Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Apply to Nursing Assistant, non-credit or credit training

The Nursing Assistant program accepts up to 40 for a fall, winter, and spring cohort on a first-come, first-served basis. This number is subject to change based on capacity.

How to apply

• Apply to PCC

  All students applying to the Nursing Assistant program must be admitted to PCC and have their PCC student identification number (begins with the letter G). Applying to PCC is free and only takes a few minutes. Complete this step early so you can start using PCC resources.

  • Credit applicants:
    • Choose the program and degree or certificate you’re interested in completing.
    • If you are interested in the Nursing Assistant course exclusively and do not plan to complete a different degree at PCC, select “Nursing Program” in the program section of the “enrollment information” page.
  • Non-credit applicants:
    • In the “choose your program” section of the “enrollment information” page, select “Nursing Assistant Training Certificate”.
    • Under “select the degree or certificate you’d like to complete”, select “Nursing Assistant Training Certificate, Less than 1 Year (NFA)”.

  Apply to PCC
  

  Application timeline

  See a detailed admission timeline.

  Program start date	Application period
  Fall 2026	The application is closed
  Winter 2027	September 1, 2026 at 8am – September 30, 2026 at 5pm
  Spring 2027	November 16, 2026 at 8am – December 14, 2026 at 5pm

• Watch a pre-recorded information session

  Information sessions cover an overview of the career, admissions process, details about the program, and an in-depth explanation of the application process.

• Meet minimum application requirements

  Make sure you meet the program readiness and standards and can meet the attendance requirements.

• Gather pertinent information

  • Make sure your required vaccinations are up to date.
  • Decide if you will take the course for credit or non-credit.
  • If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to show proof of English proficiency.

• Submit your Nursing Assistant application

  The PCC Nursing Assistant non-credit training course offers morning and afternoon sessions at two locations: Sylvania Campus and the CLIMB Center. You will be required to choose your preferred location on your application.

  Please note: To access the Nursing Assistant application, you will also be asked to log in to your Panther Portal admissions application account. This is different from your MyPCC account. If you don’t remember your password, click the forgot password link on the login page.

  • Apply to the Winter 2027 Nursing Assistant course starting at 8am on September 1, 2026.
  • Apply to the Spring 2027 Nursing Assistant course starting at 8am on November 16, 2026.

After you apply

Once the application closes, the first 40 qualified applicants will be offered a spot in the program. The program will also select 20 students as alternates. Alternates will be offered a spot in the program if any of the accepted students fail to meet the preregistration DISA/Castlebranch requirement and/or completion deadline.

Admissions timeline: Winter 2027

• October 9, 2027: Accept seat offer
  • If offered a spot in the program, students will be asked to confirm their placement by completing a form. Students should be checking their personal and PCC email daily to ensure they do not miss time-sensitive communication.
• October 15, 2027: Begin preregistration requirements
  • Admitted students will receive an Evite from DISA/CastleBranch to create their account and begin fulfilling DISA/CastleBranch pre-registration requirements.
  • These requirements include:
    • A background check, drug screen, uploading vaccination documentation, and completing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and OSHA compliance online training modules.
    • Students will need a valid credit or debit card and must be prepared to pay for their DISA/Castlbranch account. DISA/Castlbranch fees are $216 per student. Prices are subject to change.
    • Students will also need to have a current CPR/BLS certification. The certification must be issued by the American Heart Association and is specific for healthcare providers or Basic Life Support (BLS) providers.
• November 6, 2026: DISA/CastleBranch and CPR/Basic Life Support (BLS) completion deadline
  • Failure to complete CPR/BLS and DISA/CastleBranch requirements by November 6 will result in removal from the winter term course.
    • If you are removed from the course and choose to reapply for a future term, you will be required to resubmit all of the above requirements and pay the DISA/CastleBranch fee again.
• December 3, 2026 at 8am: Sylvania Campus mandatory in-person orientation
  • Applicants who selected the NA course location at the Sylvania Campus will attend orientation at Sylvania. Orientation details will be shared with applicants in their acceptance email.
  • What to expect: During the orientation, students will review the class schedule, key policies and clinical site expectations, as well as connect with faculty and classmates.
  • Dress code: Students should wear business casual dress to attend the orientation (avoid ripped jeans, shorts, overly fitted clothing, graphic tees, or tank tops). Closed-toe shoes are required (no sandals, Crocs, or open-toed shoes allowed). During the orientation, students will be required to take a picture for clinical badges.
  • What to bring: Government-issued ID and a notebook or laptop.
• December 4, 2026 at 8am: CLIMB Center mandatory in-person orientation
  • Applicants who selected the NA course location at the CLIMB Center will attend orientation at CLIMB. Orientation details will be shared with applicants in their acceptance email.
  • What to expect: During the orientation, students will review the class schedule, key policies and clinical site expectations, as well as connect with faculty and classmates.
  • Dress code: Students should wear business casual dress to attend the orientation (avoid ripped jeans, shorts, overly fitted clothing, graphic tees, or tank tops). Closed-toe shoes are required (no sandals, Crocs, or open-toed shoes allowed). During the orientation, students will be required to take a picture for clinical badges.
  • What to bring: Government-issued ID and a notebook or laptop.
• Week of December 7, 2026: Nursing Assisting department registers the incoming cohort for the NA course
  • Students who attend the orientation and complete their DISA/CastleBranch clinical requirements by November 6, 2026, will be registered for the course by the Nursing department during the second week of December.

Anticipated admissions timeline: Spring 2027

Questions?

The best way to contact the Nursing Assistant program is to email the team at na@pcc.edu. Prior to contacting the program, read through the following pages carefully: frequently asked questions and program readiness and standards.