Esthetics is a Diploma program offered by The Spa School in Columbus, OH. The program takes 600 clock hours, about 21 weeks on the fastest schedule to complete, with a total tuition of $13,920.
Program Overview
Esthetics, 600 hours. Esthetics is a limited practice of cosmetology dealing only with skin care. The course teaches the basic skills needed for work in a cosmetology or esthetics salon and advanced skin care techniques, and it leads to the Ohio Esthetician license. The Spa School is the only campus in its group that offers it.
How it is taught. The course is taught in English through lecture, demonstration, visual aids, textbook review, practice and testing, moving from basic to advanced subjects, with clinic experience under instructor supervision.
Clinical-grade skin care. Students train in facials and chemical peels, microdermabrasion and dermaplaning, light, galvanic and high-frequency therapies, waxing, corrective makeup and lash extensions.
What sets this Program apart
- Microdermabrasion and dermaplaning. The facial machines unit covers microdermabrasion, dermaplaning and light, galvanic and high-frequency therapies.
- Spa facilities. The Spa School has dedicated esthetics classrooms and clinics with wet rooms for body treatments.
- Lashes and brows. Students learn lash and brow tinting and strip, cluster and extension lash procedures.
- A step toward nails. Esthetics graduates may add the school's Manicuring course, which is open only to them.
Admission Requirements and Process
Becoming a student-artist is within reach for your future! Apply to Ohio State School of Cosmetology and The Spa School, where you can learn amazing salon skills from the professionals. A personal interview is required of all applicants in order to determine interest, aptitude, financial need and the ability to benefit from our training.
General Requirements
- High School Diploma or GEDAn applicant must provide either proof of valid high school education (high school diploma or high school transcript) showing high school completion; or a General Educational…
- Foreign Diploma EvaluationAn applicant who submits a foreign high school diploma must also provide notarized documentation from an approved outside agency that is qualified to translate documentations into…
- Minimum Age (17)Be at least 17 years old and provide proof of age through birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, or other government-issued identification.
- Personal InterviewA personal interview is required of all applicants in order to determine interest, aptitude, financial need and the ability to benefit from our training.
- Means to Pay TuitionAn applicant must have the means to pay tuition, fees and related expenses and must show financial stability and resources to reasonably ensure that lack of finances will not…
- Housing and TransportationAn applicant must demonstrate housing and transportation stability including reasonable housing for the duration of the course, and dependable transportation to and from school.
- Criminal HistoryGenerally, the School will not enroll any person convicted of a felony, or of the illegal possession or sale of drugs.
- Prior Post-Secondary HistoryThe School will usually not enroll an individual with a history of attending more than 2 prior post-secondary schools, or of not completing more than 1 prior post-secondary…
- Aptitude Test if RequiredIf in the opinion of the Admissions Representative a prospective student does not exhibit the skills, aptitude or language comprehension necessary to complete the course, the…
- Transfer StudentsTransfer students may be accepted at the sole discretion of the school on a case-by-case basis and will receive credit for no more than half of the hours of the program. A $150.00…
Application Process
- 1Schedule a TourCall or fill out a form to schedule a tour. Set up a tour and we can walk you through our school as well as the application process.
- 2Visit and InterviewVisit the location of your choice. A personal interview is required of all applicants in order to determine interest, aptitude, financial need and the ability to benefit from our training.
- 3Apply Through AdmissionsApply to the program you want to pursue. Application for enrollment may be made by contacting our office of Admissions by letter or phone.
- 4Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA)Financial aid is available to those who qualify. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to see what you may qualify for.FAFSA Code for Columbus: 009531Fill Out the FAFSA
Program Schedule
Junior training. Esthetics students start with junior theory training: 5 weeks at 24 hours a week in the daytime or 9 weeks at 14 hours a week in the evening.
Senior schedules. Senior training runs from 30 hours a week for 16 weeks to 24 hours a week for 20 weeks, 20 hours a week for 26 weeks on the modular schedule, or 17 hours a week for 28 weeks on the evening schedule.
Upcoming start dates. The 2026 calendar lists an Esthetics start at The Spa School on November 3, 2026.
