Is it standard practice for a CNA training school to ask for your SSN

[Whitney.]

Hello, I am currently looking for a CNA training course in the metro Detroit area. I've looked into two schools and one school told me that I would need my SSN to register. This just doesn't seem right to me. They don't offer state testing to become certified, so why would they need my SSN? When I asked she told me that it's for tax purposes... I contacted another school and they told me that they only need a copy of my drivers license. Is it normal to just hand over your SSN to a CNA trainer? Maybe I'm being paranoid.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Almost anything you do in healthcare, whether it's becoming a CNA or even being a patient yourself, is going to require disclosing your SSN. You may as well get used to it.

BTW, welcome to Allnurses! We're glad you're here. :-)

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

They may be required to do a background check as part of their agreement with their clinical site(s). In this case, a SSN is totally reasonable.

[liathA, RN, EMT-B]

Depending on what kind of school it is, they may issue a 1098-t at the end of the year, and depending on your tax status you may be eligible for a deduction or credit based on your tuition payments - they'd need your ssn for that, because it's an irs form.

Also, there are the reasons stated above by other posters. SSNs are used all over the place in both professional and educational settings - it doesn't surprise me at all that they'd need it for something.