National Award-Winning • Kentucky State-Licensed
Start Your Beauty Career in Louisville.
Louisville Beauty Academy is an affordable, flexible, state-licensed beauty school with nearly 2,000 licensed graduates. Six state-licensed schools — Cosmetology, Esthetics, Nail Technology, Shampoo & Styling, Eyelash Extension, and Beauty Instructor Training — we help you get licensed and get working.
- Special Congressional Recognition — Rep. Morgan McGarvey
- 2026 Kentucky Senate Recognition
- 2019 Kentucky Colonel Commission — Di Tran
- 2025 U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO-100 Honoree
- 2025 NSBA Advocate of the Year Finalist
- Nearly 2,000 Licensed Graduates
Everyone is welcome here. English • Español • Tiếng Việt • 한국어 • ភាសាខ្មែរ • Português • 简体中文
Get Free Program & Cost Info
Takes 30 seconds. A real person will follow up with everything in writing — no pressure, ever.
Prefer to text? 502-625-5531
Stop by 1049 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40204, see the school, ask real questions, and meet LBA staff or an instructor when available — no pressure, ever. Visiting in person is the best way to know if this is the right fit for you, and it puts you one step closer to the written licensing path.
Start Here: Choose the LBA path that fits you.
Different students need different next steps. Pick the closest path, then text, call, tour, or request written follow-up. Current written documents, signed enrollment materials, Kentucky Board requirements, PSI rules, and applicable law control.
Recognized Nationally. Trusted Locally.
An award-winning school you can verify.
Recognition earned at the national and local level — and every claim is documented in our public Proof Center. Pictured: our 2025 U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO-100 trophy.
Special Congressional Recognition
Presented by Congressman Morgan McGarvey, honoring LBA’s workforce, education, and community impact. View the record →
Kentucky State Senate Recognition
Senator Cassie Chambers Armstrong honored founder Di Tran and LBA in Frankfort — from Bardstown Road to the State Capitol. View the record →
U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO-100 Honoree
Named one of America’s top 100 small businesses — Enduring Businesses category. View the record →
NSBA Advocate of the Year Finalist
National Small Business Association recognition for advocacy and leadership. View the record →
Most Admired CEO
Founder Di Tran honored by Louisville Business First among the city’s most admired leaders. View the record →
Family Business Awards Rising Star Finalist
Louisville Business First and University of Louisville family business recognition. View the record →
JFCS MOSAIC Award
Founder Di Tran honored by Jewish Family & Career Services, celebrating outstanding immigrant and international leaders in Louisville. View the record →
Kentucky Colonel Commission
Founder Di Tran received the Kentucky Colonel recognition, documented in LBA’s 2019 public record with certificate and event photos. View the record →
Public Proof Center
Every award above is documented with date, source, and link in our public Proof Center. Verify it yourself →
Real Students. Real Graduates.
Join nearly 2,000 licensed graduates.
Real Louisville Beauty Academy graduates — including our newest 2026 graduates — celebrating real certificates and real licenses. Not stock photos. Your photo could be next.
Our Schools • Louisville, KY
Six state-licensed schools. One academy.
Louisville Beauty Academy is home to the School of Cosmetology, School of Esthetics, School of Nail Technology, School of Shampoo & Styling, School of Eyelash Extension, and School of Beauty Instructor Training — all Kentucky state-licensed, all in Louisville, KY.
School of Cosmetology
Complete cosmetology training in Louisville, KY — hair, skin, and nails on a flexible schedule that works around your life.
Explore cosmetology →School of Esthetics
Esthetician school in Louisville, KY — skincare, facials, and esthetics training with state-licensed instruction.
Explore esthetics →School of Nail Technology
Nail school in Louisville, KY — hands-on nail tech training that prepares you for Kentucky licensure and real salon work.
Explore nail technology →School of Shampoo & Styling
A fast, affordable, state-licensed pathway into professional hair care and salon styling.
See program & costs →School of Eyelash Extension
Specialized eyelash extension training for one of beauty’s fastest-growing services.
See program & costs →School of Beauty Instructor Training
Already licensed? Become a Kentucky state-licensed beauty instructor and teach the next generation.
