What Qualifications Do I Need to be a Yoga Instructor?

By Om Shanti Om Yoga Ashram

To become a yoga teacher through an easy path, you should have certification of 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training certification from a registered yoga school. There are some necessary qualifications for the certification and discipline that should be followed during the course. After a particular time period, renewal of the certification is necessary.

After completing your graduation from yoga, you need to get different certifications according to your time and potential. According to some study curriculum releases by Yoga Alliance, only certifications like the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTT 200) could be enough for a yoga instructor. There is no need for a graduation degree in the same field; you may directly register for the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.

Eligibility For 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Programmes

As we have already seen that a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course (YTT 200) can be enough for becoming a yoga teacher. What about the yoga school? That is a very different topic, it goes on the business side and needs a place and teacher authentication.

So, we need to go for a 200-hour YTT, and we will be yoga teachers, but what is the eligibility for such programs? You should select a school certified by Yoga Alliance. After that, you have to check eligibility, which is not a very big deal. Here are some points that you should take care of:

You should be more than or equal to 18 years.
A regular practice and basic knowledge of yoga and its methodologies are required.
No kind of addiction is allowed in the yoga school
You should have good physical and mental health.

How to Become a Yoga Instructor? Stepwise Guidance

To become a yoga teacher, we need a minimum of 200 hours of teacher training. If you want the government-recognized standards, then it is necessary to qualify your own structured levels under the Yoga Certification Board (YCB). It is a body of the AYUSH Ministry; there are four levels of yoga mastery according to them.

Yoga Protocol Instructor
Yoga Wellness Instructor
Yoga Teacher & Evaluator
Yoga Master

Academic standards are different in this path, and they include graduation, master's degree, and Ph.D level study of Yoga.

According to international Yoga standards, a 500-hour YTT is the next step from a 200-hour YTT, and the certificate of the E-RYT is the highest qualification. The experienced yoga teacher (e-RYT) certificate needs renewal within a particular time period.

Steps to Follow During Yoga Teacher Training

Yoga teacher training requires discipline; we will start from the basic level of understanding and end up at perfection. Let’s get straight to it—here’s what you actually need if you want to be considered a legitimate yoga instructor, minus the flowery nonsense.

1. Basic level of Understanding

You don't need a university degree for this gig. If you’re passionate, you’ve been practicing consistently, and you aren’t just hopping on the latest wellness trend, you’re already on the right track. You should have a basic Level of understanding of yoga.

2. Going Deeper Into the Practice

If you want to be taken seriously (by students, studios, or anyone who’s not your cousin in their living room), you’ll need that 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training certificate, commonly called YTT 200. This is the baseline—just about every professional instructor has it. Most programs are either Yoga Alliance-approved (that’s the name you’ll hear everywhere) or officially accredited by government bodies in India, like QCI or the Ministry of AYUSH.

3. Grow Your Presence With Registration in Yoga Programmes

Most reputable training programs require applicants to be at least 18 years old. You should also have some hands-on yoga experience. At Om Shanti Om, you will find the best teachers with the best accommodation, and you can also register there. By just a few months of regular practice, you will be perfect. And you need to be healthy enough to participate in physical activity.

4. Building Your Teaching Experience

The next step is to consider yoga studios, gyms, wellness centers, or online platforms for teaching yoga. It will help you in getting your portfolios, and soon you will be in the right place that you deserve. Networking with different people and yoga teachers will help you grow more. Other popular steps in participating in the yoga retreats and workshops.

Conclusion

A yoga teacher has a different standard for national and International levels. The government recognises their instructors from the AYUSH ministry, and international standards go with Yoga Alliance certifications. An e-RYT certificate is the most standard level for a yoga teacher.

If you want to join a course with a Registered yoga teacher, then you can contact Om Shanti Om Yoga Ashram for further guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

To start a career in yoga, you need certification of the international standards. 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training is the most popular training course in yoga teacher training. Another course is a 500-hour yoga teacher training course. In India, you have to maintain government standards by graduating and by certification.

A Level 3 diploma in teaching yoga is the highest qualification that a yoga instructor needs to qualify. It is particularly noticeable in the government standards; in the case of international standards, e-RYT is the highest level of certification.

Yoga is itself a healing modality, and it is not a stressful job; there are some job standards that you have to maintain, but it is not stressful. There is a need to renew yoga certification after 2 years of practice, and you will be in the same position for a long time.

It will depend on the level of qualifications. For the basic level, one year is enough, and for the higher level of practice, 500 hours or certifications of e-RYT are required.