How Long Is Bartending School?

Bartending schools are time-limited across the nation, but generally speaking, courses will take around 40 hours to complete.

Every school is different, of course, so the length of each course will likely depend on which school you attend… their availability and schedule… and whether the school is held online or offline.

Most professional bartending schools will provide students some optionality on how quickly they would like to complete the training…

For instance, depending on the school, you may be able to complete all 40-hours in a single week… or you may be given the option to attend weekly classes (one class per week) throughout the course of one to two months. This will likely depend on the number of instructors each school has and the demand for schooling in your area.

Typically, the more popular the school is, the more flexibility students will have when choosing their schedule.

Typical Bartending School Schedule

To make things a little easier to understand, below is an example of what a bartending school typically provides schedule. It should provide some insight on how much of a time-constraint bartending school can be for you.

All times below are for presentational purposes only. Bartending school schedules, availability, and course time-slots will vary.

Course Duration:
40 hours

Class Schedule Options:

6 Weeks:

• Evenings
  6 weeks: Tuesdays & Thursdays
  5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  
• Mornings
  6 weeks: Mondays & Wednesdays
  9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

4 Weeks:

• Afternoons
  4 weeks: Monday – Friday
  2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
  
• Mornings
  4 weeks: Monday – Friday
  9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

1 Week (Accelerated)

• Monday – Friday
  1 PM – 9:00 PM

How Long Is Online Bartending School?

Typically, online bartending schools can last anywhere between 1 to 4 weeks, or 15 to 40 hours. While online schools may still have a time-constraint, unlike offline bartending schools, you will be able take classes at your own convenience. This means you can knock out a course in less than one week, if you really tried.

The main differences between online and offline bartending schools are costs and curriculum (the learning material provided). As one might assume, offline courses are often much more comprehensive and teach students more than just general know-how. This is why they cost more on average.

How Long Does It Take To Get A Bartending License?

Licenses and bartender state requirements are very important. But they are not talked about enough…

Believe it or not, you may be required to obtain a Serving Alcohol Certification, otherwise known as a Bartending License, depending on the state or county you live in. Keep in mind, courses that provide state required certifications/licenses are different than professional Bartending Schools!

Most professional bartending schools, however, do provide you with a state-required certification when applicable.

If you only need to take a course in order to get a Bartending license, don’t worry. Most bartending license courses won’t take more than a day to complete. Generally speaking, most bartending license courses will only take 2 to 4 hours to complete.