Emergency Medical Technician

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Program Overview

Degrees & Certificates

Emergency Medical Technician Short-Term Certificate

With fewer than 20 credits, short-term certificate programs generally cover an entry-level or specific skill set needed for that industry. Credits earned in these programs may apply toward a next-level certificate or degree. Typically offered in a condensed time period.

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  • Credits to complete: 13.0
  • Estimated program length in quarters: Full Time - 1 | Part Time - Part Time Option Not Available

Program Pathway Map 

Program Pathways are a series of courses and experiences carefully selected to help you earn your credential and prepare for your career or university transfer.  Program Pathway Maps guide you through quarter-by-quarter coursework, indicate when you’ll need to complete important steps, and describe popular careers in this pathway.  Some course sequences or recommended courses can be customized or adjusted by speaking with an advisor.  

EMT Program Map

The Summer-2025 EMT Program begins on July. 1, 2025

Here is the class schedule:

  • BLS Cohort 1, AHE 192.11.  Held on Thurs., 6/26/2025 at 6 PM - 10 PM and Sat., 6/28/2025 at 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
  • EMT Cohort 1, AHE 190.04.  Held weekly on Tue., 11 AM – 7 PM, Thur., 11 AM – 7 PM, and Sat., 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Note: All classes are held in IB 1415 (Instruction Building, room #1415 on the first floor, east side)

Mandatory Information Sessions

The Mandatory Information Session will be hosted in person in room LB1207 located on the first floor of the Library Building (near the West Carpool Lot side of North Seattle Campus)." see link: https://northseattle.edu/locate-your-classroom-map. You only need to attend one of these sessions. Because this is a mandatory session, if you are more than 10 minutes late you will not be admitted to the meeting.        

Date & Time: Tuesday, 5/6/2025, at 2:00 pm-3:30 pm OR Tuesday, 5/13/2025, at 4:30 pm-6:00 pm in LB1207.

Mandatory Entrance Exam

The Mandatory Entrance Exam duration is 90 minutes and is scheduled for three separate times to accommodate student schedules. You only need to attend one exam session and test one time. All three exam sessions will be held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to begin either at 3 PM, 5 PM or 7 PM on campus at North Seattle College in the Instruction Building on the 1st floor, IB 1415 on the east side of the building. Details for how you may schedule the test via email will be provided during the Mandatory Information Session.

Get Started

 You must enroll as a student at North Seattle College if you have not already done that (see steps to enroll, below.)  Next, check to make sure you meet the EMT Program eligibility requirements listed below:

EMT Program eligibility requirements:

  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Must have a high school diploma, GED, high school transcript or a university diploma (exceptions can be made for Spring Running Start students in their final year of high school)
  • Must have a driver's license
  • Must pass a Washington State Criminal Background Check
  • Must be able to provide proof of immunizations
    • Measles: Two vaccines or a positive antibody titer
    • Mumps: Two immunizations or a positive antibody titer
    • Rubella: One immunization or a positive antibody titer
    • Hepatitis B
    • Tetanus-Diphtheria-Acellular Pertussis: A basic childhood series and a Tdap since 2005.
    • Varicella (Chicken Pox): A positive antibody titer or proof of two doses, at least one month apart.
    • Flu vaccine, unless there is a medical contraindication.
    • COVID vaccine
  • Must have a current Tuberculosis Screening (Tb skin test within the last 6 months minimum requirement)
  • Must attend a mandatory Information Session
  • Must successfully pass a mandatory Entrance Exam.

Steps to be admitted to the NSC EMT Program

  1. Attend mandatory information session
    • You must attend one of two mandatory Information Sessions during which the EMT Coordinator explains the requirements of the quarter long program.  We recommend that you bring something to take notes because there is a lot of information to remember! This is a mandatory session; if you do not attend, you cannot take the mandatory EMT Entrance Exam and there are no exceptions
  2. Apply to North Seattle College
    • If, after attending one of the Mandatory Information Sessions, you are still interested in the NSC EMT Program, you need to apply online to be a student at North Seattle College.  There is no charge to apply to become a student.  Choose Professional Technical and Allied Health (AHE) for the EMT program.  Be sure to indicate whether you are an in-state resident, an out-of-state resident, or an International Student..
  1. Complete the application for EMT Application
  2. Pay test fees
    • A non-refundable application fee of $35 and a Test Proctor fee of $35 must be paid to process your application. You must have an NSC student ID to pay for both. Email the Credit Card Authorization Form to the cashier or pay in person. Payment can be made with major credit or debit cards.
    • Be sure to pay these fees after you attend the Mandatory Information Session. You will not be able to take the Mandatory Entrance Exam until the $70 fee is paid. Once paid, email the test proctoring fee receipt that will be provided by the NSC Cashier to:  emt.nsc@seattlecolleges.edu
  1. You will be notified by email within 9 calendar days if your test score and EMT Application qualified you to be admitted to the EMT Program, if you are on the Waitlist, or if you did not qualify to be admitted for that quarter’s EMT Program
    • If you are eligible, you will be contacted with instructions on how to submit the required documents.
    • Students must show proof of vaccinations on the first day of class, so be sure to bring your vaccination documentation along to class.

Additional Program Information

Question: How long is the EMT program? 
Answer: The EMT Program consists of an EMT class which lasts one quarter and earns 12 credits as well as a Basic Life Support class which is held 2 days prior to the start of the quarter and earns 1 credit. So, the EMT Program at NSC can be completed in one quarter.

Question: What do I need to do to get started with the EMT program? 
Answer: You need to attend a mandatory Information Session. See the EMT webpage for details on dates and times. You do not need to register to attend the information session.  After the Information Session, if you decide to pursue the EMT Program you will need to be a student at NSC with a ctcLink #. You can apply to be a student at NSC here.

Question: What are the requirements to get into the NSC-EMT Program? 
Answer: You must be at least 18 years old, you must be a high school graduate (or GED) (exceptions can be made for Running Start students in their final year of high school), and you must pass a Washington State Criminal Background Check. Additionally, you must attend a mandatory Information Session, and you must successfully pass a mandatory Entrance Exam.

Question: How much does the NSC EMT Program cost?
Answer: The EMT program tuition and net fees (after the EMT waiver) are approximately $1,550 - $1,600 per quarter, books cost about $200, and equipment and supplies cost another $115.  Total cost for an in-state resident is generally less than $2,000 per quarter.  Out of state and international student tuition and fees are more.

Question: Is there funding available? 
Answer: Yes.  Previous students have received scholarships from Medic One Foundation (MOF) and Tri-Med Ambulance, and other funding from Seattle Promise, Veterans benefits, local tribal sources, rotary clubs, and AmeriCorps.

Office Hours:

In-Person Services: 
Monday-Thursday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.

If you need to schedule an appointment outside of these office hours, please email emt.nsc@seattlecolleges.edu and we will work with you to schedule an appointment time that is convenient for you.

Phone: (206)-934-7799 
Email: emt.nsc@seattlecolleges.edu 
EMT Program Administration Location:  IB 2301 (Instruction Building, north end of campus, 2nd floor)
Additional contact at Workforce Division phone:  (206) 934-3790

Program lengths are estimates, not guarantees. For the most current program information, please check with the program contact.