See program & costs →Honest Answers • Accreditation, Funding & Cost
“Are you accredited?”
This is one of the most common questions we receive, and usually the person is really asking: can I use FAFSA or federal student aid here? Here is exactly how Louisville Beauty Academy works, in plain terms, so you have the full picture early.
We are Kentucky state-licensed.
LBA is licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and regulated by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. State licensure is what authorizes a school to deliver the training hours that lead to a Kentucky beauty license.
We do not participate in federal student aid.
LBA is not institutionally accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency and does not process FAFSA or Title IV federal student aid. This is a deliberate choice, and it is important information to have before you apply anywhere.
Why we made that choice.
Federal aid participation carries substantial administrative cost. By operating outside that system, LBA removes those layers and reflects the savings in the published program pricing you can read on this website today.
Sponsors, grants, and employers are welcome.
Students are often supported by employers, nonprofits, workforce programs, or family. Payments are received on the student’s behalf and applied to the student’s account. The student remains the responsible party under the signed agreement, and any sponsor paperwork is completed by the student.
A decision we documented publicly.
On December 10, 2025, LBA voluntarily discontinued its candidate status with NACCAS and refocused fully on Kentucky state licensure. We published our reasoning openly at the time, and it remains available to read in full. Read the announcement →
Please tour before you decide — anywhere.
Visit us. Visit others. You will spend hundreds of hours inside whichever building you choose, so see the space, meet the instructors, and notice how you are treated when you are still just a visitor.
Read the official data yourself.
Whatever school you are considering — including ours — look at the official federal information for that institution before enrolling or borrowing. The U.S. Department of Education publishes program-level data at College Scorecard and studentaid.gov. We do not characterize any other school; we simply encourage you to read the source.
Money questions deserve real answers.
You are an adult making an adult decision, and you are entitled to know the full price, what is included, what is conditional, what happens if you withdraw, and exactly where each dollar goes. You should be able to read the contract before you sign it, take it home, review it with your family, sleep on it, and come back with questions. If a cost question ever goes unanswered — here or anywhere — that is your signal to keep asking until you have it in writing.
That is why our tuition, our incentives, our payment terms, and our actual student agreements are published openly on this website. Take all the time you need. Ethical education begins with financial clarity, and we would rather you decide slowly and confidently than quickly and unsure.
See every cost, in writingWant to go deeper? Our published research on accreditation, federal aid, and financial transparency is clearly labeled as LBA’s own analysis and commentary — not official guidance: Understanding Licensure & Accreditation in Kentucky · The Architecture of Accountability · If You’re Using FAFSA at a Beauty School · Clarity in Finance Is Ethical Education · Cosmetology School: Fact and Myth
Accreditation status, aid participation, tuition, incentives, and payment terms are described in current written school documents and may change. Program costs and any conditional reductions are governed by the current signed student agreement. Nothing here is legal, financial, or licensing advice, and nothing here is a statement about any other institution.
You Are Closer Than You Think
You are closer than you think — and you are one text away.
Beauty school can feel like a big step. It does not have to be. The students who finish are simply the ones who started — and every one of them started with a single question. Ask yours whenever you are ready; we will answer clearly, in writing, with no pressure and no obligation.
You are a text away.
Questions about cost, schedule, documents, or where to begin? Text us. You will get a clear written answer — whether you enroll with us or not.
A license changes things.
Kentucky licensure is what allows you to practice professionally, build a clientele, and be recognized as a licensed beauty professional.
A program is the first step.
Completing a state-licensed program prepares you for the Kentucky Board exam. Licensure itself is granted by the Board after its own requirements are met.
Your hours are yours.
Attendance hours are recorded and reported under Kentucky requirements toward your program. Whenever you begin, those hours start working for you.
Getting Started Is Easy
Three simple steps.
Reach out
Fill out the quick form above or text 502-625-5531. Tell us which program interests you.
Visit & compare
Tour the school, meet instructors, and get current program and cost information in writing.
Enroll & begin
Sign your enrollment agreement with everything clearly documented — then start immediately. Every hour you attend counts toward your Kentucky license from day one.
