NEW JERSEY ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LIST
PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
NJ ETPL Private Career School FAQ Page 1 of 6
What is a private career school (PCS)?
Private career schools offer career training to adults. They are also known as proprietary
schools. The definition of a private career school in New Jersey is a privately owned
postsecondary school that offers one or more occupational training programs and is a
qualifying school as defined by P.L. 2005, c. 354.
What PCS programs MUST be listed on the ETPL?
• All Private Career Schools MUST be listed on the ETPL.
The following program types that receive state or federal public funding MUST be listed on the
ETPL.
o Occupational skills training programs that result in a credential MUST be listed on
the on the ETPL. E.g.: credentials: licensures, certifications, certificates, vocational
skills training.
o All occupational skills training programs that prepare a student for employment and
wage outcomes MUST be listed on the ETPL. E.g.: paid and unpaid internships,
apprenticeship programs, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services pre-
employment transition services - work based learning experiences.
• NJDOL encourages all private career schools, for profit and not for profit, to register on
Intelligrants (IGX) system https://njdol.intelligrants.com as a Private Career School. When
you register, your organization and programs will be listed on the ETPL and visible to
prospective students visiting the NJ Training Explorer https://training.njcareers.org/
How much does it cost to become a PCS?
There is an initial, non-refundable, application fee of $1,150. Once an application is approved, a
Certificate of Approval is issued for two years. The cost of renewal is $900 for two years.
What is the process for becoming an approved PCS?
Initial applications are submitted into the Intelligrants IGX system for approval.
How long does it take to become an approved PCS once I have submitted the initial
application?
While the processing time for new applications varies, the average approval process for new
schools may take up to three months.
What information am I required to upload into my Intelligrants (IGX) account to ensure
compliance throughout my approval period?
• Quarterly report with SSNs of all New Jersey students who entered and exited.
• Annual report
NEW JERSEY ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LIST
PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
NJ ETPL Private Career School FAQ Page 2 of 6
• Student transcripts
What certifications do I need to keep updated to ensure compliance throughout my approval
period?
All PCS' must maintain the following up-to-date materials:
• Tuition performance bond
• Professional liability insurance
• Fire certificate (for in-person instruction locations only)
• Health certificate (if applicable)
• Lease (if school is rented)
Can an initial or renewal application be hand-delivered, mailed, or faxed to the Training
Evaluation Unit?
No. All applications must be submitted via the New Jersey Department of Labor's Eligible
Training Provider List (ETPL) Intelligrants (IGX) system.
Can I get an interim approval to operate as a new school?
No, all aspects of the PCS application must be complete to receive approval.
My PCS' Certificate of Approval is due for renewal. How long will the approval process take?
Your PCS Certificate of Approval renewal application should be sent to the NJ DOL Center for
Occupational Employment Information (COEI) 90 days prior to the expiration of the current
Certificate of Approval to allow sufficient processing time. The processing time for renewal
application varies, depending on the completeness of the application. Non-submission of the
required documentation will delay the processing.
Do I need approval as a PCS in New Jersey if I am approved in another state?
To be an approved PCS in New Jersey, PCS' located in New Jersey require approval.
Must a private career school have its own physical address?
Yes, unless the school offers online programming only.
Does my school require a Certificate of Occupancy?
Yes, with two exceptions:
1. If the school offers online programming only.
NEW JERSEY ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LIST
PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
NJ ETPL Private Career School FAQ Page 3 of 6
2. If the school operates within a building that was constructed before 1977, and the
space has not been changed and/or modified, then a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) will
not be available as the building is an old/historic site predating the necessity for a CO.
Our school is currently an approved PCS in New Jersey. Does my school also need to be listed
on the ETPL website?
Yes.
We are currently an approved PCS in New Jersey. How do we add new programs or modify
existing programs?
Existing PCS’ should log into their Intelligrants (IGX) system account and navigate to the
modifications module. Instructions can be found on the NJDOL COEI web
page.https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/contact-us/COEI.shtml
Our school is currently an approved PCS in New Jersey. How do we modify tuition, fees or
other costs associated with a program?
