How to apply for National Fire Academy courses

Thank you for your interest in training with us! We look forward to receiving your application and assisting you through the process. For help completing your application, contact our Admissions Office, Monday – Friday between 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 800-238-3358, ext. 1035 or by email at netcadmissions@fema.dhs.gov.

Ready to enroll in a free National Fire Academy (NFA) course? Follow these steps to apply for admission:

Understand course requirements. Many courses have specific selection criteria or prerequisites; be sure to review the Course Description page for detailed instructions. Search for courses.
Request a Student Identification Number (SID). You need an SID to apply for NFA courses. Register for a FEMA SID.
Complete the application. Download the correct application below for the type of course you plan to take. Refer to “Eight Tips for Completing a Successful NFA Application” PDF 332 KB for additional information.
Use the correct course code on your application.
Complete ALL fields on the application. Your application will be returned if it is incomplete. Use the February 2012 version or later of the General Admission Application.
Submit your application during the designated time frame. Your application will be returned if it is postmarked outside of the designated application period.

Application deadlines

	Semester dates	Application period
First semester	Oct. 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017	Closed June 15, 2016. Browse the course vacancy list.
Second semester	April 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2017	Application period open Oct. 15 – Dec. 15, 2016.

Send your application

On-campus courses and non-U.S. citizen applicants (mail, email or fax)

National Emergency Training Center
Admissions Office
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727-8998
Email: netcadmissions@fema.dhs.gov
Fax: 301-447-1441

Off-campus and online courses

Follow application instructions provided on the Course Description page in the NFA catalog.

Application form downloads

Form	Use this application if your course code begins with the following letters:
FEMA Form 119-25-1, General Admissions Application formerly FEMA Form 75-5 PDF 337 KB	M, P, R or T.
FEMA Form 119-25-2, General Admissions Short Form Application formerly FEMA Form 75-5a PDF 234 KB FEMA Form 119-25-2 is also used for Q133, O134 and any conferences held at the NFA, such as the Executive Fire Officer Graduate Symposium and National Professional Development Symposium.	C, F, N, O, W or Y.

Application basics

If your application is not accepted for the first semester you must reapply for second semester courses. Applications are not carried over.

You may apply for more than one course per semester, but you must submit a separate application for each course.

Application notifications

Our Admissions Office will notify you about the status of your application via email no later than 60 days after the close of the application period. Information will not be available before that time.

Please add NETC-AdmissNotifications@fema.dhs.gov to your “safe senders” list to ensure you receive our emails. This email address is used only for sending notifications; do not reply to this email address. If you did not provide an email address on your application, your notification will be sent through U.S. Mail.

Applying for course vacancies

Your application must be received at least six weeks before the course start date to be considered. Vacancies within six weeks of the start date of the course are filled only from the established wait list, so it is beneficial for you to apply early in the application period.

Requesting a Student Identification Number

If you are interested in applying for a NFA course, you need to register for a FEMA Student Identification Number (SID). Applications for NFA courses that do not include a SID will not be processed.

To obtain a SID

Register at https://cdp.dhs.gov/femasid
Select "Register for a FEMA SID."
Follow the instructions to create your account.
You will receive an email with your SID. Save this number in a secure location.

Understanding course codes

Every NFA course has a course code as part of the overall reference number. As you scan the catalog, the course code can help you more easily identify the delivery method for your program of interest. You can quickly scan for programs that fit your preferred delivery option. Be sure to include the correct course code when you submit your application for an NFA course.

Example: If you are interested in course number R0214: Forensic Evidence Collection, the letter “R” in the reference number tells you the delivery method. As you consult the course code list below, you will see that a course with the letter “R” is either a 10-day or six-day course offered on-campus.

The Course Description page of the catalog provides specifics on the delivery type and duration along with information such as course objectives, selection criteria, prerequisites and continuing education units.

Course code	Delivery method
C	FESHE-recognized college courses
F	Two-day off-campus NFA-sponsored delivery
M	Online-mediated delivery
N	Six-day off-campus NFA-sponsored delivery
O	State- and local partner-sponsored training system delivery
P	Pilot delivery
Q	Self-study course
R	10-day and six-day on-campus delivery
W	Two-day on-campus delivery
Y	NFA-approved state-developed course delivery

Application process for a non-U.S. citizen

The NFA offers a limited number of opportunities for non-U.S. citizens to attend courses. If a course has vacancies after U.S. applicants have been placed, you (as a non-U.S. citizen) will be considered.

Non-U.S. citizens must pay transportation, lodging and meal costs.
You must be fluent in spoken and written English; language translation is not offered on campus.
You can submit an application anytime during the year but it must be received at least 60 days prior to the course/conference start date.

You will be notified about application status no less than two weeks before the start date of a requested course. Placement for a requested course offering date cannot be guaranteed.