Do you teach in Spanish, Vietnamese, or other languages?
Our classroom instruction is primarily in English — and our doors are open to everyone. On any given day you will hear three or more languages in this building. Our team and students help one another with advanced translation technology, patience, and genuine care, so no one is left behind while they learn. Read the full guide in your language:
Our Environment
A calm, protected place to become a professional.
People arrive here from every background and every walk of life. What they share is a decision to build something real. Our job is to protect the quiet, focused space that makes that possible — for every single person in the room.
Peace is protected here.
We maintain a no-disruption standard so learning is never interrupted. It is not about strictness; it is about respect. Everyone deserves to concentrate, practice, and grow without distraction. Conduct expectations are described in current written school documents.
Everyone belongs.
Every age, background, language, culture, and life story is welcomed with the same dignity. Many of our students are parents, immigrants, career-changers, and people beginning again. You are in good company.
Inside these walls: your craft.
Our facility is dedicated to beauty study, professional licensing preparation, and safety and sanitation practice — and nothing else. No side agendas, no distractions. Just the work that leads to your license.
Safety, taken seriously.
Sanitation and safe practice are not paperwork to us; they are how we protect students, clients, and the public. Learning them well is part of becoming someone others can trust.
Bring your effort. We will meet it.
We cannot want this more than you do — that part is yours. But if you bring honest work and steady attendance, you will never be doing it alone. Individual results depend on many factors, including each student’s own effort and circumstances.
The door stays open after graduation.
Graduates come back often — to share what they have learned, ask new questions, and grow into advanced skill. Continued mentorship is offered informally as our instructors’ and staff’s time allows. It is a welcome, not an entitlement, and availability varies.
“Come as you are. Bring your effort and your willingness to learn. We will protect the space, hold the standard, and walk with you — for as long as we are able.”
Environment standards, student conduct expectations, support services, and any continuing mentorship are described in current written school documents, are offered subject to availability and school discretion, and may change. Nothing on this page creates a contract or a promise of enrollment, completion, licensure, employment, income, or any particular outcome. Current signed agreements, school policies, Kentucky Board of Cosmetology requirements, and applicable law control.
Language Access • Student Resource Centers
“Do you teach in Spanish, Vietnamese, or other languages?”
We are asked this every week, so here is the honest answer. Instruction is primarily in English — that is how the licensing path, safety and sanitation standards, and official materials operate. But English is not a wall here. On a typical day, three or more languages are spoken in this building. Our instructors, staff, and students use advanced translation technology and simple human patience to make sure everyone understands. People translate for each other. People wait for each other. Nobody is embarrassed for still learning — every one of us is still learning something.
Understanding should never depend on which language you grew up speaking. We have published a full student resource center in seven languages — enrollment documents, translation support, contracts, costs, and exam-language guidance — so you and your family can review everything calmly, together, before deciding anything.
A note on examination languages. As checked on July 27, 2026, the live PSI Kentucky Board of Cosmetology catalog lists language-specific versions for Cosmetology, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and related instructor examinations in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Khmer, Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese. The same catalog shows Shampoo Styling in English and Spanish only.
We share this as published, and we are grateful to the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology and PSI for the access it represents. Availability can change: please confirm your current exam and language selection directly within the official KBC/PSI process before scheduling. Classroom instruction at LBA is conducted primarily in English, with multilingual support where available.
Text us in your language.
Write to us in whatever language feels most natural to you. Our team — supported by translation technology — will do our best to answer you in that same language. Please be patient with us along the way: your message may pass through more than one translation before it reaches a careful, complete answer.
This is not an afterthought at LBA — it is how the school was built. Our materials are digital by design, so they can be translated into virtually any language, and we pair that technology with real people who care. It is also one reason we put everything in writing: written words can be translated, re-read, shared with family, and returned to later. Spoken words cannot.
One thing you can count on: we will work hard to serve you well.