Attendance and leaves. Attendance is tracked on electronic time clocks, and a student more than 30 minutes late to clinic or 15 minutes late to class may not be signed in. A leave of absence is normally 30 to 60 days, requires a written request, and together with any earlier leaves cannot exceed 180 days in 12 months. The school closes for New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
The Spa School is accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences (NACCAS) and licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board.
- 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 Columbus Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition (600 hours, books and equipment included) | $13,920 |
| Registration fee | $100 |
| First day fee | $400 |
| Total | $14,420 |
Financial aid. The Spa School is eligible for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants, Direct Stafford Loans and Parent PLUS Loans, for students who qualify; its FAFSA school code is 009531. School-sponsored scholarships, tuition awards and private aid are also offered, and scholarships weigh financial need, academic performance, attendance and interest in the field.
Paying for school. Fees can be paid by cash, credit card, money order, check or eligible federal aid. After the $400 first day fee, the payment plan for this course is $1,547 a month for 9 months, the balance can be paid in full at any time, and a payment more than 20 days late carries a $25 charge. The first day fee covers processing, orientation, the student handbook, study aids and texts.
Cancellation and refunds. If the school denies admission, or a student cancels within three business days of signing the enrollment agreement, all money paid is refunded; cancelling later but before classes begin refunds everything except the $100 registration fee. After the first day of class the first day fee is not refundable, and tuition owed is 5% of total tuition before 3% of scheduled hours, 10% before 5%, 20% before 10%, 40% before 25%, 60% before 35%, 70% before 50%, and all tuition from 50%, plus a $150 withdrawal fee. Refunds are issued within 45 days.
Curriculum
Nine units, 600 hours. Orientation (6 hours), general sciences (50), skin sciences (60), skin care practices and procedures (314), hair removal (40), makeup (30), facial machines and equipment (40), artificial lashes (10) and salon operations and communication (50) make up the course, shown below; the hours divide into 300 clinic, 154 theory and 146 flex-time hours.
Grading and progress. Grades are Excellent (93-100%), Very Good (85-92%) and Satisfactory (75-84%), below 75% is failing, and clinic work is approved or unapproved. Students must pass the junior final exam, at least two periodic senior evaluations and the senior final exam, keep a 75% cumulative average, attend at least 67% of scheduled hours, and finish within 150% of the program's length.
Graduation and licensure. Graduates complete all clock hours, classes and tests, meet their financial obligations and submit the State Board forms, and then receive a diploma. The Ohio Esthetician license requires passing the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board's written and practical examinations, at least a tenth-grade education and a minimum age of 16.
The required courses below are from The Spa School's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Name | Lecture | Lab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| General Sciences | 14 | 25 | 50 |
| Skin Sciences | 15 | 30 | 60 |
| Skin Care Practices & Procedures | 80 | 160 | 314 |
| Hair Removal | 10 | 20 | 40 |
| Makeup | 8 | 15 | 30 |
| Facial Machines & Equipment | 10 | 20 | 40 |
| Artificial Lashes/Extensions | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Salon Operations & Communications Skills | 14 | 25 | 50 |
| Totals | 154 | 300 | 600 |
Required Courses
| Name |
|---|
| Orientation |
| General Sciences |
| Skin Sciences |
| Skin Care Practices & Procedures |
| Hair Removal |
| Makeup |
| Facial Machines & Equipment |
| Artificial Lashes/Extensions |
| Salon Operations & Communications Skills |
| Totals |
Career Outcomes
Careers. The course prepares graduates for entry-level work as estheticians, skin care specialists or makeup artists in salons, spas, medical spas and dermatology offices.
Job help. The school does not guarantee employment, but it keeps a list of available job openings and offers counseling to any student or graduate who asks in writing.
What to expect as a Spa School student
The Spa School campus. The Columbus campus on North High Street has cosmetology classrooms and a clinic with shampoo bowls, dryers and a dispensary, plus classrooms and clinics for esthetics with current esthetics equipment and wet rooms for body treatments. The building is heated and air-conditioned, and every student is assigned a personal locker.
Student life. Students sign in daily in dress code with a full kit, take a daily shop duty, and keep food and drink other than closed water bottles out of class and clinic. The student clinic serves the public Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.