Existing PCS’ should log into their Intelligrants (IGX) account and navigate to the modifications
module. Instructions can be found on the NJDOL COEI web.
page.https://www.nj.gov/labor/labormarketinformation/contact-us/COEI.shtml
In addition to our location in New Jersey, our school has several locations across the country,
as well in Canada and Europe, and the exact training is offered in all of them. If a student
enrolls in one location but later wants to attend in New Jersey and return to the original
location, what additional documentation is required to be compliance?
An amendment to your school's enrollment agreement that explains that students are
permitted to complete modules from sister campuses is sufficient.
How can our private career school obtain approval to offer online programs only without a
school location?
New PCS’ that are offering online classes only apply for approval the same way that PCS’ that
offer in-person training do. If a school wants to change its mode of instruction, it must apply for
a modification in IGX.
What type of schools do not require approval by the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development as a PCS in New Jersey?
• A college or university licensed by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.
• A school, institution, or entity, including public or private schools below the college
level, which is regulated and approved by any other qualified government agency.
NEW JERSEY ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LIST
PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
NJ ETPL Private Career School FAQ Page 4 of 6
• A school which offers instruction which is avocational, cultural, or recreational in nature.
For additional information you can access training provider resources on the New Jersey
Training Explorer website.
What student information am I required to report?
All training providers submitting student records into the Intelligrants IGX system must do so on
a quarterly basis following the schedule outlined below. Each quarter, every ETPL provider is
required to upload data about all students who enrolled in that quarter (entrants) and all
students who completed or left training during that quarter (exiters). The entrants and exiters
files require the following information fields for all students enrolled in the program, including
private pay students.
NJDOL has always published program outcomes on its ETPL programs in the online Consumer
Report Card. What does the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s
(NJDOL) new quality assurance (QA) approach hope to achieve?
• Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the state’s training opportunities.
• Ensure that public workforce funds are spent wisely.
• Create opportunity for people in historically underserved populations.
• Create a culture of accountability and continuous improvement in post-secondary
career education.
• Protect career seekers from predatory training providers who charge high tuition but do
not improve their chances for employment or wage earning capacity.
• Elevate consumer protection as part of a larger state effort including public safety and
anti-discrimination.
When are training providers required to start including Quality Assurance (QA) data in ETPL
reports?
Starting July 1, 2022, training providers must include the new Quality Assurance data
requirements in the ETPL quarterly reports.
What are the data requirements that training providers need to report about ALL students,
i.e.: state/federally funded, private pay enrolled in their programs to comply with the QA
approach?
Each quarter, every ETPL provider is required to upload data about all students who enrolled in
that quarter (entrants) and all students who completed or left training during that quarter
(exiters). The entrants and exiters files require the following information fields for all students
enrolled in the program, including private pay students.
• Social Security Number
• First name, last name (correct spelling)
NEW JERSEY ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LIST
PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
NJ ETPL Private Career School FAQ Page 5 of 6
• Date of Birth
• Address: city, state, county, zip code
• Driver License or non-driver ID number
• Gender
• Race/Ethnicity
• Hispanic ethnicity
• WIOA participant
• Disability Status
• Program student is enrolled
• Entry date: date of enrollment
• Did student complete program
• Exit date: date of completion, date of termination
• Credential earned
When are my ETPL quarterly reports due?
Time Period
Reporting Deadline
January 1 - March 31
April 15
April 1 - June 30
July 15
July – September 30
October 15
October 1 – December 31
January 15
Can student transcripts/records be maintained electronically, or do they have to be contained
in a file cabinet at our school?
Electronic record keeping is permitted if the Department of Labor and Workforce Development
has access to all student transcripts/records.
What kind of tuition assistance/funding is available to postsecondary programs?
• Students pursuing training for an “in-demand” occupation are eligible for Individual
Training Accounts (ITAs) from their local One-Stop.
• Students are encouraged to investigate other tuition assistance opportunities here:
https://training.njcareers.org/tuition-assistance
NEW JERSEY ELIGIBLE TRAINING PROVIDER LIST
PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
NJ ETPL Private Career School FAQ Page 6 of 6
If you do not find the answer to your question here, please contact the NJ Department of
Labor, Center for Occupational Employment Information – Training Evaluation Unit at:
