Housing Counseling Academy Orientation — Fall 2026
English
Workshop Full
AHCOPA Housing Counseling Academy
Housing counselors are needed across Pennsylvania — and this is where careers begin.
AHCOPA's Housing Counseling Academy is an 8-week training program that prepares you to pass the HUD certification exam, the required credential to work as a housing counselor. Sponsored by the National Housing Resource Center and taught by AHCOPA's own certified, experienced counselors, the Academy gives you the knowledge, practice, and support you need to enter a career that genuinely changes lives.
Fall Semester 2026
September 22 - November 12
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 pm online via zoom.
You must attend one of the following mandatory orientations:
What the Program Includes
Classes are held virtually, two days a week, and cover everything you need to pass the HUD certification exam and hit the ground running in your new career:
- Mock counseling sessions
- Self-care and professional development
- Pre-test preparation and study guides
Cost: $50 for Pennsylvania residents · $400 for out-of-state residents
Why Housing Counseling?
This is meaningful, stable work with real room to grow.
- Average starting salary approximately $50,000.
- Comprehensive benefits — health, vision, and dental coverage, PTO, and matching IRA contributions
- Hybrid work environment
- Diverse career pathways — exposure to government, nonprofit management, real estate, mortgage, and banking
- Real impact — you'll help people achieve homeownership, build wealth, and create stability for their families — work that directly contributes to closing the racial wealth gap and strengthening communities
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