What is Yoga Alliance?
Yoga Alliance is a non-profit association representing the yoga community. They have more than 7,000 registered yoga schools and more than 100,000 registered yoga teachers. Their stated mission is to foster and support the high quality, safe, accessible and equitable teaching of yoga. They also offer professional support.
Since yoga trainings and certifications vary among schools and lineages, some employers require that yoga teachers be registered with Yoga Alliance to ensure a minimum standard of training.
Do I need to complete Yoga Alliance requirements to become certified to teach TriYoga?
No. Certification to teach TriYoga is separate from registration with Yoga Alliance. TYI offers both 150-hour and 200-hour Basics certification. The 200-hour TriYoga Basics Certification Program qualifies for the 200-hour registration with Yoga Alliance.
This is also true of other levels. One can certify in Level 1 and successive levels through TriYoga Certification Programs. In the Certification Handbook, the minimum number of hours stated for Level 1 certification is 105: 75 Technique, 15 Teaching Methodology and 15 Practicum hours.
Certification in TriYoga’s 300-hour Certification Program (Level 1 + Level 2; or Level 1 + TriYoga Everyone) and meeting an hourly teaching requirement provide the qualifications to register for the 300-hour Yoga Alliance Registry. In the 300-hour program, 255 of the hours (127.5 hours per Level) are recommended in Technique, Teaching Methodology and Practicum.
How do I register with Yoga Alliance?
Yoga Alliance has certain requirements that teachers must complete to register with them. For the 200-hour Yoga Alliance Registry, take the 200-hour Basics Certification Program. For the 300-hour Yoga Alliance Registry, take the 300-hour TriYoga Certification Program.
Both programs must meet Lead Trainer Requirements. This is explained in the rest of this FAQ as well as the page on Yoga Alliance at the end of the Proficiency section in the Certification Handbook.
For more details about the specific programs that are needed for Yoga Alliance registration, see the 200- and 300-hour programs in the Certification Handbook.
Completing both the 200- and 300-hour TriYoga Certification Programs lead to 500-hour registration with Yoga Alliance.
If you think you have completed the requirements to register with Yoga Alliance, contact the TYI Office to confirm your hours, then visit Yoga Alliance’s website to apply. If you do not confirm your hours with TYI prior to applying, your registration may not be approved.
Do any of my past TriYoga teacher trainings count for Yoga Alliance hours?
It depends. A certain number of hours must be taken with the teachers that TYI has designated as Lead Trainers to count toward Yoga Alliance hours. The list of Lead Trainers can be found on the TriYoga Yoga Alliance profile. Teacher trainings with these instructors would count toward the hours. These 65+ hours can also be with Lead Trainers from the registered school of the TYTT organizer. Check with your teacher trainer or organizer.
Additionally, programs must be part of a teacher training. Regular workshops and classes do not count toward the hours.
How can the TriYoga teacher trainings I offer be used for Yoga Alliance registration?
You can register with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga School. See the Yoga Alliance website for more information about RYS registration.
Currently, Yoga Alliance is requiring that a minimum of 65 hours of the 200-hour program (50 Technique, 10 Teaching Methodology, 5 Practicum) or 135 hours of the 300-hour program be with a Lead Trainer. The remaining hours to equal 200 (or 300) can be with other teachers. Starting in 2023, 150 of the 200 hours will need to be with a Lead Trainer and the rest can be with other teachers.
Beginning in 2023, all Lead Trainers must be E-RYT 500, so either you or another teacher in your training must be E-RYT 500 in order to register your program.
Can my teacher trainings be offered under TYIs Registered Yoga School (RYS) so that my students can register with YA?
Not at this time. Yoga Alliance used to allow a RYS to add “affiliate schools,” where a school that is offering the same curriculum as TYI’s could be an affiliate school, and allow their students to register under TYI. However, this option is being phased out so new affiliates are not being created and old ones are ending as schools adopt the new YA standards.
Yoga Alliance does have an option for a RYS to add additional locations to their listing. In this way, a RYS can list multiple locations teaching the same curriculum, with up to five of the same designated Lead Trainers between the locations.
I still have questions…
The Certification Handbook gives in-depth information about the certification programs that meet Yoga Alliance requirements and the courses that qualify. For more information, visit the Yoga Alliance website.