Fall 2026 Cosmetology Admission Process - NMU Admissions

Currently, this program enrolls only for the Fall semester start term, and has limited space due to the number of stations in our beautiful new facility.  Enrollment in NMU's Fall 2026 Cosmetology program is based on two parts, admission to NMU and selection for the Cosmetology program. 

1. Admission to NMU. Please submit your completed admissions application, with Cosmetology as the selected major and high school and/or college transcripts. See nmu.edu/apply for more information. 
    
2. Once notified of your admission to NMU, set up your MyNMU account. Instructions can be found at nmu.edu/admissions/activate-mynmu.
    
3. Log in to apply.nmu.edu/cosmetology/ with your MyNMU user name and password. 
    
4. Follow instructions to submit the personal interest statement, record and upload a video of yourself answering the 5 questions listed on the form. 
    
5. Your completed application for admission to the Fall 2026 semester, personal interest statement and interview video must be received by January 15th, 2026 to be considered in the first round of selections. All submissions received after January 15, 2026 will be reviewed for a spot on the waitlist. 

Students who submit their selection materials, which include a personal interest statement and interview video, by January 15, 2026, will be notified by February 1st, 2026 of their status in the program - either as "selected" or "waitlisted".

Students submitting selection materials between January 16, 2026 and February 15th, 2026 will be reviewed for a spot on the waitlist. 

Student rank on the waitlist will be released on March 1, 2026 and as spots become available, they will be offered to the next student on the waitlist in rank order. 

Applicants who submit materials after February 15, 2026 will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist. 

Submission materials and waitlists created for the Fall 2025 term are NOT valid for the Fall 2026 term. 

If not selected for the program, students will be notified of their rank on the waitlist on March 1, 2026. As spots in the program become available an admissions counselor will contact students on the waitlist in rank order to offer a spot in the Fall 2026 cohort. If a student turns down the spot, it will go to the next person on the waitlist. 

Please stay in contact with your admissions counselor, you can find your admissions counselor here, to determine your rank on the waitlist. Waitlist ranks fluctuate depending on the decisions of the selected students. Although not guaranteed, every student on the waitlist for Fall 2025 was offered a spot in the program. 

Please Note: Students placed on the waitlist will not lose their spot if they change their major, withdraw their admissions application or change to a new enrollment term. Students on the waitlist will be contacted by NMU Admissions if a spot becomes available, regardless of changes to their major or enrollment standing.