Find a Yoga Teacher Training in the UK

Would you like to become a yoga teacher? Find out about teacher training in the UK

Yoga teacher trainings have proliferated in the UK and around the world in the last two decades.

And for a good reason: yoga has become extremely popular, with half a million people practising regularly in the UK. We need more yoga teachers! However, the system is driving itself to overcapacity, which is not good for yoga teachers.

As a yoga practitioner, you might want to go "as far as possible" in your practice as time goes on —and teacher training is a good way to do that. People in other types of workouts have races and competitions to challenge themselves, but for yoga, there are only yoga retreats and yoga teacher training.

On the supply side, many studios are now organising teacher training because it is more lucrative than organising regular yoga classes for students. However, not all programmes adhere to internationally recognised standards like The British Wheel of Yoga, Yoga Alliance Professionals, and Official Yoga Associations.

Read on for answers to the most common questions you may have about yoga teacher training and to get pointed in the right direction for your teacher training course!

How do you kick off your search for Yoga Teacher Training?

To start narrowing down your research, you can begin by asking yourself questions like:

What type of yoga am I looking to train for? Flow yoga or a specific yoga type?
Would I like to train in person or online?
Am I widely available or very busy with little time?
How quickly would I like to be certified?

Once you've outlined your preferences, you can search for and test studios or online teacher training classes. We recommend you take at least one regular student class with the teacher in charge of the training course to ensure that the type of yoga and the teacher's personality work for you.

If you are after in-person classes, search for teacher training using the name of your city: "yoga teacher training + city". If you are looking for an online class, you can search for " yoga teacher training online".

The biggest players in the UK are the British Wheel of Yoga or the "Yoga Alliance Professionals". They accredit studios for yoga teacher training.

What is 200 YTT, 500 YTT?

Typically based on Yoga Alliance Professionals standards, two hundred hours (200 YTT or Yoga Teacher Training) is the minimum adequate training time, with five hundred hours (500 YTT) being the pinnacle of training. In some ways, these numbers are suggestive. Teaching yoga, like the practice of yoga, is a lifelong endeavour, and as such, continuing education and being a student for the long haul are essential to teaching yoga well.

How much does teacher training cost?

200hr yoga teacher training costs vary. They can range from around £1,500 for online Zoom or self-paced courses to £4,000 and up for in-person training. If you’re not doing it with a UK provider, the price can go to as low as £600 for online programmes.

How long does it take to become a yoga teacher? What days of the week do you need to be available for a teacher training course?

In the UK, intensive face-to-face 200-hour YTTs range from 9 to 23 days on average. These can include meals and accommodations on top of course materials and training. Make sure to check with the training provider.

There are also programmes that offer a hybrid of intensive and weekend modules; for example, Yoga Haven does 1 week immersive trainings abroad and then five weekends in London; you can also opt for weekend modules that you can finish over a six-month period, or a live online 25-week certification programme. If schedule is your most important consideration, there are many options that will get you that RYT200 certification.

How long do you have to practise yoga before you can start teacher training?

While many 200-hour programmes claim that anyone can be a yoga teacher, being a good yoga teacher takes practice. The National Careers Service recommends at least 2 to 3 years' experience of practising yoga with a qualified teacher to teach it yourself.

YTT 500 courses may require more preparation, as they are typically created for regular yoga practitioners, yoga teachers and anyone wanting to take their practice and teaching to the next level. For example, Yoga Factory UK’s prerequisite for a 500-hour training is a minimum of 1 year regular practice (around 4 times a week) including classes, workshops, or retreat attendance.

Can you take private lessons to become a yoga teacher?

Regular 1:1’s may help you prepare to become a yoga teacher, but these are not the usual class formats of yoga teacher trainings.

In the UK, the current framework for qualifications is the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), meaning it is benchmarked to national educational standards. For a qualification to be recognised, it must be certified and quality assured by an awarding organisation. Notable awarding organisations include YMCA Awards and Active IQ.

In England, qualifications are regulated by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation). In other parts of the UK, Qualifications Wales, CCEA (Northern Ireland), and SQA (Scotland) handle regulation.

Additionally, professional bodies, such as the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), offer endorsement and recognition to qualifications within the fitness industry.

Can you teach in the UK without a diploma? What are the potential risks?

Yes, you can teach yoga in the UK without a formal diploma, but the risks include lacking credibility with potential students, lacking the essential teaching skills, and not being insured. The latter can leave you vulnerable to legal issues if a student is injured. Formal qualifications enhance your credibility and ensure you have the necessary skills and knowledge; teaching without them might undermine your professional reputation and limit career opportunities.

