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Studies & Degrees in Hairdressing

Hairdressing is the trade of cutting, colouring, shaping and styling hair, together with the care of the hair and scalp. Training is practical and takes place largely in a training salon, on models and real clients. Students learn to assess the condition of the hair and scalp, to cut, to dye and bleach, to make permanent changes of shape, and to advise and look after the client throughout the service. Courses also cover hygiene and safety, hair cosmetics and the basics of selling and running a salon. Barbering is taught either inside the same course or as a separate qualification.

Hairdressing is a vocational subject almost everywhere: it is learned at vocational schools, colleges and private academies or through an apprenticeship in a salon, not at university.

Qualifications and levels

  • Spain. Hairdressing belongs to the vocational training (FP) family Imagen Personal. TodoFP, the vocational training portal of the Spanish Ministry of Education, lists a basic diploma in Peluquería y Estética, the intermediate cycle (grado medio) Técnico en Peluquería y Cosmética Capilar and the higher cycle (grado superior) Técnico Superior en Estilismo y Dirección de Peluquería. Both cycles last 2,000 hours. The intermediate cycle asks for the compulsory secondary certificate (ESO) or a higher qualification; the higher cycle asks for the Bachiller, an FP diploma or an entrance test. Private academies also teach their own courses, which lead to the academy's certificate and not to the official diploma unless the centre is authorised to teach the cycle.
  • United Kingdom. The National Careers Service names two main routes in England: a college course in hairdressing or barbering, or an apprenticeship such as the Hairdressing Professional Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship, the Barbering Professional Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship or the Creative Hair Professional Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship. These apprenticeships take between one and two years.
  • Australia. The trade qualification is the Certificate III in Hairdressing (SHB30416). Taylor Weir School of Hairdressing in Perth describes it as the minimum trade qualification level required to practise hairdressing in Australia. Its apprenticeship pathway is only available to Australian residents; international students take the fee-for-service course, which is full time over 46 weeks at three days per week. The school also teaches a Certificate II in Salon Assistant for beginners, a Certificate III in Barbering and a Diploma of Salon Management.
  • United States. Hairdressing is part of cosmetology. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), all states require barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists to be licensed, and candidates typically must graduate from a state-approved barber or cosmetology programme and pass an exam. Admission rules vary by state, and some states require a high school diploma or equivalent.

Where to study hairdressing

SpainExchange lists 13 active schools for hairdressing: four in Spain, three in the United States, three in the United Kingdom, two in Australia and one in Greece. In Spain they include IES Faro de Maspalomas, a public secondary school in Gran Canaria that teaches vocational training, and C&C Academia Casanova, a private network of academies with centres in Barcelona, Madrid and other cities. In the United Kingdom, Cornwall College and Gloucestershire College both have a hairdressing, barbering and beauty department, and West Thames College is in west London. The Australian schools are Taylor Weir School of Hairdressing in Perth and Holmesglen in Victoria. In the United States the list includes AVI Career Training in Virginia, Citrus College in California and Snow College in Utah. Nikos Amarantos is a private hairdressing school in Athens.

Courses are taught in the language of the country, and the right to work depends on the local rules: a US licence is issued by a state, and the Australian and British qualifications are national ones. Before enrolling, check whether the course leads to the official qualification of the country or to the school's own certificate, how many hours are spent in a real salon, and whether the course is open to students on a student visa.

Careers

Most graduates work in salons and barbershops. The Spanish intermediate diploma names jobs such as hairdresser, barber, technician in hair colouring and technician in haircutting, and the higher diploma leads to roles such as technical director of a hairdressing business, stylist and hair treatment specialist, including work for audiovisual, stage and fashion productions. In England, the National Careers Service notes that with experience a hairdresser can become a senior stylist or salon manager, open a salon or barbershop, or work freelance.

In the United States, barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists held 670,800 jobs in 2025. The BLS projects employment to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 80,300 openings a year on average.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to train as a hairdresser?

It depends on the country. The Spanish cycle Técnico en Peluquería y Cosmética Capilar lasts 2,000 hours, apprenticeships in England take between one and two years, and the full-time Certificate III in Hairdressing at Taylor Weir in Australia takes 46 weeks.

Do I need a licence to work as a hairdresser?

In the United States, yes: all states require barbers, hairstylists and cosmetologists to be licensed. In other countries the usual requirement is the national vocational qualification, such as the Certificate III in Australia.

Can I study hairdressing at university?

Normally not. Hairdressing is taught as vocational training, at colleges and private academies or through an apprenticeship.

What do I need to start hairdressing training in Spain?

For the intermediate cycle Técnico en Peluquería y Cosmética Capilar you need the compulsory secondary certificate (ESO) or a higher qualification, a basic vocational diploma, or an equivalent. Foreign school certificates have to be recognised in Spain first.