Esthetics (GA) is a Certificate program offered by Georgia Career Institute in Conyers, GA. The program takes About 10 months (day) or 12 months (part time or evening) to complete, with a total tuition of $15,400.
Program Overview
Esthetics is one of the fastest growing segments of the beauty industry. The esthetician cares for, repairs and enhances the skin, our largest organ. This 1,000 clock hour program, offered at the Conyers main campus only, prepares students for a career in esthetics and for the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology licensing examination.
It runs in two phases, Pre-Clinic Freshmen (250 clock hours) and Clinic Seniors (750), and goes beyond facials into the anatomy and physiology of the skin, so that students understand the how and why of each technique, whether they go on to basic or advanced facials, makeup, product representation or education.
What sets this Program apart
- More than the licensing minimum. The school describes its esthetics program as a rigorous one that demands more than the basics required for a license, with significant practice outside the classroom.
- Professional product lines. Students work with Image skin care, Crown makeup, Farmhouse Fresh and Alexandria Professional Sugaring.
- A comprehensive kit. A product kit, rolling case, massage training head, extraction tool kit, mixing bowls and brushes, tweezers, waxing, sugaring and makeup kits.
- Real clients. Students practice facials, body treatments, makeup and hair removal in the school’s spa.
Admission Requirements and Process
Georgia Career Institute admits students through a short sequence: an interview and tour, a financial aid meeting, the enrollment agreement and orientation. The admission requirements and each step are listed below.
General Requirements
- High school diploma or GEDA regular high school diploma or a GED, each accredited by an agency authorized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- English fluencyAll courses, textbooks, agreements and documents are in English only, so students must be fluent in written and spoken English.
Application Process
- 1Meet with Admissions and tour the schoolInterview with an admissions representative, tour the facility and complete the Prospective Student Background Information Sheet.
- 2Meet with Financial AidExplore your finance and payment options with a financial aid representative.
- 3Sign the enrollment agreementMeet the minimum admission requirements, complete the pre-enrollment checklist and sign the enrollment agreement.
- 4Attend orientationOrientation is required for all new students and is held on or before the start of classes.
- 5Start schoolYour first day of school.
Program Schedule
Day classes (4-day week): Monday to Thursday for freshman students, Tuesday to Friday for senior students, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (about 10 months).
Part-time day: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm or 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm (about 12 months).
Night classes: Monday to Friday, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm (about 12 months).
Admission is ongoing rather than by semester.
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
| Theory |
| Sciences |
| Facial Treatments |
| Body Treatments |
| Make-Up |
| Lash/Brow Dye |
| Hair Removal |
| Spa/Salon Management |
| Totals |
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
This program: Georgia Career Institute is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). In August 2026 COE issued the school a Show Cause Order over its annual financial reporting; the school states it remains accredited. Licensed by the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Conyers Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $15,400 |
| Books/Supplies | $1,282 |
| Fees | $100 |
| Included license/fees | $109 |
| Total | $16,891 |
Prices are from the school’s tuition sheet for the Conyers campus, effective January 1, 2025, which the school links as its current tuition. Tuition and fees are assessed on a program basis, are due at the beginning of the program and are subject to change. The school states that tuition includes the textbooks, required supplies, kit and equipment, and the fees for the licensing examination.
Federal financial aid. GCI participates in the Pell Grant, FSEOG, subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans, Parent PLUS loans and Veterans Administration benefits (Federal School Code 030054). The school’s financial aid page lists this program as eligible for Title IV funding.
Scholarships. Limited ACE Grant scholarships are available through the American Association of Cosmetology Schools, submitted before enrollment. GCI’s own scholarship for current-year high school or GED graduates is worth up to $1,000 for this program, and requires a one-page essay and two letters of recommendation. In-house payment plans are also available.
Other charges. The catalog charges a $100 non-refundable application fee, fulfilled during the financial aid process. A student who needs longer than the contracted time frame pays $15.00 per clock hour to finish, and re-entering students pay a $100 re-entry fee.
Curriculum
Eight courses totalling 1,000 clock hours, introduced in the Freshman phase and honed in the Senior phase.
Required Courses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Theory | 250 |
| Sciences | 320 |
| Facial Treatments | 115 |
| Body Treatments | 70 |
| Make-Up | 90 |
| Lash/Brow Dye | 5 |
| Hair Removal | 70 |
| Spa/Salon Management | 80 |
| Totals | 1,000 |
Career Outcomes
Graduates are prepared for the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology esthetician licensing examination; a high school diploma or GED is required to take it.
The catalog lists occupations open to graduates, including: makeup artist, facialist, salon or spa owner-operator, booth renter, salon or spa manager, product consultant, educator and esthetician for a medical skincare facility.
GCI publishes an annual Completion, Placement and Licensure report for its Conyers campus on its Consumer Info page; this page does not restate its rates.
What to expect as a Georgia Career Institute student
Georgia Career Institute was founded in 1975 as Artistic Beauty College and took its current name in 2001. It prepares students to enter the beauty and wellness industries, blending classroom theory with extensive hands-on practice in a supervised student salon and spa. Once students have developed core skills they work with real clients in the school’s salon, and graduates are encouraged to take the clients they gained while studying with them to start their clientele.
The school keeps at least one instructor for every twenty students in its beauty classes, adding instructional assistance or more teachers where attendance is larger, and will try to provide tutoring as needed at no extra cost. Attendance is tracked electronically every day, makeup hours can be scheduled with approval, and students wear solid black professional attire and closed-toe shoes with their department’s apron or smock. Graduate Services helps graduates with job placement and networking, though placement is not guaranteed.
The work is physically demanding. The catalog asks that students be able to stand or sit for long periods, bend and stretch, show manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination, work with chemicals and skin care products, and keep a customer-service attitude through long days and flexible schedules. Students prone to psoriasis, dermatitis or other chronic skin conditions that may involve open lesions should consider this before enrolling.
Accreditation notice. On August 14, 2026, Georgia Career Institute disclosed that its accreditor, the Council on Occupational Education (COE), has issued a Show Cause Order related to the institution’s required annual financial reporting: GCI did not submit its audited financial statements and the required COE financial forms for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, by the June 30, 2026 due date. The school states that it remains accredited, that the order has not resulted in the loss of its accreditation, and that at this time it does not affect current students’ enrollment or their eligibility for financial aid. A Show Cause Order gives the institution an opportunity to demonstrate to COE why its accreditation should not be withdrawn.
The main campus at 900 Flat Shoals Road SE in Conyers, just outside Atlanta, has more than 35,000 square feet of classrooms, clinics, supply rooms and library space. Its student salon is open to the public Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.