Becoming a certified yoga instructor is often a prerequisite to be hired on at a studio. More than that, however, undergoing the specified number of hours in a training course (typically 200 to 500) can help you develop your own practice further and sharpen your teaching skills. However, these courses generally cost money and if you are signing up for one of these trainings you might be wondering how your performance will be evaluated.

While the Yoga Alliance does offer its stamp of approval on training programs (and you should make sure that your potential certification program is approved), there really is not much in the way of standardization of curriculums. This means that you could be required to complete a written exam at the end or perform certain movements successfully before you will be awarded your certification. Many studios offer the possibility of a retest, but this is not a requirement.

Other studios offer the course without any testing, and you will pass as long as you do not miss any of the classes. However, even though there is no exam at the end to stress out over, it does not mean that there aren’t benefits to getting the most out of the training. After all, the information and techniques you will be learning may prove very beneficial to you when you begin your teaching practice.

If you are concerned about how you may be evaluated, it wouldn’t hurt to contact the studio in advance with your concerns. They can give you a better idea of what to expect and help you make the most your of your certification training.