Nuvani Institute Uvalde, TX

The school traces its beginnings to 1985, when the Eagle Pass campus was organized. It was approved as a main campus in 1989, and a Del Rio branch followed in 1996. A Uvalde branch opened in 2006, and two Austin branches were established in 2009, with the North Highway 183 location later closing and its students moving to the William Cannon campus. The San Antonio campus was purchased in 1987 through the assets of Johnson's Beauty College, and it moved to its current building in 2003 to add parking. The business was renamed Nuvani Institute in June 2014, having previously operated as S.W. School of Business & Technical Careers, and it was bought by EDCO SYSTEMS, L.P. in May 2010.

The Cosmetology Operator program is 1,000 clock hours and prepares students for the Texas hair stylist license. Its courses include shampooing, hair and scalp treatment, cold waving, chemical hair relaxing, hair coloring, manicuring, facials, haircutting and styling (the largest block at 375 clock hours), chemistry and salon management. A day program takes about 34 weeks and an evening program about 50 weeks when completed in normal time. The Esthetician program is 750 clock hours and focuses on facial treatments, skin anatomy, equipment, makeup, sanitation, hair removal and aromatherapy, with a day option of about 25 weeks. The Manicure Specialist program is 600 clock hours across seven courses covering manicures, pedicures, nail sculpting, nail art and nail wrapping, and runs about 20 weeks by day or 30 weeks by evening. Graduation for each program requires finishing within 150 percent of the program length and keeping an average of at least 70 percent on academic and practical or clinical work.

Classes are scheduled Tuesday through Saturday from 8am to 5pm at every campus, and the Austin campus also runs evening classes Monday through Friday from 5:30pm to 9:30pm. Prospective students can tour the facilities and meet with current students and instructors, and friends and family are welcome to come along. Admissions are rolling, with frequent start dates through the year and no waiting list. Applicants must be at least 17 and hold a high school diploma or GED, and students who qualify under ability-to-benefit rules may be accepted if previously enrolled at an accredited institution. Students need a State of Texas Student Cosmetology License during training and must complete the required TCC General Rules and Regulations book. Uniforms are provided at the student's expense.

The school is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and its campuses are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Graduates are prepared for the state written and practical exams and are eligible to sit for the State Board examination in cosmetology, manicuring or esthetics. Federal financial aid options named by the school include the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, William D. Ford Direct loans, Direct PLUS loans and Nuvani Institute scholarships, with FAFSA school codes listed for each campus group. The school also advertises an on-time graduation reward of up to $2,000 and grant savings of up to $7,000 for students who qualify, and it provides job placement support without guaranteeing placement. Its stated mission is to train students in a climate of intellectual freedom, to meet the needs of its multicultural community, and to help each student become a self-directed lifelong learner.

The school's mission centers on quality training in a climate of intellectual freedom, aimed at graduates who keep learning and contribute to their communities.

Campuses range from a roughly 5,000-square-foot space on the historic square in downtown Uvalde to a 13,600-square-foot facility in Eagle Pass, with classrooms, labs, student lounges and client areas.