Find accredited online counseling programs by searching sites such as the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs and the American Psychological Association (See Resources). Examples of accredited schools that offer online counseling programs are Capella University and Walden University. Check with your local universities to see if they offer online options.
Visit your state's Department of Health Web site, which will have a link to or contact information for the state's Board of Counseling, to research your state's requirements for licensure. To make sure your school meets the board's requirements, check the requirements against your school's course listing. If you have trouble verifying requirements, call your state's board of counseling.
Complete the online application for the school of your choice. Send to the admissions office copies of your high school and any college transcripts. If applying for a post-graduate program, submit GED scores.
Complete all course requirements for the degree. Depending on the online school you choose, the degree may require 40 to 50 credit hours and can take up to two years to complete.
Contact your state's licensure board and apply for a limited counseling license. Complete the state application and send a copy of your counseling transcripts to the board.
Complete a post-degree supervised work experience in the area of counseling you wish to practice. You must obtain the limited license before beginning the work experience.
Apply for full licensure after successful completion of the internship. For a full license, you will have to submit proof of your supervised work experience and test scores from the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification. The test is administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and is comprised of 200 multiple-choice questions. Register for the exam and find the nearest testing location on NBCC's web site. The exam costs $295.