Teacher self-efficacy (TSE) is one important construct in teacher education research and malleable at early career stages before becoming resistant to change once established. Longitudinal research plays an essential role in capturing TSE changes and although it has been claimed to be lacking, no systematic methodological review of these studies has been published. This systematic review aims to clarify the nature of the longitudinal study of early career TSE and evaluate the methodological strengths and weaknesses of this research. A total of 41 articles published between 1977 and 2018 were included and their methodological quality was evaluated and reported based on key principles of longitudinal research design, resulting in the identification of significant design,construct and measurement concerns. Suggestions for future longitudinal research on TSE are offered.