Nail Technology is a Certificate program offered by Nova Academy of Cosmetology in Mankato, MN. The program takes 12 weeks full time (350 clock hours) to complete, with a total tuition of $5,075.
Program Overview
The Nail Technology program at Nova Academy is 350 clock hours of training in manicuring, pedicuring and artificial nail application, qualifying graduates for the Minnesota State Licensing Exam for nail technicians. It starts with 50 hours of preclinical theory in anatomy, dermatology, chemistry as related to manicuring, electricity and light, infection control, safety and Minnesota statutes and rules, with elementary service skills taught by instructor demonstration and peer practice.
Students then learn cleaning, conditioning, shaping, reinforcing, coloring and enhancing natural nails and applying and repairing artificial nails, in 300 hours of planned clinical instruction in manicures, pedicures and artificial nail services. Instruction uses Milady Standard Nail Technology and Milady Foundations.
What sets this Program apart
- Twelve weeks, weekdays. The whole program runs Monday to Friday during the day.
- Acrylic, gel, wraps and tips. 100 of the assigned practical hours are artificial nail application.
- Nail art. Advanced nail techniques are part of the outline.
- Three campuses, one price. Rochester, Mankato or Woodbury.
Admission Requirements and Process
If you are ready to begin your training at Nova Academy, please review the admissions requirements to start the enrollment process. When you fill out the inquiry form, you will be able to self-book a tour with our admissions team, which is always the next step, and our admissions team will also be able to answer any questions you may have pre-tour. Applicants will receive written notice of acceptance or rejection from the Admissions Department.
General Requirements
- Application and FeeSubmit a completed Program Application along with a non-refundable $50.00 application fee.
- Proof of AgeProvide acceptable documentation such as a driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, or other government-issued identification.
- Immunization RecordsMinnesota law requires students born after 1956 to demonstrate immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria. Nova Academy does not require students to submit…
- English ProficiencyApplicants must be able to understand English sufficiently to comprehend instruction and curriculum materials.
- Proof of EducationProvide evidence of high school completion or its equivalent, such as a copy of a high school diploma, a GED certificate or state-authorized high school equivalency, a transcript…
Application Process
- 1Contact AdmissionsFill out the inquiry form or contact the campus of your choice to request an enrollment application. Our admissions team can answer any questions you may have.
- 2Book a TourSelf-book a tour with our admissions team, which is always the next step after your inquiry.
- 3Submit Your ApplicationSubmit a completed Program Application with the non-refundable $50.00 application fee, along with proof of age, proof of education, and any program-specific documentation.
- 4Receive Admission DecisionApplicants will receive written notice of acceptance or rejection from the Admissions Department.
- 5Complete Your FAFSAComplete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, linking your and your parent’s taxes if requested, along with a Nova Academy Financial Aid Application.FAFSA Code for Mankato: 041576Fill Out the FAFSA
- 6Loan Counseling and Promissory NoteComplete Loan Entrance Counseling and the Loan Master Promissory Note as an Undergraduate Student. Both can be completed in advance and canceled if you decide not to use loans.
- 7Complete Admissions FormsFill out all required forms from your initial admissions email, including Enrollment Supporting Documents, the Federal Funds Sign Off Form, the Electronic Communication Policy, and the Financial Aid Enrollment Questionnaire.
- 8Financial Aid MeetingWork with your Financial Aid contact to schedule a meeting, about 3 business days after you’ve completed your FAFSA. Meetings can be held in person or virtually.
Program Schedule
Full time, 35 hours a week, 12 weeks. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Week 1 is class only, week 2 is class Monday to Wednesday and clinic Thursday and Friday, and weeks 3 to 11 are clinic. The maximum time frame is 525 scheduled hours (15 weeks).
Start dates. Nail Technology starts September 21 and November 16, 2026, then February 1, March 30, May 24, July 26, September 20 and November 15, 2027.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Nova Academy of Cosmetology is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). It is licensed as a private career school by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, its programs are approved by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners, and it takes part in federal Title IV student aid.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $5,075 |
| Application fee | $50 |
| Kit (books, supplies and equipment, tax inclusive) | $1,650 |
| Total | $6,775 |
Paying for school. Nova Academy has taken part in federal aid since July 2010. Students who qualify may receive Federal Pell Grants, FSEOG, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Parent PLUS Loans, as well as the Minnesota State Grant and the Minnesota SELF Loan. Students complete the Nova financial aid application and the FAFSA with school code 041576, then loan entrance counseling, the master promissory note and the school’s required forms before a financial aid meeting. Aid is disbursed on a 900-hour academic year. A net price calculator is published.
