An apprenticeship program usually lasts 1 to 2 years. Both public and private programs include classroom study, demonstrations, and practical work. Most schools provide students with the necessary hairdressing implements, such as manicure implements, combs, scissors, razors, and hair rollers, and include their cost in the tuition fee. Sometimes students must purchase their own. Beginning students work on mannequins or on each other.
Most schools now teach unisex hairstyling as part of their regular curriculums.
After graduating from a cosmetology program, students take the State licensing examination. The examination consists of a written test and a practical test in which applicants demonstrate their ability to perform the required services. In some States, an oral examination is included, and the applicant is asked to explain the procedures he or she is following while taking the practical test. In some States, a separate examination is given for persons who want only a manicurist's license or a skin care license. Some States have reciprocity agreements that allow a cosmetologist licensed in one State to work in another without reexamination.