What is an Ofqual-regulated yoga teacher training qualification?

An Ofqual-regulated yoga teacher training qualification is a certification for yoga instructors that meets the standards set by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) in England. These qualifications, offered by organisations like the British Wheel of Yoga Qualifications (BWYQ), ensure rigorous training and assessment, maintaining quality through regular checks on teacher trainers and student coursework. Recognised on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), these qualifications validate the skills and knowledge necessary for professional yoga instruction.

Who offers yoga teacher training?

Yoga teacher training in the UK is offered by a variety of providers including UK yoga studios, the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY), gyms, online platforms, and retreats abroad. Reputable organisations like YMCAfit and HFE also provide comprehensive courses catering to different learning preferences.

How do you become a Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, or Restorative yoga teacher?

To become a Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, or Restorative yoga teacher, you should start by finding an accredited yoga teacher training programme in that style, or a combination of traditions. In the UK, you can choose from accrediting bodies such as the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) or Yoga Alliance Professionals (YAP).

How can I become an Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga yoga teacher, or Pilates instructor in the UK?

You can also choose a teacher training in a different type of yoga like Iyengar, Kundalini, or Ashtanga or even Pilates. Those types of yogas have their own ways of being accredited:

How to become an Iyengar Teacher

To become an Iyengar yoga teacher, you must have attended Iyengar yoga classes regularly for at least three years and demonstrate a good standard of practice in Level 1 asanas. Training involves mentorship with an experienced Iyengar teacher approved by Iyengar Yoga UK. The mentorship period lasts a minimum of three years and includes attending regular classes, assisting, and completing written assignments. After a total of six years of practice and mentorship, you can apply for the Level 1 teaching assessment. For more details, visit Iyengar Yoga UK.

How to become an Ashtanga teacher

In Ashtanga Yoga, there are 2 ways of becoming a teacher. You could be "certified" or "authorised". Being authorised takes years of practise and many stays in India where the founder of Ashtanga Yoga, Pattabhi Jois, established an institute in Mysore, India (KPJAYI or the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute). His grandson, Sharath Jois, born in 1971, is now in charge of the Institute in Mysore, and he is the one giving the authorised status to teachers.

Your level of authorization will let you teach different series - if you receive a Level 1 authorisation you can teach the primary series, if you have Level 2, you could also teach the intermediate series. To become an Ashtanga yoga teacher, you should start with practising every day in a renowned Ashtanga Center with authorised teachers. Once your teacher thinks you're ready you can ask them for advice on how to become a teacher.

If you're looking for teacher training in London, here are some recommended yoga studios with highly respected yoga teachers:

Ashtanga Yoga London Euston, with Hammish
Ashtanga Yoga City of London, with Peter Santos Rego
Ashtanga Nirvrta, with Philippa Asher
Astanga classes at Mission, with Corrie Ananda

You could also refer to this list of recommended Ashtanga yoga teachers for elsewhere in the UK.

How to become a Kundalini teacher

To become a Kundalini Yoga Teacher, first, enrol in a programme accredited by the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI). These programmes, such as those offered by Prem Teacher Training, typically involve six weekends of instruction plus a six-day residential module. You will need to complete various assignments, attend additional Kundalini Yoga classes, and pass a final examination. Upon completion, you will be certified as a Level 1 Instructor by KRI.

How to become a Pilates teacher

To become a Pilates instructor in the UK, you can choose from several training providers. You should also determine whether you want to qualify in the Classical or Contemporary style of Pilates. There are mat and comprehensive courses, for example, which should cover anatomy, physiology, and the principles of Pilates.

You could chose to train with the Pilates foundation who is the UK's first Pilates Teachers' Association. Notable other training providers include Polestar Pilates UK, which takes a holistic approach to assess the whole person, and YMCAfit, offering modern STOTT PILATES® training. Body Control Pilates provides matwork teacher training, while Elite Pilates Teacher Training emphasises the importance of a Level 3 course.

The entry-level qualification, the Level 3 Diploma in Teaching Mat Pilates, is commonly required by studios and gyms across the UK. BASI Pilates UK offers internationally-recognised teacher training in Wimbledon, and Pilates Union specialises in online accredited courses.

You're welcome to start teaching on this platform!

Once you have your diploma, you’ll need to get a yoga insurance and you can start teaching yoga. You can use this platform to start teaching online yoga classes, we welcome all new UK yoga teachers!

We help you with your yoga strategy, with your marketing, and we help you find new students. Find out why you should join the platform.

Find a Yoga Teacher Training in the UK in 2024