Hair Braiding License — Admissions & Enrollment

History of hair braiding, disinfection and sanitation, bacteriology, disorders and diseases of the hair and scalp, personal hygiene and public health, professional ethics.

Tools and equipment, basic styling knowledge, client consultation and face shapes, growth patterns, braid removal and scalp care, styles and sectioning, client education (pre-care, post-care, home care).

Single braids with and without extensions, cornrows with and without extensions, twists and knots, multiple strands, hair locking, weaving and sewn-in techniques, product knowledge.

Illinois Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding and Nail Technology Act, salon management, human relations and salesmanship, Workers’ Compensation Act.

Yes. Illinois requires a Hair Braider License issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to braid hair professionally for compensation. The license requires completing 300 hours of approved training at a licensed hair braiding school.

It depends on your schedule. At LYS School you can complete the 300-hour program in as few as 9 weeks on a full-time schedule, or take up to 42 weeks on a lighter part-time schedule. You choose your own days and hours within school hours (9am–5pm, 7 days a week). Use our timeline calculator to estimate your specific completion date.

At LYS School the required fees for the Hair Braiding License program total $2,325 — this includes tuition ($2,025), application fee ($50), registration fee ($50), and technology fee ($200, which includes your digital textbook). Optional add-ons include a physical textbook ($150) and school kit with mannequin and supplies ($200). Payment plans are available. Use our tuition calculator to see your full cost breakdown.

Yes — many LYS students balance school with work and family responsibilities. Because you choose your own days and hours within our 9am–5pm schedule (7 days a week including weekends), you can build a schedule that works around your existing commitments. During Phase 1 (first ~100 credited hours) you’ll commit to either a weekday or weekend track. After that more flexibility opens up.

A cosmetology license requires 1,500 hours of training and covers a broad range of beauty services including hair, skin, and nails. A hair braiding license requires only 300 hours and focuses specifically on natural hair braiding techniques. If your goal is to braid hair professionally, the hair braiding license is the faster and more affordable path.

Yes. LYS School offers in-house payment plans and works with BNPL providers including Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay. A payment plan setup fee of 8.5% applies to the required fees total ($2,325). For in-house plans this fee is rolled into your balance. For BNPL it is collected upfront at enrollment. LYS School is also an approved WIOA training provider — WIOA may cover your full cost.

WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) is a federal program that funds job training for eligible individuals — including unemployed, underemployed, and career-changing adults. If approved, WIOA can cover your full program cost at LYS School. You must apply through your local Illinois workNet Center before your enrollment start date. LYS does not administer WIOA applications. Visit illinoisworknet.com to find your nearest center and start your application.

After completing your first 35 credited hours you’ll begin practicing on real clients in the LYS student salon under instructor supervision. This is a requirement under Illinois administrative code — schools must post signs stating services are provided by students — and it’s one of the biggest advantages of LYS’s hands-on training approach.

After passing your graduation exam LYS School will set up a dedicated session to walk you through the IDFPR Hair Braider license application process. Once you submit your application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, you’ll wait to receive your license. The initial license fee is $30. LYS is one of the few schools that walks graduates through this process — you won’t be navigating it alone.

Illinois state rules require hair braiding school students to hold a high school diploma or GED, or to be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance. Admissions will confirm your eligibility when you apply.

There is no minimum weekly hour requirement — you build your own schedule within school hours (9am–5pm, 7 days a week). However, the schedule you map out on your forecasting sheet at enrollment becomes your commitment. Consistency is important because you need to complete 300 credited hours and pass all 13 chapter tests to graduate.

A forecasting sheet is a planning document you complete at enrollment where you map out every day and hour you plan to attend. LYS uses it to confirm your projected end date and chapter test schedule. It also protects you — you’ll always have a clear record of your plan versus your actual attendance, so there are no surprises about where you stand in the program.