Frequently Asked Questions

Two things: be at least 16 years old, and have a high school diploma or equivalent, a G.E.D. works, and so does proof of homeschooling registered in the state where you were educated. No entrance exam, no portfolio.

Hays Campus: 1214 E. 27th St. Hays, KS 67601. Salina Campus: 115 S. 5th St. Salina, KS 67401. Both campuses are fully equipped and both offer both programs.

Our programs often start four times per year during these months: February, May, August, November.

Honest answer: no. Both programs run full-time, Tuesday through Friday, plus one required Saturday a month. The closest thing to an evening block is Thursday, which runs 11:00 a.m.–7:30 p.m. If you need a part-time path, we'd rather tell you straight than sign you up for a schedule that won't work.

Not as a standalone program, we teach cosmetology and nail technology. But if skin is your thing, know that our cosmetology curriculum includes skin care, facials, and makeup, taught as a Dermalogica Partner School, with a professional Dermalogica kit. You graduate with the broader license that covers skin and everything else.

Call the campus or fill out a website form. You'll walk through the facilities, meet staff, and go over admission requirements together.

Up to 1,000 hours can transfer in. You'll do a skills and knowledge evaluation, your kit and textbooks need to be comparable, and your previous school sends a request form you sign a release for. The school handbook has the full detail.

Yes. Transit or transfer between campuses is not required for graduation.

No guarantee, but you get: Career Services (active salon relations, job fairs), personal cover letter and resume assistance, portfolio building to showcase your best work on social media, networking opportunities with local salons at career fairs, and business classes covering theory and practical salon management. In the 2024 NACCAS annual report, 83.91% of graduates were placed in jobs and 100% passed their licensure exams.

Cosmetology: $18,900 all-in ($100 registration + $2,800 books/kit/equipment + $16,000 tuition). Nail technology: $4,595 all-in ($100 + $900 + $3,595). Those are the published totals, no 'call for pricing.' The Nail Technology program does not qualify for financial aid.

Submit the FAFSA®. School codes: Hays Campus 015944, Salina Campus E02178. Filling out the FAFSA® can help determine eligibility for Pell Grants and other types of federal loans. The Nail Technology program does not qualify for financial aid.

Yes, if the school codes are used. Processing takes about 2–3 weeks; the school then contacts you about eligibility.

Pell Grants are need-based and require no repayment. Unsubsidized Stafford loans are available to all eligible students; interest accrues immediately and payments begin about 6 months after leaving school. Subsidized Stafford loans are need-based with no interest while in school. See fafsa.gov.

The MPN is an electronic loan agreement; Entrance Counseling is a required online session. Both are completed at studentaid.gov.

Federal aid is available to those who qualify. Give us a call, an admissions director will walk you through the process.

Yes, we award one $500 scholarship each year to a senior graduating from any Kansas high school (application, short essay, and transcript due May 1, submitted online). There's also a directory of outside beauty-school scholarships worth applying to; awards stack.

Yes! Hays Academy is nationally accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS).

Accreditation enables federal financial aid participation and means the school meets stringent national education standards.

Professional dress: comfortable, closed-toe shoes (you'll be on your feet), and hair and nails you're proud to stand behind, you're the walking portfolio. Admissions sends the current dress code before your first day.

Cosmetology: Pivot Point textbooks and study materials, a professional Dermalogica skin-care kit, and your working tools. Nail technology: Pivot Point texts plus your nail systems and implements. The kit is included in the published books/kit/equipment price, and there's a documented opt-out policy if you'd rather source your own.

Small by design: never more than 25 students in a class. This is a family-owned two-campus school, not a franchise, instructors know every student by name, and the owners are in the building.

Absolutely, both campuses welcome men and women, and the curriculum includes men's haircutting.

Book online, or call either campus. Expect appointments to take longer than a traditional salon appointment. All services are performed by supervised students.

Students on the salon floor, at student-salon prices (cuts from $6, a full Day of Beauty for $60). All services are performed by supervised students. Because students are training, service time may vary.