Registration Requirements

Age: 17 years or older (Students under 18 years of age will require a parent/guardian to sign any documentation required by the program.)

Entrance exam: Successful completion required and applicants must watch an educational video about direct care workers.

All applicants must possess basic math, reading, and writing skills in English.

Physical exam: A physical exam must be conducted by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner within one year of the start of the nurse aide training program that confirms a applicant's ability to physically perform the duties of a nurse aide and is free from communicable diseases.

Attestation of Compliance with Act 14:
  • All applicants must submit an original or copy of an original PA CHRI obtained through the Pennsylvania State Police during the year prior to enrolling in a PA NATCEP as required by Act 14. If a applicant has not been a resident of Pennsylvania for the last two (2) consecutive years, a PA CHRI and an FBI report are required prior to enrollment. FBI reports must be secured through IDEMIA and Department of Education and are required prior to enrollment. Letters from Department of Aging are not accepted.
  • As evidence that the applicant has not been convicted of any of the Prohibitive Offenses Contained in 63 P.S. § 675, each applicant will confirm, sign, and date the Attestation of Compliance with Act 14.
  • Applicants who were convicted of a Federal or out-of-State offense similar in nature to those crimes listed under paragraphs (1) and (2) of the Prohibitive Offenses Contained in 63 P.S. § 675 must provide a PA CHRI and an FBI report to determine eligibility for enrollment in a PA Nurse Aide Training Program.

Tuberculosis screening: Evidence of a negative 2-step Mantoux dated within one year of the start of the Nurse Aide Training Program. If the Mantoux is positive, a negative chest x-ray that is less than five years old is required.

COVID Vaccination:

  • Evidence of a Covid Vaccine or approved exemption is dependent on the Contractual agreements with the long-term care facilities that provide the clinical experiences for the Nurse Aide Training Program.
  • Please note, applicants will need to comply with facility policies regarding the COVID Vaccine. Some facilities do not require a vaccination or exemption, some require a minimum first two doses and some require either a vaccination or exemption. Make sure to ask the NATCEP staff what the policy is of the facility you are planning to do your clinical at prior to enrollment.


    Uniform: Scrubs, sneakers and a wristwatch are required to be worn by candidates during training, and are the responsibility of the candidate to supply.

    Please note: While a CHRI is acceptable for nurse aide training, nursing homes could maintain a more stringent list of prohibitive offenses. In addition, you should be aware that Pennsylvania maintains a data base by HHS OIG that identifies individuals or entities that have been excluded nationwide from participation in any federal health care program. Health care facilities are required to develop policies and procedures for screening of all employees to determine if they have been excluded from participation in federal health care programs. If you are on this exclusion list, it is possible that you will not be eligible for employment in a health care agency. To see if you are on the list please go to http://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov/