Please use this as a resource to answer your questions as you prepare to complete your program (and have reached 550 hrs) and become a licensed aesthetician.

How to Register and take your Aesthetics exams?

Students who have clocked 550 hours qualify to register.

STEP 1
Professional Credential Services (PCS) is the company that registers and handles the organization of your aesthetics licensure testing. This is the first part of many steps to receive your license. Please read all steps below to ensure you have fully registered and understand the process. You will not be able to schedule your exams with a partial registration. IMPORTANT: please choose a simple password as this will need to be shared in order for me to pay your testing fees. There are several steps in this process that might appear like you are repeating yourself. Please follow all instructions until you have added the $177 balance due to the cart for future payment.

1. Go to www.pcshq.com.
2. Click Applicants & Candidates
3. Click Cosmetology & Barbering
4. Click Arizona
5. Click Create an Account (First Time)
6. Creating a PCS Account (first time users only); enter valid, unique email address, your
   first and last name, date of birth, and Social Security number.
7. Click Create Account
8. Check your email account for a PCS system generated email.
9. Click link in email to verify account information and create PCS password. Choose a simple password like “swina2023”. This password will be shared with SWINA staff, allowing SWINA to go in and pay for your testing fees, as these fees were included as a part of your tuition.
10. Click Enable Account

STEP 2 
You must complete these steps even though it seems like you already have.

1. Click Applicant Home
2. Click edit profile (left side under your name/info)
3. Complete all required fields (Skip work address)
4. Click Save

STEP 3
You must complete these steps even though it seems like you already have.

1. Click on PCS HOME
2. Click Applicants & Candidates
3. Click Cosmetology & Barbering
4. Select Arizona
5. Click #3 Pre-register and pay for your Exams
6. You are now in the online application; select appropriate license type (AESTHETICS).
7. Continue with online application until all required fields have been completed. (must use name as it is listed on your Driver’s license/ID).
8. Name of School: Southwest Institute of Natural Aesthetics – Tempe ASL 26.
9. Enrollment date is the date you started your program. Completion date is your estimated graduation date, or the day you should clock 600 hours. This does not have to be exact.
10. Select Payment Option. (At this point, you should be able to SAVE APPLICATION add balance to cart. (click log off in upper right hand corner)
11. You will not be able to upload your passport photo and driver’s license until payment has been made by a SWINA employee.

STEP 4
Once application is complete (minus payment and uploading documents), please complete the
following steps:

1. Fill out a PCS Registration Information Form (copy and paste from below/or submit a manual form if preferred)
2. All fields on form must be complete in order for payment to be processed
3. Email to your advisor AM jenniferd@swiha.edu or PM jennyg@swiha.edu
4. Forms will be processed in the order received, and can take up to 3 weeks to process

PCS Registration Information Form
Today’s Date:
Full Legal Name:
Day or Night student:
Start Date:
Estimated Grad Date:
PCS User Name:
PCS Password:

If you will need ADA accommodations to help you take your aesthetics exams, please provide details here:

If you have any questions or concerns, please list them here.

What happens after I register to take my exams?

1. Once above information is received, Student Services will sign into your account and pay for your exams.
2. Once fees are paid, you will receive an email from PCS thanking you for submitting an Application, and letting you know they cannot process your application without your passport photo and driver’s license (id).
3. At this time, please follow instructions in the email to sign into PCS and upload documents. See below instructions on how to create a passport photo.
4. Once documents are uploaded, you will receive two separate emails from PCS with detailed instructions on how to schedule your theory and written practical exams.
5. Please read your scheduled test confirmations thoroughly and follow all instructions. You must print and bring your confirmation email with you to the testing center. If you fail to show up for your exam, you will forfeit your payment and must pay again to re-schedule. Refer to your confirmation email for rescheduling details as PCS has very strict rules.

Trouble scheduling / Rescheduling exams

If you are having any issues getting your test scheduled, please call Professional Credential Services (PCS) at 1-888-822-3272. They are very helpful!

How to create a passport photo online

Create & save your photos for future upload (you will need these at your exit interview as well)

Passport Photo
A passport photo is required to register for your aesthetics exams. Because this is a digital upload, a hard copy is not necessary. I have listed two options below to support you in getting a passport photo.

1. Create your own passport and receive a digital copy via email. There are many Apps out there that will help you do this, such as Photo Identite’ for around $7. Below are the requirements that must be met:
• White background
• Dark or non-white shirt
• No glasses
• 2inch x 2inch
• Face straight forward and centered  (the app will guide you through all of this)
2. Walgreens & Walmart can also take and print a passport photo for you. This would need to be scanned and saved in order to upload digitally.
3. Once you have your 2×2 digital photo, save it where you can easily access it later for upload during your application process.

Driver’s License / State ID
A copy of your Driver’s License or State ID (front only) is required to register for your aesthetic exams.

