FAQ
How long does CNA training take in Texas?
Texas requires a minimum of 100 clock hours: 60 hours of classroom and 40 hours of clinical or skills-lab instruction. At Faith Forward you can complete those hours in two weeks on the weekday track (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), or across four weekends on the weekend track.
How much do CNA classes cost in the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
Faith Forward's Certified Nurse Aide program is $950, which includes curriculum and e-books. A $250 deposit reserves your seat and applies toward tuition; the balance can be set up on payment plans with automatic payment withdrawals, or you can pay against your invoice during the program as you wish. Your balance must be paid in full to graduate, receive your certificate, and be approved to state test. The state competency exam is a separate $125 fee paid to Prometric. Payment plans and workforce funding are available.
Can I take CNA classes on weekends or evenings?
Yes. The weekend track meets Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. across four weekends, leaving Sunday mornings free. The evening hybrid track runs 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and combines online coursework with in-person skills labs and clinicals. Weekday students finish in two weeks. The evening classes are scheduled only a few times per year for the Nurse Aide Program. The weekday and weekend classes are scheduled year-round, and all class start and end dates can be found on our home page.
What are the requirements to enroll in a Texas CNA program?
To enroll at Faith Forward Healthcare Training Academy Nurse Aide program, you must be at least 16, have an eighth-grade education or higher, provide a Social Security card and a driver's license or state ID, and clear a criminal background check. Black scrubs are required for clinical days, and a $250 deposit holds your seat. No high school diploma or GED is required. Must be able to read, write, and speak English. The state certification exam is also offered in Spanish.
Do I need a high school diploma or GED to become a CNA in Texas?
No. Texas does not require a high school diploma or GED for nurse aide certification, and Faith Forward's admission standard is an eighth-grade education or higher. You do need to read, write and understand English well enough to complete the coursework and pass the state competency exam, which is offered in both written and oral formats.
How do I take the Texas Nurse Aide Competency Exam?
After completing a state-approved program you register with Prometric, which administers the exam for Texas Health and Human Services. It has two parts: a written or oral knowledge test and a hands-on skills evaluation. The fee is $125 for written plus skills, or $135 for oral plus skills. You have three attempts within 24 months of finishing your program. Faith Forward Healthcare Training Academy assists students with enrolling for their TULIP account and completing the initial application for testing. TULIP is the state managed website for Nurse Aides to manage their certifications moving forward.
What is the difference between a Medication Aide and a Medical Assistant?
They are different credentials for different settings. A Texas Certified Medication Aide holds an HHSC permit to administer medications to residents in long-term care under nurse supervision. You are required to hold an ACTIVE CNA Certificate to be enrolled in the Medication Aide Program. A Medical Assistant works in clinics and physician offices, handling both clinical tasks such as vitals, injections and phlebotomy and front-office work. Texas permits medication aides; it does not license medical assistants. Faith Forward Healthcare Training Academy Medical Assistant students test with the NHA for national certification.
How long is the Medication Aide program and who is it for?
The HHSC-regulated Medication Aide course is 100 classroom hours plus 40 clinical hours. It is built for direct-care staff already working in long-term care: state rules require you to be employed at a facility or home health agency as a nurse aide by the FIRST DAY OF CLASS for the Medication Aide Program, or non-licensed direct care staff must have at least 90 days of that employment in the twelve months before your course begins. Faith Forward Healthcare Training Academy's program is two months, is hybrid with a live Instructor, and classes are held on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday evenings.
What certification do your Medical Assistant graduates earn?
Faith Forward Medical Assistant graduates certify through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), the certifying body behind the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant credential. NHA certification is recognized by employers across Texas and nationally.
How do I renew a Texas CNA certification?
Texas nurse aide certification renews every two years, and HHSC requires 12 in-service or continuing education hours each year - 24 hours by the time you renew. You also need documentation of employment services (Form 5506) signed and notarized, performed under RN or LVN supervision. Faith Forward's $69 renewal service gives you access to our in-service modules and walks your renewal application through Tulip. Faith Forward Academy does not guarantee renewal, you must meet the requirements that HHSC requires for renewal. Faith Forward Academy will assist you through the process until it is complete.
Can Workforce Solutions pay for my CNA training?
Often, yes. Faith Forward works with Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County, Dallas County, Seguin/Guadalupe County, the Rise Up young adult program, and Community Action Partners in Fort Worth. Eligibility depends on income, employment status and age, and funding must be approved before you enroll rather than reimbursed afterward. Start at your local Workforce Solutions office and have them contact us; we are TWC-approved school #S5322. We can also assist you with the Inquiry to one of the above funding resources if you need assistance.
What can I earn as a CNA in Texas?
Nursing assistants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area average roughly $19.50 an hour, with reported wages running from about $16 to $27 depending on setting, shift and experience. Hospitals and hospice generally pay more than long-term care, and night and weekend differentials add to base pay. Adding a Medication Aide permit typically raises earnings further, by about $3- 5$ more per hour generally.
Do you help graduates find jobs?
Yes. Our affiliated staffing company, Forward Action Recruiting and Staffing, places healthcare workers with facilities across Texas through crisis coverage, two-to-twelve-week assignments and direct-hire placements once the graduate passes their state exams and becomes licensed. We have also worked with facility and hospital partners since opening in 2018 and grown a network of successful hiring partners that all of our students gain access to.
Is Faith Forward a state-approved school?
Yes. Faith Forward Healthcare Training Academy is approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges, as school #S5322. Our Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program is approved by Texas Health and Human Services. The school was founded in 2018 and is owned and directed by a registered nurse with more than two decades in nursing leadership.
Where are your campuses?
We have three.
Arlington, our main campus, is at 4772 Little Road, Arlington, TX 76017, near Interstate 20. Richardson is at 1060 W. Campbell Road, Suite 200, Richardson, TX 75080, serving North Dallas and Plano.
Seguin is at 1215 E. Court Street, Seguin, TX 78155, inside Guadalupe Regional Medical Center.
Our hybrid Medication Aide program is available statewide.