Principles of Management
Self-paced online Principles of Management course (Business 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
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How to become a nursing facility administrator in Texas
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
How to become a nursing facility administrator in Texas: earn a bachelor's degree in any subject, complete 12 semester credit hours in long-term care administration covering the NAB domains, finish a 1,000-hour AIT internship with an HHSC-approved preceptor, pass the NAB and state exams, and apply to HHSC. Fees start at $100 to apply.
The five steps at a glance
Each step has its own timeline and cost. Here they are in order, as HHSC's FAQs and 26 TAC 555.12 set them out for the bachelor's track.
| Step | What it means | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bachelor's degree | Any subject, from an accredited college | The college that grants it |
| 2. Long-term care hours | At least 12 semester credit hours covering the NAB domains | HHSC, at application |
| 3. AIT internship | 1,000 hours with an HHSC-approved preceptor in a licensed nursing facility | HHSC and the preceptor |
| 4. Exams | NAB exam and Texas state exam | Testing vendor and HHSC |
| 5. Licence | Apply to HHSC with fees | HHSC |
Step 1: the bachelor's degree
The subject does not matter on this track; the accreditation does. HHSC's FAQs say the degree must come from a school approved by an accrediting association recognised by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. If you are part-way through a degree, finishing it is often the longest step. Count your credits, then plan the rest with a college that grants the degree. Ask for a written degree audit so you know exactly which courses remain, and keep it with your other licence papers. A clear audit also helps you see which remaining courses could be taken online and which must be taken at the college itself.
Step 2: the 12 long-term care hours
The rule asks for 12 semester credit hours in long-term care administration or its equivalent, covering all NAB domains. Texas colleges with long-term care administration programmes, such as Del Mar College, offer this coursework. Some older pages still say 15 hours; the current rule says 12. Before you pay for any course, ask HHSC in writing whether it qualifies.
Step 3: the AIT internship
The administrator-in-training internship is 1,000 hours on the bachelor's track, with an HHSC-approved preceptor in a licensed nursing facility. At 40 hours a week that is about six months. Applicants with a health administration or nursing degree plus management experience, a related master's, or out-of-state administrator experience may qualify for a 500-hour internship instead. Keep a dated log of your hours signed by the preceptor, because HHSC asks for proof of the internship with your application.
Steps 4 and 5: exams and the licence
HHSC's FAQs list the costs and the main exam rule. Budget for these on top of coursework and any unpaid internship time.
- Application: $100
- NAB exam: $455
- State exam: $210
- Initial licence: $250
- Three failed attempts at either exam means repeating the 1,000-hour internship
Where UPI Study can help
Only with step 1. UPI Study courses in management, healthcare finance, healthcare HR and general education carry ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit and can count toward a bachelor's via a college transcript, if the degree college agrees. TESU, UoPeople and Newlane are partner colleges that consider such credit. We do not offer the long-term care hours, the internship or exam preparation. Ask the degree college in writing which courses it will count before you start.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask HHSC NFA licensing in writing whether your planned coursework meets the 12 long-term care administration hours, and ask the degree college in writing which credits it will count, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to become a nursing home administrator in Texas?
If you already hold a bachelor's, the long-term care hours and the 1,000-hour internship often take about a year together, plus exam time. Without a degree, add the time to finish it, which depends on how many credits you already have.
Who can be my AIT preceptor in Texas?
An HHSC-approved preceptor at a licensed nursing facility. Ask a facility whether it has one and whether it takes interns, and confirm the preceptor's approval with HHSC before you start counting hours.
Is the internship paid?
That depends on the facility; the rule sets the hours and the preceptor, not pay. Some facilities hire interns as staff during the AIT period. Ask each facility before you agree to a placement.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Healthcare Organization and Management
Self-paced online Healthcare Organization and Management course (Health 302). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Healthcare Finance and Budgeting
Self-paced online Healthcare Finance and Budgeting course (Health 301). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Management and general education courses toward the bachelor's.
Sources
- Texas HHS: NFA FAQs (official)Bachelor's in any subject from an accredited college; at least 12 academic credit hours in long-term care administration or its equivalent covering the NAB domains; at least 1,000 AIT internship hours with an HHSC-approved preceptor; NAB and state exams; fees: application $100, NAB exam $455, state exam $210, initial licence $250. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- 26 Tex. Admin. Code 555.12, Licensure Requirements (Cornell LII copy)(a)(1) bachelor's in any subject + 12 semester credit hours in long-term care administration + 1,000-hour internship; (a)(2) health-related bachelor's + 3 years management + 500 hours; (a)(4) master's in health administration or nursing + 1 year management + 500 hours; (a)(5) health services executive qualification. Amended eff. 18 Sep 2024. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.