1. Take a picture of the front of your Driver’s license or State ID.
2. Save it where you can easily access it later for upload during your application process

Taking your exams / Testing Centers

• Bring a printout of your confirmation letter to the testing center.
• Expect to go through security and plan to place cell phone, purse, etc., into a locker.
• You will be given 90 minutes to test, which is plenty of time.
• Questions are computer based, multiple choice, and give you the option of skipping around and/or flagging items to come back to.
• Once you have finished your exam, you might see the result on the screen. If you do not see the result, kindly ask the representative at the testing center if they can print out your results. Most of the time they will, but technically, they do not have to and may tell you that you will receive an email within the next 6 business days including your results.

What happens once I pass both exams?

• Upon passing your first exam, you will receive an email from PCS stating you passed, showing your status as INCOMPLETE. This is because you have passed one of two exams.
• Upon passing your final exam, you will receive another email from PCS showing your status as PASS. WOOHOO – CONGRATS!! At this time, PCS will email the Arizona Barbering & Cosmetology Board (BCB) to let them know you have passed both exams. The BCB maintains and regulates your license and the practice of aesthetics. You will renew your license every two years through the BCB website at bcb.az.gov.

When can I register with the AZ Board of Barbering & Cosmetology (BCB)?

Once you pass both exams, and PCS informs the BCB, The BCB will send you an email stating they received notification from PCS that you have passed your boards, and that you need to register so that they can send your license. The BCB will not allow you to register until you have passed both exams.

PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REGISTER WITHOUT READING THE BELOW INFORMATION.

For 600 hour students, you will email your student services advisor to schedule a phone meeting, to complete your BCP application. The BCB requires a certificate of graduation from the school, in order to issue your license. Student Services will email the certificate of graduation for you to save. At the time of the phone meeting, please have ready the following; your head shot photo, certificate of graduation and your driver licenses as these will need to be uploaded to complete your application. Once your application is complete, your student services advisor will pay the $63 required fee. Once your file audit has been completed, an email will be sent to schedule your exit interview, where you will receive your diploma. ** VERY IMPORTANT: in order to allow Student Services to pay the $63 fee, you must forward your confirmation email to your Student Services Advisor A.M jenniferd@swiha.edu, P.M jennyg@swiha.edu, so that your advisor can “confirm” your email and make payment. If you “confirm” your email, you will be taken to a payment page that cannot be forwarded, hence causing a hiccup in the payment process.

For 780 hour students, this final step will be done once you clock 600 hours (verified by student services), and have taken and passed both of your aesthetics exams. The BCB requires a certificate of graduation from the school, in order to issue your license. A SWINA employee will pay the $63 required fee, and you will be provided with the necessary documents to be uploaded to the BCB in order to get your license. It is highly suggested that you take your exams prior to starting laser or as early into the program as possible. Tuition payments must be up to date in order to complete this process. ** VERY IMPORTANT: in order to allow Student Services to pay the $63 fee, you must forward your confirmation email to your Student Services Advisor A.M jenniferd@swiha.edu, P.M jennyg@swiha.edu, so that your advisor can “confirm” your email and make payment. If you “confirm” your email, you will be taken to a payment page that cannot be forwarded, hence causing a hiccup in the payment process.

When can I schedule my exit interview and receive my Diploma?

For 600 hour program students (aesthetics only)
Once you have clocked 600 hours, student services will send out a congratulations email, letting you know that your file is in the “audit” process. The audit process consists of a complete file audit to ensure all payments (personal & financial aid) have been made. Sometimes we have to wait on the Department of Education to respond, and accounting processes these in the order received, so audits can take 1-4 weeks.

Once your file is out of the “audit” process, student services will send an email informing you that you are ready to schedule your exit interview. KEEP IN MIND that you still need to take and pass both exams before you schedule your exit interview.

For 780 hour program students (aesthetics & laser)
Once you have clocked 780 hours, student services will send out a congratulations email, letting you know that your file is in the “audit” process. The audit process consists of a complete file audit to ensure all payments (personal & financial aid) have been made. Sometimes we have to wait on the Department of Education to respond, and accounting processes these in the order received, so audits can take 1-4 weeks. Once your file is out of the “audit” process, student services will send an email informing you that you are ready to schedule your exit interview. KEEP IN MIND that you still need to take and pass both exams before you schedule your exit interview.

Once your file is out of the “audit” process, student services will send an email informing you that you are ready to schedule your exit interview. KEEP IN MIND that you still need to take and pass both exams before you schedule your exit interview.

What is the last (most important) step needed in order to get my license?

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How do I print my license?

You will receive an email from the BCB that includes your aesthetics license. It is very important that you unblock pop-ups before printing. It is best to print from a laptop or desktop computer. You will have 3 opportunities to print. If you are not successful after 3 attempts, you will need to call the BCB for help at 480-784-4539.

Laser program students

During your exit interview, your student services advisor will provide all necessary documents needed to complete your laser application. Laser applications are submitted to the Department of Health Services and can take up to 6 weeks to process. There is a laser application fee of $30, paid by the student at time of the application is completed.