Online Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate
The Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling online through the University of Cincinnati is best for people who wish to obtain credentials in substance abuse counseling. Substance Abuse Counseling is a rewarding field for people interested in providing assistance to others in counseling, corrections, administrative, and prevention settings.
What is Substance Use Counseling?
Substance use disorders occur when frequent and severe use causes symptoms of clinically significant impairment (e.g., health problems, failure to meet major responsibilities at work).
This 24-credit-hour certificate equips students to work with persons impacted by substance use disorders. The certificate is for working professionals with a bachelor’s degree or students wanting to get a bachelor’s degree. This certificate provides the knowledge and skills needed to support people struggling with addiction as well as advance related careers in the helping professions.
Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate Program Highlights
High Quality Education
- Successful completion of the Certificate in Substance Abuse Counseling with an overall, holistic GPA of at least a 2.0 GPA, can result in credit towards the: Bachelor of Science in Substance Abuse Counseling, Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice & other UC Online programs.
- Award winning Faculty
Flexibility
- 100% online
- Part-time flexibility
- Graduate in 6 months
- Enroll in spring, summer or fall semester
Support from Application through Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your go-to resource during the application process
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
With cutting-edge research and proven practical course content, the University of Cincinnati’s online certificate is open to students with a high school diploma or GED. While admissions are open, accepted students must meet the academic standards upon enrollment.
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees:
- $65.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $70.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- $20.00 for domestic applicants to Graduate Certificates
- $25.00 for international applicants to Graduate Certificates
- Application fees for UC Online programs are waived through Fall 2026 for all applicants who apply by July 1, 2026
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who: are currently serving in the US armed forces, or are veterans of the US armed forces.
Applications are accepted continuously throughout the year. Our staff will review your application based on the following:
All applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts during the application process, showing all undergraduate and graduate course work completed, including degrees granted and dates of conferral.
Official transcripts are not required until the student has received and accepted an offer of admission from the university. Once the offer has been confirmed, the student must submit official transcripts.
Students who have received degrees from the University of Cincinnati do not need to submit official paper copies of their UC transcripts.
For questions regarding international students, contact an Enrollment Services Advisor.
Transcripts can be submitted electronically or by mail. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly. Then, mail your sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
Please mail sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
University of Cincinnati
Office of Admissions
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
Summer 2026 Fall 2026 |
March 15, 2026 July 15, 2026 |
May 11, 2026 August 24, 2026 |
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program. On average, students will accrue fewer fees than students attending on-campus classes.
The one fee applied across all UC Online programs is the distance learning fee. Students living outside the state of Ohio must also pay an additional “non-resident” fee to enroll in courses at UC Online. This fee is lower than the out-of-state fee for traditional on-campus programs.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
- The University of Cincinnati and all of its regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
- Michael Brubaker (Program’s Associate Professor) was awarded the 2020 Faculty Excellence Award.
- Our BS Substance Abuse Counseling program is ranked #10 for Best Online Accredited Counseling Programs on bestcolleges.com in 2022.
Ready to get started?
We offer over 130 degrees from undergraduate to doctoral programs.