Applying for a Career School or College License

If you have a business providing instruction in Texas or to Texans, including schools located in Texas providing only distance education, you must be licensed unless you are exempt from licensure or are an out-of-state distance education school.

The Texas Workforce Commission regulates most types of career schools and colleges. However, some schools such as those that train barbers, cosmetologists (hair dressers), massage therapists, aviation mechanics and realtors are licensed by other agencies.

The Texas Workforce Commission issues a Certificate of Approval to licensed schools. If your school is licensed, you are able to publish that your school is approved and regulated by TWC. If your school is operating without a license or exemption, you may be required to pay a penalty, pay refunds to all students or halt instruction.

To find instructions, forms and samples for a new school application, see the following resources:

• CSC-001C Checklist to Apply for a Certificate of Approval

Residence or Seminar School?

You will apply as either a Residence (vocational) School or a Seminar School. A Residence School offers at least one program: a sequence of subjects that teaches skills and knowledge required for employment in a specified occupation. Residence schools may offer seminars as well as programs. Seminar Schools offer only seminars: courses of instruction to enhance a student's career.

Large School or Small School?

You also will apply as either a large or small school.

Your school is considered large for licensing purposes if it meets either of these conditions:

• Receives payment from federal funds under Title IV: Federal Student Financial Assistance Programs Authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965 as Amended
• Has an adjusted annual gross income from student tuition and fees greater than $100,000

Your school is considered small for licensing purposes if it meets both of these conditions:

• Has an adjusted annual gross income from student tuition and fees less than or equal to $100,000
• Does not receive any Title IV payments.

Financial Statements

You will need to contact a Public Accountant to begin the required financial statements. Requirements differ depending on the type of ownership of your school-- sole proprietor, corporation, or partnership.

Your school must have a school director, at least one representative and at least one instructor, all approved by TWC. One person can fill more than one of the required roles. You can find information on staff continuing education requirements on the Ongoing Requirements for Licensed Schools page.

School Director

Your School Director must sign and attest to assurances that include the director's responsibility for the quality of instruction, the adequacy of facilities, the character and qualification of school staff, and the proper maintenance of student records.

Representative

Representatives solicit and enroll students for the school. Sole Proprietors and some partnerships are not required to have representatives. You must renew your list of Representatives each year.

Before they solicit students, School Representatives must be approved by TWC and pass TWC’s free, online training on state rules about soliciting students:  Representative Training for Career Schools and Colleges.

Instructor

You must list at least one Instructor for each subject that will be taught. An instructor may teach more than one subject. Instructors cannot be students in the same or similar program in which they teach. Within the first three months of teaching at your school, any inexperienced teachers must receive professional development to learn and develop effective teaching strategies.

Appointed Designated Liaison (revised name for Staff Designee)

Your School Director is responsible for appointing an Appointed Designated Liaison. The Appointed Designated Liaison serves as a liaison person when the director is not available during a TWC survey visit to the school. The director must ensure other staff are aware of the responsibilities of this person and that the Appointed Designated Liaison is trained in survey visit procedures.

The Appointed Designated Liaison appointment is a step in the application process for an incoming School Director. If there is a need for an incumbent School Director to appoint a new Appointed Designated Liaison, use the Change in Appointed Designated Liaison also known as Appointed Designated Liaison form.

Staffing

These forms are used both in an Application for Certificate of Approval and in reporting staffing changes at a licensed school.

Title	Document	Number	Date
Director Application		CSC-002D	Apr, 2018
Appointment of Designated Liaison		CSC-002DL	Jan, 2018
Instructor Application		CSC-002I	Jan, 2018
Instructor Application Guide		CSC-002IG	Jan, 2018
Representative Registration Application		CSC-014	Jan, 2018
Addendum to Representative Registration Application		CSC-014A	Mar, 2018
Professional Conduct		CSC-014B	Jan, 2018
Continuing Education Providers for Career Schools and Colleges Licensed by TWC		N/A	May, 2015

Forms required for more than one type of change are listed at Career Schools & Colleges Forms & Publications. 

Your school may require students to complete an externship or internship as part of their program. When you plan an outline of experiences and competencies for this training, students can gain insight into their chosen occupation.

It is your school’s responsibility to arrange adequate externship or internship sites and supervision for all students enrolled in the program.

For more information on externship and internship requirements, see the New Program/Seminar Application. Our Sample New Program Application includes an example of a letter to a potential externship site and a sample extern evaluation form.

• New Program/Seminar Application or
• Sample New Program Application

To get a license for a career school or college, you must submit a complete application with supporting documents and required fees to TWC. Refer to the New School Application Checklist to ensure that your materials are complete. Submit your Fee Sheet with your application.

• New School Application Checklist or
• Fee Sheet or

Our goal is to review your application and reply within five business days of receiving your application materials. If we request revisions or additional materials, you need to respond completely within 30 calendar days. The cycle of review and response may occur as many as three times in our efforts to approve your school within 90 calendar days. If you do not fully respond to our requests within the 30 calendar days, your application may be closed, and you may need to reapply and pay a new application fee.

If your application is not complete and may be closed your TWC contact will let you know, and you will have an opportunity to respond. TWC will notify you formally by certified mail when your application has been closed.

We are available to answer your questions as you work on your application or our requests for revision or more materials.  For assistance, email career.schools@twc.texas.gov or call 866-256-6333, option 3.