through GOALS.