Where the prices come from. These are the catalog’s tuition and fees for classes starting July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, the same at all three campuses; the kit fee is tax inclusive and covers all books, supplies and equipment. The program pages on the website do not print tuition and say the most current rates are given on request, so the catalog governs.
Cancellation and refunds. Students who cancel within five business days of the enrollment agreement taking effect receive a full refund. Cancelling later but before the program starts returns everything except 15 percent of the total cost, up to $50. After the program starts, the refund is prorated on the clock hours actually attended, less the application fee and the lesser of 25 percent of tuition or $100, and students who withdraw after completing 75 percent of the program receive no refund. Kits returned unopened within 10 days may be credited. Refunds are paid within 30 business days.
Curriculum
The catalog’s Nail Technology outline totals 50 theory hours and 300 clinical hours. Its practical column assigns 50 hours to manicuring and pedicuring and 100 to artificial nail application (acrylic, gels, wraps and tips). The outline’s practical column assigns service hours to only some topics and lists service counts for others; the rest of the clinical hours are supervised clinic-floor time, so the course table shows theory and assigned practical hours rather than a total for each topic.
The required courses below are from Nova Academy of Cosmetology's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Name | Lecture | Lab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation & Professionalism, Resume Development, Interview Preparation and Job Search Skills | 0.5 | 0.5 | |
| Sanitation and Infection Control | 3.5 | 3.5 | |
| Anatomy: Skin and Nail Disorders | 3 | 3 | |
| Manicuring & Pedicuring | 14 | 50 | 64 |
| Chemistry | 3.5 | 3.5 | |
| Electrical Safety | 7 | 7 | |
| Artificial Nail Application (Acrylic & Gels, Wraps, Nail Tips) | 10.5 | 100 | 110.5 |
| MN Laws and Rules, Business | 1 | 1 | |
| Advanced Nail Techniques (Nail Art) | 7 | 7 | |
| Totals | 50 | 150 | 200 |
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
| Orientation & Professionalism, Resume Development, Interview Preparation and Job Search Skills |
| Sanitation and Infection Control |
| Anatomy: Skin and Nail Disorders |
| Manicuring & Pedicuring |
| Chemistry |
| Electrical Safety |
| Artificial Nail Application (Acrylic & Gels, Wraps, Nail Tips) |
| MN Laws and Rules, Business |
| Advanced Nail Techniques (Nail Art) |
| Totals |
Career Outcomes
Graduates may take the Minnesota State Licensing Exam for nail technicians. The catalog lists careers as a nail technician, salon or freelance nail artist, photo or movie nail artist, instructor, product distributor, salon or day spa owner, platform artist, director of education, salon manager or image consultant (SOC 39-5092, manicurists and pedicurists).
The catalog reports Nova Academy’s NACCAS annual-report rates for the school as a whole rather than by program. For 2024 they are a completion rate of 92.55 percent, a placement rate of 79.03 percent and a licensure rate of 98.42 percent; the three-year averages for 2022 to 2024 are 87.85, 80.41 and 97.18 percent. The school offers resume and interview preparation and job placement referrals but does not guarantee employment.
The catalog classifies the program as CIP 12.0410.
What to expect as a Nova Academy of Cosmetology student
Nova Academy of Cosmetology was established in 2006 and runs three Minnesota campuses under one catalog and one price list: Rochester, the main campus, is a 9,800-square-foot building off Highway 52 with clinic areas, classrooms, a dispensary, private coaching offices and a student lounge; Mankato is a 10,317-square-foot campus just west of River Hills Mall; and Woodbury occupies more than 12,000 square feet inside the Valley Creek Mall off I-94. Every campus has a clinic floor where students serve paying guests under licensed instructors, beginner and advanced classrooms, audio-visual equipment and a library of DVDs, books and trend releases.
Instruction mixes theory, demonstrations, guest educators and supervised clinic work, with Milady textbooks and the CIMA digital learning platform; students need a laptop or tablet. Beyond technique, Nova builds in business training: Prosper U’s Money Habits financial-literacy course (now with a booth and suite rental module), Nova’s own Beauty Industry + Social Media Mindset program on branding, short-form video, photography, Google reviews and content planning, and hands-on use of Phorest salon software for booking, client records and retail. Every chapter ends in theory and practical exams that must be passed at 75 percent or higher.
Students keep at least 67 percent cumulative attendance to stay in satisfactory academic progress, and a leave of absence (at least 10 days, no more than 180 days in any 12 months) extends the contract period. Students absent 14 consecutive days without contacting the school are withdrawn. Graduates must finish the documented Minnesota hours, all quotas and exams at 75 percent or higher, the School Certification Exam, an exit interview and their tuition obligations; they then apply to the Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners for their license. Nova Academy belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools.