Advanced Manicuring is a Diploma program offered by Diamond Beauty College in South El Monte, CA. Tuition is $4,800 total.
Program Overview
The Advanced Manicuring course at Diamond Beauty College is 600 clock hours of technical instruction and practical operations, taught over 4 to 8 months (15 to 30 instructional weeks) at the college’s campus on Garvey Avenue in South El Monte. It leads to a Diploma and is designed to prepare students to shape fingernails and toenails, remove unwanted skin and blemishes, apply polish and cosmetics to nails, and perform manicuring, pedicuring, acrylic nails, nail tip applications and nail wraps and repairs as licensed manicurists.
The college classifies the course under CIP 12.0410 and SOC 39-5092, which maps to the O*NET occupation Manicurists and Pedicurists. Technical instruction means instruction by demonstration, lecture, classroom participation or examination; a practical operation means the student actually performing a complete service on another person or a mannequin.
Diamond Beauty College is a private, for-profit institution in South El Monte, east of Los Angeles. Classes begin every Monday for all courses, so there is no waiting for a term to start. Its stated aim is to offer courses that address the occupational needs of the industry, using modern equipment and a staff of professionals, and to work with students so they can fulfil their ambitions in the beauty industry.
All courses at the college are taught in English and Vietnamese, and the catalog, School Performance Fact Sheet and enrolment agreement are published in both languages. NACCAS separately accredits the college’s Vietnamese-language deliveries of its cosmetology, esthetician and manicuring courses.
What sets this Program apart
- Accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS), an agency recognised by the U.S. Department of Education. Every course runs in both languages, and the catalog, School Performance Fact Sheet and enrolment agreement are provided in both. Applicants may demonstrate language proficiency in either.
- A new class every Monday — the college starts classes weekly for all courses rather than in fixed intakes.
- Seven courses under one roof, from Manicuring at 400 hours through Cosmetology and Barbering at 1,000, including Massage Therapy and an Instructor Trainee course — so it is possible to add a second credential without changing schools.
- Flexible pace. The college reviews transcripts from other accredited cosmetology schools and may grant credit by examination, reducing both the training period and the tuition proportionately.
Admission Requirements and Process
Applicants are advised to call the College for an appointment to discuss admission requirements and procedures. Each applicant will be interviewed individually, so that the College may better understand the career goals of the applicant, and the applicant can better understand the programs of the College.
General Requirements
- High School Diploma or EquivalentApplicants must have successfully completed high school or its equivalent, as evidenced by a copy of diploma, copy of GED certificate, copy of a transcript showing high school…
- Foreign Diploma VerificationStudents who present a foreign high school diploma must have evidence that verification of the diploma has been performed by an outside agency that is qualified to translate…
- Admissions Test (SLE Form IV)Take and pass the SLE test (Scholastic Level Exam) Form IV, which is designed to measure the applicant's aptitude to successfully complete the educational program for which the…
- Language ProficiencyStudents must show language proficiency in English or Vietnamese, by providing a high school diploma or its equivalent from a country where the language is an official language. A…
- Admissions InterviewEach applicant will be interviewed individually by a representative of the Admissions Department.
Application Process
- 1Call for an Admissions AppointmentCall the College for an appointment to discuss admission requirements and procedures, and have an interview with a representative of the Admissions Department.
- 2Complete an Application for AdmissionComplete an application for admission with the Admissions Department.
- 3Take and Pass the SLE TestTake and pass the SLE test (Scholastic Level Exam) Form IV, which measures your aptitude to successfully complete the program you applied for.
- 4Complete the FAFSA and Meet Financial AidHave an interview with a Financial Aid Department Representative prior to completing the enrollment process to discuss payment plans. To apply for Federal Student Aid, complete a FAFSA.FAFSA Code for South El Monte: 041952Fill Out the FAFSA
- 5Submit Documents and PaperworkSubmit your high school diploma or GED certificate, if applicable, and complete all necessary paperwork for admission.
- 6Receive a Catalog and Tour the FacilityReceive a catalog and take a tour of the facility. Upon completion of the admission procedures, you will be notified of the College's decision regarding admission.
Program Schedule
The Advanced Manicuring course is 600 clock hours, completed in 4 to 8 months across 15 to 30 instructional weeks. It can be taken at three paces: 15 weeks full time, 20 weeks at three-quarter time or 30 weeks at half time.
Classes begin every Monday for all courses. The college is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, and defines an academic year as not less than 26 weeks of instructional time with a minimum of 900 clock hours.
Academic performance is graded at the scheduled completion of 300 and 600 clock hours. At each grading point an average out of 100 is calculated, weighted 40 per cent theory exam scores, 40 per cent practical operations and 20 per cent professionalism. Satisfactory academic progress is evaluated at the same points, and attendance is monitored at least once every two weeks. More than two consecutive weeks of absence (14 calendar days) is treated separately under the college’s attendance rules.
The college is closed for New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, the Thanksgiving break and the Christmas break.
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
| The Cosmetology Act and the Program’s Rules and Regulations |
| Cosmetology Chemistry related to manicuring practices |
| Health and Safety / Hazardous Substances |
| Disinfection and Sanitation |
| Bacteriology, Anatomy, Physiology, skin analysis and conditions |
| Water and Oil Manicures, including hand and arm massage |
| Complete Pedicure, including foot and ankle massage |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Acrylic, liquid and powder brush-ons |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Nail Tips |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Nail Wraps and Repairs |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Gel Enhancements |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Gel Polish |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Nail Art |
| Totals |
Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
Diamond Beauty College is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). The college is separately approved to operate by California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. Approval to operate means compliance with state standards as set out in the Education Code; it does not mean the institution or its programmes are endorsed or recommended by the state, nor that the college exceeds minimum state standards, and it is not the same thing as accreditation.
