Yoga Teacher Standards - for yoga schools

European Yoga Alliance and International Yoga Federation
have worked carefully to construct MINIMUM standards for yoga teachers.
These standards are designed to be broad and inclusive while providing
a meaningful assurance of quality to those who depend on the
EYA and IYF is selecting their yoga teachers.

200 Hour Standards

Category

Required Hours

Description

Techniques

100 Hours

Includes asanas, pranayamas, Kriyas, chanting, and meditation.  These hours include both training in the techniques and the practice of them.

Teaching Methodology

20 Hours

Principles of demonstration, observation, assisting/correcting, instruction, teaching styles, qualities of a teacher, and the student's process of learning.

Anatomy and Physiology

20 Hours

Includes both physical Anatomy and Physiology (bodily systems, organs, etc.) and astral/energy/subtle Anatomy and Physiology (chakras, nadis, etc.)

Philosophy, Ethics, & Lifestyle

20 Hours

Study of Yoga Scriptures (Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, etc.), ethics for yoga teachers, 'living the life of the yogi', etc.

Practicum

10 Hours

Includes student teaching as wall as observing and assisting in classes taught by others.  Hours may be a combination of supervised and unsupervised.

Electives

30 Hours

Electives are to be drawn from the other five catagories.  These hours do not necessarily represent student electives: hours may be used accordingly to a school's own particular emphasis.

Contact Hours

At Least 160 Hours

Contact hours means that the Teacher Training is physically in the presence of the student.  Non-contact or independent study hours may include: assigned reading or other homework, non supervised study groups, observing yoga classes, etc.


500 Hour Standards

Note: These hours are NOT in addition to the 200 hours above, but are a complete description for this level

Category

Required Hours

Description

Techniques

150 Hours

Includes asanas, pranayamas, Kriyas, chanting, and meditation.  These hours include both training in the techniques and the practice of them.

Teaching Methodology

30 Hours

Principles of demonstration, observation, assisting/correcting, instruction, teaching styles, qualities of a teacher, and the student's process of learning.

Anatomy and Physiology

35 Hours

Includes both physical Anatomy and Physiology (bodily systems, organs, etc.) and astral/energy/subtle Anatomy and Physiology (chakras, nadis, etc.)

Philosophy, Ethics, & Lifestyle

50 Hours

Study of Yoga Scriptures (Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, etc.), ethics for yoga teachers, 'living the life of the yogi', etc.

Practicum

40 Hours

Includes student teaching as wall as observing and assisting in classes taught by others.  Hours may be a combination of supervised and unsupervised.

Electives

195 Hours

Electives are to be drawn from the other five catagories.  These hours do not necessarily represent student electives: hours may be used accordingly to a school's own particular emphasis.

Contact Hours

At Least 350 Hours

Contact hours means that the Teacher Training is physically in the presence of the student.  Non-contact or independant study hours may include: assigned reading or other homework, non supervised study groups, observing yoga classes, etc.

Teaching Experience

100 Hours

An additional 100 hours of teaching experience, outside of the 500 hours of training, are required before a teacher can enroll in the registry.