It’s a wonderful journey that will change your life forever. Whether your goal is to improve your health, deepen your yoga practice, or teach and mentor others, you’re ready to start a YTT course. But finding the right program can be daunting. Online research brings you down a rabbit hole of courses, teachers, options, pricing, claims, and promises. It can be overwhelming.
So, we’ve compiled a guide to help you sort through the overload of information and make a decision that’s right for you.
There are plenty of schools offering Yoga Teacher Training courses. Check if the one you choose has a history of registration with the Yoga Alliance. Registration means the school and its teachers have agreed to comply with a code of conduct and ethics, and that their program has been evaluated and approved by a team. If the program is not approved, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not valid, but you should ask why the studio and/or teachers have chosen not to participate with Yoga Alliance.
There are so many scammers out there. It’s easy these days to throw together a sub-par YTT program, make a fancy website, and sell, sell, sell. Beware the school that’s super glitzy online. Is it a yoga school or a marketing company? Check how long the school has been training teachers. Check the reputations and credentials of the instructors. And find out who YOUR teacher will be. Your school will be your alma mater forever. Make sure it’s a school whose name, credentials, and experience you respect.
Whether in person or online, your teacher will be your guide on this journey of transformation and opportunity. It’s important that you feel connected and supported. Some programs have so many teachers that you may not have the chance to form connections. Others offer great training classes, but no individual support for students. Find out if support is available, and how you access that support. If the school says their teachers answer emails, send one to find out. If there’s phone support available, make a call, even after work hours or on the weekend, to check.
Where and when to study?–the options are endless. If you’ve got unlimited time and money, you might choose to spend a few months in India at an ashram. If you’re like the rest of us, you’ll want to evaluate how your teacher training schedule and location will integrate with the rest of your real life–work, family, responsibilities, etc. When are classes? And can you study anywhere you like, or do you have to attend in-person? What happens if you’re absent? In some instances, you may have to pay to make up classes, or you could forfeit graduation. Today, many future yogis are taking advantage of robust online training programs that allow them flexibility to study any time, any place.
While this may seem like a super important aspect, remember what you’re investing in–yourself! You’re going to spend lots of time and energy on this journey, and you don’t want the price to be the deciding factor. Target pricing for a valid, robust YTT is in the range of $1800-$3000. If you’re considering programs for $500, beware. That said, if you aren’t prepared to spend all at once, see if the school has payment plans. Most valid schools will. The low-priced money-mills will often demand the full price upfront, and then surprise you with additional costs throughout the training course.
Does the school welcome people from all walks of life? If it’s a school where everyone looks the same–same age, same clothes, same body type, same vibe, then maybe they’re selling an image rather than teacher training. True yoga schools will welcome everyone, and they’ll focus on training and preparing students to become excellent teachers. Being Instagram-worthy is great, but it shouldn’t be the school’s focus.
In the end, there’s no one YTT course that’s best for everyone. Though there will be one that’s best for YOU, and we sincerely hope this guide helped you move closer to finding it. Best of luck on your yoga journey.
School Director
The American Yoga Academy
