Pre-Licensing Education SAFE Comprehensive MLO Fundamentals Program

MLO applicants are required to complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved education. This program pairs the 20-Hour SAFE Comprehensive course with the National Exam Prep course. Important: this 20-hour course only fulfills MLO pre-licensing education requirements for states that do not require state-specific content; Texas applicants also need the 3-hour Texas course.

Champions’ online instructor-led delivery offers a sleek, intuitive interface, videos and interactive activities to master the NMLS-aligned material.

Champions School of Real Estate has been providing education to aspiring agents and brokers since it opened its doors in Houston in 1983. It offers courses and counseling at brick-and-mortar campuses in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, and its Online Correspondence, Online Interactive and Virtual Classroom (ChampionsLive) delivery methods reach students anywhere in the nation. Since 1983 the curriculum has expanded from real estate to loan origination, appraisal, and inspection licensing and renewal programs.

• Updated, leading-edge course material created by the school’s own in-house curriculum development team, with constant updates based on market changes.
• Instructors are practicing professionals with at least five years of industry experience; the school says all instructors also have at least five years of experience teaching adults.
• Morning, day, night and weekend classes offered via Classroom, Virtual Classroom, Correspondence and Online Interactive.
• Career counselors available at campuses Monday through Saturday in person, by phone or by online chat.
• Free networking events, career nights, virtual study halls, career fairs, and annual free industry updates, live-streamed and in person.
• Textbooks and proctoring fees are included in tuition, and most courses remain available for up to 10 years.

Before class, create an individual user account with the NMLS to receive a username, password and NMLS number, and bring your NMLS ID number to class. A textbook is required to participate in any live broadcast class, so obtain it before the first day.

As required by the NMLS, students in loan QE/CE courses cannot miss more than 10 minutes of cumulative class time; students who miss more are rescheduled. The Online Instructor-Led course must be completed within a specified 7-day window and requires attendance at several Zoom sessions with an instructor. An NMLS Application for Criminal History lets individuals with a known criminal history request a preliminary evaluation of their eligibility for licensure through the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending before applying.

The Online Instructor-Led 20-Hour SAFE course runs in 7-day windows starting on Sundays (for example Aug 2-8, Aug 16-22 and every two weeks through Feb 6), with required Zoom sessions; it is also offered in the virtual classroom. The 3-day exam prep runs on ChampionsLive from 8:30 AM to 4:45 PM about twice a month, or online.

Tuition. The catalog and website list the program at $399, against a combined individual value of $524 (a saving of $125); printed and digital materials are included.

Payment. Tuition is due in full at the time of enrollment, but you may purchase courses individually if you prefer to pay as you go. Tuition for each course must be paid in full at registration to receive package pricing. Textbook materials are included in the cost of courses, and the school states that proctoring fees are included with no hidden add-ons.

Discounts. Champions offers a military appreciation discount to active-duty military, veterans and military spouses: 25% off Real Estate, Home Inspection, Loan Origination and Appraisal pre-licensing (including SAE) programs, 20% off individual Real Estate QE/SAE and Loan pre-licensing courses, and $20 off Real Estate Continuing Education programs. It also works with the SpouseWorks Scholarship Program, which offers up to $4,000 to eligible military spouses for the pursuit or maintenance of a license or certification.

Refunds. All courses except Exam Prep are refundable within 5 days of purchase, minus a $20 cancellation fee per course and the cost of the textbook(s). After 5 days, or once any portion of a course is started, courses are non-refundable; unstarted courses can still be transferred or used toward another course.

By overseeing the loan process between the lender and the buyer, Mortgage Loan Originators gain valuable insight into the real estate and financial industries while providing a much needed service, helping people navigate the real estate mortgage process and realize their dream of owning a home. Champions says it has trained the state’s leading mortgage loan originators for over 20 years.

Licensed MLOs complete 8 hours of NMLS continuing education each year, and Champions offers development courses (Essential Mortgage Skills and How to Market Yourself as a Mortgage Loan Originator) on often overlooked aspects of the business.

Passing. You must score 70% or higher on the final exam to pass the 20-Hour SAFE and 3-Hour TX SML SAFE courses. A student who fails has two retake opportunities within 48 hours of class completion; after three failed attempts they may re-enroll at a discounted rate.

Exam prep. Mortgage Loan Originator Prep students can attend free Virtual Study Hall sessions to ask an instructor questions, and the prep course can be repeated free for one year. A calculator is provided in class on request, or you may use your phone.

Licensing exam. The SAFE MLO national test has 120 multiple-choice questions over 190 minutes and requires a score of at least 75%. After completing PE you have three years to take the licensing exam, and the test only needs to be passed once for licensure in more than one state.