Text 502-625-5531 — in any languageA gentle note: we are a beauty school, not a translation agency, and our team are not certified or professional translators. We use translation technology alongside staff and students who speak several languages, and we offer this help as our time and tools allow. Some wording may not carry perfect nuance — please forgive any imperfection, and simply ask us to explain anything that is unclear. We would rather offer imperfect help than leave you without information. Where a certified translation is required, please use a certified translator. Current written school documents in English, signed agreements, Kentucky Board of Cosmetology requirements, and applicable law control.
In Service of the Profession • Law, Regulation & Compliance
Teaching and informing — from the official source.
Students, graduates, and fellow professionals sometimes ask us about Kentucky beauty law, sanitation standards, licensing steps, and license transfers. We are honored to be asked. Our role is to teach and to inform — we share official requirements as published, and help students learn how to read and follow them. We keep two lanes clearly separate: student guidance, which shares official requirements as published without interpretation, and institutional research and commentary, which is plainly labeled as our own analysis. The Kentucky Board of Cosmetology is the source, and we point to it directly.
The Kentucky Board of Cosmetology is the source. The Board exists to protect the public, and its requirements are the reason a Kentucky beauty license carries real meaning. Its standards for sanitation, training hours, examination, and professional conduct safeguard every client who sits in our chairs. We are grateful for that work. We also recognize PSI for administering licensing examinations with consistency and care.
Our student guidance shares official requirements as published — not interpretation or advice. Our research, doctrine, and podcast writing is clearly identified as Louisville Beauty Academy’s own analysis and policy commentary; it reflects our institutional perspective and is not official guidance from any regulator. Please ask us anything; we will answer as clearly as we can and show you where the official requirement lives. For any determination affecting your license, hours, transfer, or examination, contact the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (kbc@ky.gov) directly. Requirements may change; the Board’s current published rules, PSI bulletins where applicable, and applicable law control. Nothing here is legal, immigration, financial, or licensing advice.
Latest From LBA
Published this week.
We publish continually on law, licensing, sanitation, student protection, and the beauty workforce — more than 790 pieces to date, and growing every week.
Contact
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Enrollment & Tours
Questions about programs, costs, schedules, or visiting the school.
Text 502-625-5531Questions? Answered.
Frequently asked questions.
Are you accredited? Can I use FAFSA or federal student aid?
Louisville Beauty Academy is licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and regulated by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology. We are not institutionally accredited by a federally recognized accrediting agency, and we do not process FAFSA or Title IV federal student aid. That is a deliberate choice: operating outside the federal aid system removes significant administrative cost, which is reflected in the published pricing on this site. Sponsors, employers, nonprofits, and workforce programs may support a student, with payments applied to the student’s account and the student remaining the responsible party. Before enrolling or borrowing anywhere, we encourage you to review official federal information at College Scorecard and studentaid.gov.
How much does beauty school cost at Louisville Beauty Academy?
LBA is built for affordability, with clear written tuition and payment options for every program. Current costs and incentives are on our Programs & Costs page and are always confirmed in writing before you enroll.
How long does it take to get licensed?
LBA has open enrollment — you can enroll and start immediately, no semesters or waiting lists. Every clock hour you attend is reported to the Kentucky State Board toward your license requirement (1 hour attended = 1 hour reported), and licensing study begins day one with safety and sanitation. Starting sooner means finishing sooner. Text us for the current written program outline.
Is Louisville Beauty Academy state-licensed?
Yes. LBA is a Kentucky state-licensed beauty school, and our training is built around Kentucky Board of Cosmetology requirements.
Do you support students who speak Spanish or other languages?
Yes. LBA proudly welcomes multilingual students and offers translation and document support, including a Spanish enrollment guide.
How do I get started?
Fill out the quick form at the top of this page or text 502-625-5531. You’ll receive program and cost information in writing, and you can schedule a tour before deciding.
More questions? Visit our full FAQ →
Your future in beauty starts today.
Join the school with nearly 2,000 licensed graduates. Ask us anything — we’ll answer in writing, clearly.
Text Us Now: 502-625-5531Louisville Beauty Academy is a Kentucky state-licensed school. Program details, costs, schedules, and enrollment terms are confirmed in current written documents, which govern together with Kentucky Board of Cosmetology requirements and applicable law. Recognition and statistics are documented in our Proof Center.
