text: what year (when) do you start student teaching? is it always senior year or can you do it junior year? what qualifications are there before you can student teach? thanks. my university requires you to do it the last semester before graduation. if you do it out of sequence, you're missing important pedagogy, theory and technical advice. plus, as someone mentions there are so many prerequisites, that it's virtually impossible to take it out of sequence (read: during your junior year instead of senior year).  good luck!