- A reliable indicator of educational quality
- Recognised by the U.S. Department of Education
- Approved to operate by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
- Accredited since 2011, next renewal January 2029
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the South El Monte Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
The catalog prints one schedule of charges for the Advanced Manicuring course:
- Tuition — $4,800.00
- Books and supplies — $1,000.00
- Registration fee (non-refundable) — $150.00
- Student Tuition Recovery Fund (STRF) fee — $0.00
The estimated total for the entire educational program is $5,950.00, which is exactly what those lines add up to. It is billed as $3,050.00 and $2,900.00 across two payment periods. The STRF fee is zero because California’s assessment rate changed on 1 April 2024 from $2.50 to $0.00 per $1,000 of institutional charges; it remains a state-imposed, non-refundable charge and the rate can change again. Once used, books and supplies are non-refundable for sanitary reasons.
Financial aid depends on which course you take. The college states that students enrolling in Cosmetology, Esthetician and Advanced Manicuring may be eligible for the federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) under Title IV. This course is eligible for federal Pell Grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) under Title IV. Students are expected to contribute from their own family resources toward the cost of attendance.
If you take out a government-guaranteed loan and default, the government or a guarantee agency may act against you, including applying any income tax refund to the balance owed, and you may become ineligible for other federal student aid or government assistance until the loan is repaid. If you obtain a loan to pay for the programme you are responsible for repaying the full amount plus interest, less any refund.
The college reserves the right to change tuition and fees without prior notice, and states that any change will not affect students who enrolled before it.
$4,800.00 tuition; $5,950.00 in total with books and supplies and the $150 registration fee.
Curriculum
The outline below is the college’s own subjects of technical instruction for the Advanced Manicuring course. These are the theory hours, and they sum to 210 — exactly the figure the catalog states as Total Theory Hours. The balance of the 600-hour course is 390 practical hours, which the catalog specifies as minimum numbers of hands-on operations rather than as hours per subject, so those are described below rather than shown as rows in the table.
The required practical operations are: 60 disinfection and sanitation, 40 water and oil manicures, 20 complete pedicures, 10 spa manicures, 10 spa pedicures, 80 acrylic liquid and powder brush-on nails, 60 nail tips, 20 nail art, 25 nail wraps and repairs, and 80 gel polish.
A note on one figure. The introduction to this outline says the course “include[s] 140 hours of technical instruction”, but the subject table beneath it sums to 210 and the catalog’s own summary line also gives Total Theory Hours 210. The 140 is the outlier and is not used.
Required Courses
| Name | Lecture | Lab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cosmetology Act and the Program’s Rules and Regulations | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Cosmetology Chemistry related to manicuring practices | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Health and Safety / Hazardous Substances | 45 | 0 | 45 |
| Disinfection and Sanitation | 40 | 0 | 40 |
| Bacteriology, Anatomy, Physiology, skin analysis and conditions | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Water and Oil Manicures, including hand and arm massage | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Complete Pedicure, including foot and ankle massage | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Acrylic, liquid and powder brush-ons | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Nail Tips | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Nail Wraps and Repairs | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Gel Enhancements | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Gel Polish | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Application of Artificial Nails: Nail Art | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Totals | 210 | 0 | 210 |
Career Outcomes
The Advanced Manicuring course leads to a Diploma and is designed to prepare students to shape fingernails and toenails, remove unwanted skin and blemishes, apply polish and cosmetics to nails, and perform manicuring, pedicuring, acrylic nails, nail tip applications and nail wraps and repairs as licensed manicurists.
The college classifies the course under CIP 12.0410 and SOC 39-5092, mapping to the O*NET occupation Manicurists and Pedicurists. It points students to the Bureau of Labor Statistics SOC system and to O*NET for career reports covering the most critical on-the-job tasks and skills, local salary information and training opportunities.
California licensure is administered by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, and graduates of an approved course become eligible to sit the applicable state examination. Diamond Beauty College holds a Registrar/Admission/Placement function and provides placement support, but as with any credible institution completion does not guarantee employment.
What to expect as a Diamond Beauty College student
Expect to be graded three ways at once. At each grading point your average out of 100 is 40 per cent theory exams, 40 per cent practical operations and 20 per cent professionalism — attitude and conduct are marked, not just skill. Grading happens at the scheduled completion of 300 and 600 clock hours.
Expect attendance to matter. The college monitors attendance at least once every two weeks, and treats more than two consecutive weeks of absence as a separate matter under its withdrawal rules. Frequent tardiness or absence is grounds for disciplinary action up to dismissal.
Expect to work on real people. Practical operations mean performing a complete service on another person or a mannequin, under instructor supervision on the clinic floor. Textbooks are issued at the beginning of the freshman class, and all needed supplies and equipment are provided as part of the books and supplies charge.
Expect bilingual instruction. All courses are taught in English and Vietnamese, and the college publishes its catalog, School Performance Fact Sheet and enrolment agreement in both languages, so you can study and sign in whichever you read most comfortably.

