COMMONWEALTH INSTITUTE OF FUNERAL SERVICE

For an education in the mortuary arts and sciences for career preparation in funeral service, embalming or both, there’s the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in Houston, Texas. The school’s academic ideal is one of dedicated work, devotion and a general love of the funeral profession. The goal of the school is to prepare students for entry-level employment in the funeral service profession through its academic offerings of an associate’s degree or certificate in Funeral Directing... . To provide students with real-world experience working in the funeral profession, the school allows students to embalm, dress and casket the deceased persons interred at the Harris County Cemetery. There are also voluntary opportunities to help with the burial service under licensed guidance. Students may participate in four to twelve funerals a week. The school provides professional, clinical embalming facilities, as well as the George Poston Memorial Library and Learning Resource Center, which contains over 4,500 volumes and 25 subscriptions to periodicals and newspapers in the funeral profession. Admissions require students to submit official transcripts and proof of graduation in the upper half of high school class, send official SAT/ACT scores, and successfully complete the SLE Commonwealth entrance exam. To be considered for Title IV federal aid, students must complete the FAFSA. Financial aid options include federal Pell grants, direct subsidized or unsubsidized Stafford loans and direct PLUS loans.More