Our Standards
The AYC Approach
It's open input season
What do you think AYC’s specialty credential requirements should be?
American Yoga Council’s goal for its standards is to maximize honesty and transparency in yoga credentialing.
We believe this will improve the quality of yoga education worldwide.
Because of the vast differences across the diverse lineages of yoga, AYC has each individual school determine the skills and knowledge required for its certification.
This allows schools to train teachers in the way they feel is best, without simply checking boxes to meet a top-down, “one-size-fits-none” standard.
Accountability is built into the system itself.
Hiring managers can get the real world info they need about the competency and lineage of teachers.
Members agree to uphold the most essential safety drivers for yoga education.
We promote skills, knowledge, and experience over classroom hours or follower counts.
Our system helps students to find the right yoga teacher for their needs and more people to enrich their lives through yoga.
Our difference is in purpose, approach, and value. Learn more.
See more about our standards
Questions?
Is AYC a recognized credential?
Yes, AYC is the leading credentialing body for schools that want competency-based accreditation. Accredited schools from Himalayan Institute to Tune Up Fitness can be seen in our directory. Certified teachers are visible to studios and students, and we're building the modern professional infrastructure for the field. Accreditation here signals current, transparent standards.
Can my non-standard specialty program be accredited?
Yes. AYC accreditation is built on you declaring the lineage, competencies, and scope of your program. We don't impose a curriculum, prescribe hours, or rank specialties. If your work has depth and integrity, it can be accredited.
How long will this really take?
Done For You is guaranteed within one week. Fast Track Pro turns it around in 24 hours. DIY moves at your pace — most schools complete the builder in two to four weeks of focused work, but there's no deadline.
What if I'm already accredited somewhere else?
You don't have to leave anything to add AYC. Schools commonly carry both. Many start with a CE program here as a low-stakes way to see how AYC compares before deciding what else to move.
What counts as a specialtiy program?
Specialty programs are typically continuing education offerings, advanced modules, or focused immersions. They're usually at least a day long (versus a workshop). Multi-category 200- or 300-hour trainings generally fall under Teacher or Practitioner Trainings.
What's the difference between accreditation and certification?
Accreditation is what AYC does for your program. Certification is what your program gives your graduates. After accreditation, your graduates can also be verified by AYC as having completed your program.
What happens after my program is accredited?
You're listed in the AYC school directory, your graduates can be verified through AYC, and 40% of their certification fees come back to your school. You also get access to the school dashboard and our accreditation support team for renewals and new programs.
What if my materials aren't fully ready yet?
The DIY builder walks you through what's needed, so you can build the materials and the accreditation in parallel. Or the Done For You option lets you submit whatever you have. We draft materials for you to review using any of your existing thinking, outlines, and notes.
Any other questions?
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