NCSC - National Certified School Counselor

The National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) certification validates the knowledge and skills of board-certified school counselors. To gain this certification, applicants must meet stringent education, examination, experience, supervision, and ethical requirements in school counseling to ensure the highest practice standards for schools and students. The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) offers the NCSC certification.

Eligibility

To be eligible for NCSC certification, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Achieved a passing score on either the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE)

• Hold the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential

• Completed supervised school field experience equaling one of the following:

  • Six semester or 10 quarter hours

  • Three semester or five quarter hours with 10 years of continuous experience as a state-licensed school counselor

  • Three semester or five quarter hours with 120 hours of direct supervision

• Completed 100 supervised hours of post-graduate school counseling

• Obtained professional endorsement from a colleague with a master’s degree or higher in a mental health field

• Completed 2 years or 3,000 hours in a school counselor position over at least 20 months

• Completed the following courses with two semester or three quarter hours of graduate-level credit:

  • A Foundations of School Counseling course

  • A least 3 of the following 5 courses:

    • Counseling Consultation and Program Development

    • Family Counseling

    • Counseling Children, Adolescents, and/or At-Risk Youth

    • Addictions Counseling

    • Counseling for Trauma, Violence, or Abuse

For full course requirements, refer to the NCSC Coursework guide.

Cost:

• NCSC: $250

• NCC without exam registration: $250

• NCC with exam registration: $375

• CCMHC without exam registration: $250

• CCMHC with exam registration: $375

Application Process

• Go to the NCSC page

• Click “Begin Application” under “Application Fees for Board Certification”

• Create an account or log in to ProCounselor 

• Click “Available Applications”

• Click “National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)”

• Complete the Ethics Attestation

• Insert payment information

The NCSC is valid for 5 years. To maintain certification, the NCSC must pay an annual fee and complete 100 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) every 5 years. The NCC and NCSC expire at the same time and applicants can renew them together.

Renewal Process

• Log in to the Credentialing Gateway

• Click on “My Certifications” on the left column 

• Click “Pay Now” under the “Recertification Details”

• Complete the Ethics Attestation

• Complete the Continuing Education Attestation

• Insert payment information

Renewal Fee: $85 Annually

NBCC emails an annual certification fee statement about 45 days before each due date. Renewal applicants may pay their annual certification fees online through the Credentialing Gateway or print out and submit their invoice along with their payment by mail.

To renew the NCSC certification, applicants must complete 100 general CEUs, with 25 of the 100 required in specialty CEUs for the NCSC. The specialty CEUs must relate to the following categories:

• Appraisal of individuals

• Group counseling

• Cultural diversity in counseling

• Career development

• Fundamentals of school counseling

• Supervised school counseling practicum

Renewal applicants don’t have to enter CEU documentation unless selected for an audit. If selected for an audit:

• Log in to the Credentialing Gateway

• Click on “My Certifications” 

• Click the “Continuing Education” tab

• Click the “Report CE” button at the bottom

Renewal applicants can also submit CEU documentation by:

• Mail: NBCC Recertification Department
  3 Terrace Way
  Greensboro, NC 27403
  

• Fax: 336-547-0017
  

• Email: [email protected]

• NCSC Coursework guide

• NCSC Eligibility Policy

• Content Outline for NCE exam

• Content Outline for NCMHCE exam

• Study guides for NCE and NCMHCE exams

The NBCC also offers the following certifications:

• Certified Mental Health Counselor (CMHC)

• Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)

• National Certified Counselor (NCC)

• National Counselor Examination (NCE)

• National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE)

Other related certifications include the NASP Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP).