From January 2027, Yoga Alliance is replacing its numbered credentials (RYT 200, RYT 500, E-RYT 200, E-RYT 500) with two: RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) and E-RYT (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher). Children’s, prenatal and continuing education credentials (RCYT, RPYT, YACEP) become specialty designations shown alongside your RYT or E-RYT. 

No. Yoga Alliance has confirmed that the credential you’ve earned is yours to keep, and your training hours will be shown on your profile. You can also keep using your existing logo, for example RYT 200 or E-RYT 500. 

No. Yoga Alliance registration is voluntary, and there’s no legal requirement to register in the UK. Yoga Alliance describes itself as a registry, not an accrediting body. The Shala is the school that trains and certifies you, and your Shala certificate stands on its own whether or not you register. 

Yes. Our 200-hour and 300-hour programmes carry over into the new system unchanged, and we don’t need to reapply or resubmit our syllabus. 

Nothing changes in your training. When you graduate, you can register as an RYT if you wish. New applicants complete a short online assessment covering ethics, safety, inclusion and teaching skills, all areas we cover on the course. 

Nothing right now. Your official title becomes RYT, and you can keep using your RYT 200 logo. To keep your credential, you’ll need to complete a free online assessment, show current CPR certification and sign an ethics attestation by 31 December 2027 (see Recertification below). 

Our 300-hour training, combined with your 200-hour, gives you the 500 hours needed for E-RYT, Yoga Alliance’s senior credential.

No. The standards for 300-hour training aren’t changing. You’ll receive your certificate from us as planned when you complete your 300 hours. The new mentorship requirement is for the E-RYT credential, not for your certificate. 

Yes. Yoga Alliance has confirmed you can combine a 200-hour from one school with a 300-hour from another. Under the new rules, the other school doesn’t even need to be registered with Yoga Alliance, although training from an unregistered school goes through some extra screening. 

No. The 300 hours must come from one cohesive advanced training, not a collection of shorter workshops, CPD or specialty courses. 

Previously, your 200 and 300 hours gave you RYT 500 once you’d logged 100 teaching hours after your 200-hour training. From 2027, once you’ve completed your 500 hours you can register as RYT, with your 500 hours shown on your profile. No teaching hours are needed. 

We don’t submit anything to Yoga Alliance on your behalf. If you choose to register, you apply directly through their website, uploading your 200-hour certificate and your 300-hour certificate from us. Together these make up your 500 hours. 

If you can, yes. To apply under the current rules, you need to have: 

• completed a 200-hour training with a Yoga Alliance registered school, plus your 300-hour training, and 
• logged at least 100 teaching hours since completing your 200-hour training.

A complete, eligible application must be submitted by 25 January 2027. If you finish your 300-hour with us before then, we’ll issue your certificate promptly so you have time to apply. There’s no downside: you can still progress to E-RYT afterwards, and your 500 hours carry over. If you won’t finish your training or teaching hours in time, don’t worry. You can apply under the new system later, without needing teaching hours. 

Your official title becomes RYT, but your 500 training hours will be clearly shown on your YA profile, and you can keep using your RYT 500 logo. You can also now move up to E-RYT without repeating any training (see the next section). 

From 2027, you’ll need: 

• 500 hours of yoga teacher training (200 + 300, or one 500-hour programme) 
• 50 hours of mentorship or observation with a current E-RYT 
• the free online assessment 
• current CPR certification 
• an ethics attestation

There’s no longer a minimum number of teaching hours or years. Previously, E-RYT required thousands of teaching hours over several years, so E-RYT is now much more reachable. 

Only if you want the E-RYT credential. You can register as RYT with your 500 hours shown without any mentorship. 

Any current E-RYT, from any school. You can split your 50 hours between several mentors. Existing E-RYT 200s and E-RYT 500s automatically become E-RYT, so they’re already listed in the Yoga Alliance teacher directory. 

Observing or assisting classes, co-teaching, lesson planning, discussion, feedback and reflection. Online observation counts too. Mentorship must be in addition to your 500 training hours, so hours that are part of your 200-hour or 300-hour training don’t count.

No. It’s separate from your training. You’ll receive your certificate when you finish your 300 hours, and you can complete the mentorship whenever you’re ready to apply for E-RYT. 

Yes. Hours you complete before 26 January 2027 can count, as long as they’re recorded in a signed log. We’ve created a Mentorship Log for this. Ask us for a copy if you don’t have one, and have your mentor sign each session on the day. 

Yoga Alliance hasn’t given any guidance on cost, and there’s no requirement to pay. If you already practise with a teacher who is an E-RYT, observing, assisting and shadowing them could be arranged informally or as an energy exchange.

Our lead teachers are all qualified to offer mentorship, and we’re meeting with our faculty in December to plan how we can support you, probably through group mentorship. Keeping it affordable is a priority, and we’ll share details here. 

Your credential becomes simply E-RYT, and you can keep using your existing logo. Like everyone else, you’ll need to recertify by 31 December 2027. 

Everyone who currently holds a Yoga Alliance credential (RYT 200, RYT 500, E-RYT 200 or E-RYT 500) and wants to keep it. By 31 December 2027 you’ll need to: 

• pass a free online assessment 
• show current CPR certification
• sign an ethics and accountability attestation

If you’re not registered with Yoga Alliance, none of this applies to you. 

40 questions on effective teaching and leadership, ethics, safety, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. E-RYTs also answer questions on teacher trainer development. The pass mark is 75%, and you get two attempts. It opens in January 2027 with an optional free prep course. Yoga philosophy isn’t included, because Yoga Alliance leaves that to schools. 

Your credential lapses, although your membership continues. To get it back, you’d pay a $150 recertification fee, which covers three years. 

Not yet. Current RYTs and E-RYTs keep paying $65 a year, covering both credential and membership, through to their 2029 renewal. After that, you’ll be able to choose credential only, membership only, or both.

Not until 2030. After that, RYTs will need 30 hours and E-RYTs 40 hours of continuing education every three years, across a broad range of topics. CPD can come from any E-RYT or anyone with expertise in the subject, including our CPD courses.