How to become a barber
Facts checked
You can train to be a barber in a year or less on a Level 2 barbering course. Colleges and barbering academies run these courses, and many are part time. You practise on clients in a training salon, from clipper cuts to beard trims.
Some barbers start in a barbershop, as a trainee or an apprentice. You'd learn on the job and study part time to get qualified. With experience, you could rent a chair and work for yourself, or open a barbershop of your own.
Find out which courses on this route you can do free near you.
Check what you can get freeIt takes about a minute. We will email you a link to confirm your account and save your results.Ways in: choose the one that suits you
Learn on a barbering course
A Level 2 barbering course teaches cutting, fading, shaving and beard work. You're assessed cutting clients' hair while a tutor watches.
The course comes in two sizes, a certificate and a diploma. The certificate is smaller and usually part time, such as one day a week. The diploma is bigger, normally a year full time, and some add colouring.
Some colleges ask for a few GCSEs, including English and maths, and others interview you instead. Anyone new to salons can begin a step lower, on a Level 1 course in hairdressing and barbering.
Check which of these courses you can do free
Check what you can get freeTrain in a barbershop
Some barbershops take on trainees and teach them in the shop. The National Careers Service says your employer would expect you to take a part-time course, at a college or its own training school.
Working in the shop at least two days a week lets you take the Level 2 NVQ. You're assessed on your work with the shop's own clients.
Check which of these courses you can do free
Check what you can get freeFind a barbering apprenticeship
A barbering apprenticeship is a job in a barbershop with training at Level 2, over about 18 months. You earn a wage and pay nothing for the training.
Few barbering apprenticeships are advertised, so ask barbershops directly if they'd take you on. Employers often want some GCSEs, usually including English and maths.
Barbering qualifications
| Qualification | Level | How you take it | What it gets you | On JobYay | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 2 Certificate in Barbering | 2 | At a college or barbering academy, mostly part time, often in under a year. | The core barbering skills to start as a junior barber, and a way on to Level 3. | 89 courses for adults | Check what you can get free |
| Level 2 Diploma in Barbering or Barbering Studies | 2 | Full time at college for about a year. Many courses are for 16 to 18 year olds, some for adults. | A fuller Level 2, some with colouring, to start as a junior barber or go on to Level 3. | 52 courses | Check what you can get free |
| City and Guilds Level 2 Award in Cutting Men's Hair | 2 | A short course, about 53 hours of teaching. | A first award in men's cutting, or an extra for hairdressers. Not a full barbering qualification. | 6 courses | Check what you can get free |
| Level 1 NVQ Certificate in Hairdressing and Barbering | 1 | At college, often part time over about a year. | The basics of salon work, and a way on to a Level 2. | 24 courses | Check what you can get free |
| Level 2 Diploma in Women's and Men's Hairdressing, or Hairdressing and Barbering | 2 | At college, usually full time over a year. | Skills to cut and style women's hair as well as men's. | 24 courses for adults | Check what you can get free |
| Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Barbering | 2 | While you work in a barbershop, two or more days a week. Or full time at college, aged 16 to 18. | A Level 2 in barbering, like the certificate and diploma, proven in a working shop. | 14 courses | Check what you can get free |
| Barbering professional apprenticeship | 2 | Paid work in a barbershop while you train, for about 18 months, aged 16 or over. | Skills for the whole barbering service, shaving included, and a Level 2 diploma. | None open | Nothing for the training |
| Level 3 Certificate, Diploma or NVQ Diploma in Barbering | 3 | Usually after a Level 2, part time over about a year or full time. The NVQ needs a barbershop job or placement. | Work as a senior barber, renting a chair or running your own shop. | 56 courses | Check what you can get free |
Check which of these courses you can do free
Check what you can get freeThen
Go further at Level 3
At Level 3 you learn advanced cutting, wet shaves and facial massage, and how to run a barbering business. Most courses ask for a Level 2 first, and the Level 3 NVQ needs a job in a barbershop.
Check which of these courses you can do free
Check what you can get freeWork for yourself or run a shop
Once qualified, you could rent a chair in a barbershop and work for yourself, usually with your own tools.
With experience, you could manage a barbershop or open your own, and a business qualification can help with that. Some barbers go on to train or assess students, or work in theatre, film or TV.
According to the National Careers Service, barbers start on about £19,000 a year and earn about £30,000 once experienced. A typical week is 37 to 40 hours, on a rota that covers evenings and weekends.
Questions people ask
What qualifications do you need to be a barber?
A Level 2 in barbering is the qualification barbers train for. You can take it as a certificate or a diploma on a course. Or you can take it as an NVQ while you work in a barbershop. Level 3 comes next, with wet shaves and advanced cutting.
What's the difference between a barbering certificate and a diploma?
At Level 2, a diploma has about 350 to 500 hours of teaching, and a certificate about 140 to 260. A certificate is often part time, while a diploma is usually full time at college.
Some diplomas cover colouring as well. Either one is the Level 2 barbershops want to see.
How long does it take to become a barber?
It can take as little as 9 to 12 weeks, on a full-time Level 2 course at some private academies. At college, a Level 2 takes up to about a year, part time or full time.
An apprenticeship takes about 18 months, and training in a barbershop has no fixed length.
Are there barbering courses for adults?
Yes, and adults who train as barbers are often changing careers. Most Level 2 certificates are part time, so you can fit one around work or family.
Some colleges run full-time diplomas for adults, and some private academies teach beginners on short, intensive courses. You could also start a barbering apprenticeship at any age from 16.
Can you learn barbering online?
No. Every barbering qualification is assessed on haircuts you give to clients, with a tutor or assessor watching. So you learn hands-on, in a training salon or a working barbershop.
Are there free barbering courses?
Yes, some barbering courses can be free for you, and an apprenticeship's training always is. Whether a course is free depends on your age, where you live and the qualifications you already hold.
How do you get a barbering apprenticeship?
You often get one by asking barbershops yourself, as not many are advertised. The barbershop employs you, and you study for a Level 2 diploma with a training provider.
Anyone aged 16 or over who has left full-time education can start one.