6 min read
Which Yoga Teacher Training Is Right for You?
Online, a month abroad, or the British Wheel of Yoga: an honest guide to which route suits who.
Written by
Carrie Froggett
Published on
So you've been practising yoga for a little while now, you love it, and a little voice keeps asking: what if I went deeper? Maybe you want to teach one day. Maybe you just want to understand what's actually going on in your own body and mind when you step on the mat. Either way, you've probably typed "yoga teacher training" into Google and been met with a wall of options, from palm trees in Bali to a three-year course of monthly meet-ups.
In the UK, most trainings fall into one of three types: an online training spread over a few months, a month-long immersion abroad, or a long, in-person course like the British Wheel of Yoga. They're all brilliant, and they're all for different people at different phases of life.
One thing before we start, because I'd rather be nice and honest: one of the following courses is mine! I run the 200-hour online teacher training at The Frog Project, and I love it. But I also know it isn't right for everyone, so I've been honest about who it's not for, and fair about the other two. The best teacher training is the one that fits your life, and that depends far more on you than on me.
Picking a YTT is a really big decision, and I've met so many people who have been disappointed with their choice. From not enough teaching practice, to coming out feeling confused and less confident than when you went in, to not really being 'taught' but just lectured at. For this reason, it's so important to take some time to read about the different courses out there, pick the learning style that's right for you, and read testimonials too! After all, the proof is in the pudding!
A quick comparison
Online (The Frog Project) | Month-long immersion abroad | British Wheel of Yoga | |
|---|---|---|---|
Length | 16 weeks | Around 4 weeks, full time (maybe one day off a week) | Around 2.5–3 years, usually one weekend a month |
Hours | 200 | 200 | 300 |
Course fee | £2,200 (early bird £1,997) | Roughly £600–£2,000, usually including shared room and meals | Around £3,000+ plus registration, membership and residentials |
Extra costs | None, you train from home | Flights, insurance, time off work | Travel & accommodation for monthly sessions |
Where | Live online, from your living room | Bali, Koh Phangan, Rishikesh and beyond | In person, near you |
Accreditation | Yoga Alliance | Usually Yoga Alliance | BWY |
Life on pause? | No, it fits around life | Yes, for a month | No, but it's a long commitment |
Best for | Busy people, those working and taking care of family, or retired with other weekly commitments too | People who can step away from life and want a total reset | People set on teaching professionally in the UK and have a long time to dedicate to study |
Prices are from the course listings I could find in November 2026. The month-long immersion courses really do vary a lot between schools, so always check the school's own site (sources at the end).
1. Online over 16 weeks (The Frog Project)
Best for people who want to train without putting life on pause.
Full disclosure: this is mine. I'm biased, I know it, so I'll tell you exactly who it's for and who it isn't.
Our 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified training is taught live and in real time, over 16 weeks (with 1-2 week breaks baked in between each of the 4 modules in case you need time to catch up or just step back for a week). We run the course every New Year, with our next course starting in January 2027. Each week you have a live class where we explore the postures and teach each other what we're learning, and then you have a series of video lessons (around 10-15 minutes each) to study whatever is the focus that week. There are also nice meditations, yoga nidra and practices to practise in your own time too. The course is split across 4 modules that build on each other as they go - philosophy and psychology; anatomy and physiology; the subtle stuff like energy, the chakras, breath and meditation; and the science of sharing and teaching (building confidence and finding your voice). These self-paced sessions fit around your life, and while this is of course additional to what's already going on in your week, it's designed to complement, support and help you make sense of life! You're not learning yoga in a bubble and then flying home to try to make it fit. You're learning it alongside your work, your family and your caring responsibilities, so it becomes part of your life as you go.
It suits two types of people. The sharers, who'd like to teach friends, family or classes in their community. And the explorers, who just want to understand their own mind and body better. At least half of our trainees never teach, and that's absolutely fine. And because it's live, you're part of a group who know you, notice you and cheer you on, not watching recordings on your own at midnight. Although recordings are available if you miss a session.
Who it's not for: if you learn best by stepping completely away from normal life, the month-long immersion will honestly serve you better. And if your goal is the UK's highest regulated teaching qualification, look at the British Wheel of Yoga.
2. The month-long immersion (Bali, Koh Phangan, Rishikesh)
Best for people who can step away from life and want a total reset.
This is the one most people picture when they hear "teacher training", and I completely understand the appeal. You fly somewhere beautiful, you practise every morning, you study all day, you eat lovely vegan food and you come home a slightly different person. For a lot of people it's genuinely life-changing, and the friendships you make living and breathing yoga together for a month can last for years.
Most are Yoga Alliance 200-hour courses squeezed into around three to four weeks. In Rishikesh, fees I found ranged from about £600 to £1,250 including a room and meals. In Bali, a typical 200-hour course is roughly £900 to £2,000, again usually with accommodation and meals. Then add flights, insurance and a month off work.
The trade-off is time to digest. 200 hours in a month means long, full days, and there isn't much space to let it settle or to practise teaching real students back in your own life. Coming home can feel like a bump, too: you've had this amazing experience, and then it's Monday and the washing's piled up. So it's worth asking each school what support you get once you're home.
Who it's not for: anyone who can't take a month away from work, children or caring, anyone on a tighter budget once travel is added, or anyone who'd rather learn slowly and weave it into everyday life. I'd also really make sure you read testimonials, as many of these schools are amazing, but there are also some dodgy ones too. They're not carefully regulated. So make sure you do your research!
3. The British Wheel of Yoga
Best for people who are sure they want to teach professionally in the UK.
The British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) has been training teachers since the 1960s, and its courses are regulated by Ofqual at Level 4, the highest yoga teaching qualification in the UK. There are two main routes: a 300-hour Certificate and a 500-hour Diploma, and you're a fully qualified BWY teacher after either one.
It's a slow, steady path. Most courses meet in person around one or two days a month. One Diploma I found runs from September 2026 to January 2029, with a course fee of £3,160 plus a residential weekend and registration fees, and you'll also pay a yearly BWY student membership. BWY also asks for at least two years of regular yoga classes before you start. The upside of all that time is real depth, lots of supervised teaching practice, and a qualification that's highly respected across the UK.
Who it's not for: those who mainly want to deepen their own practice, anyone who wants to start sharing yoga in the next year, or anyone who can't commit to a fixed day every month for several years.
How to choose: four honest questions
Do I want to teach, and how soon? Not sure, or not at all? Online or an immersion. Set on a UK teaching career? The BWY is worth a serious look.
Can I step away from my life for a month? If yes and you crave a reset, an immersion is magic. If not, online or BWY.
How do I learn best? Little and often, with time to let it sink in? Online or BWY. All in, total focus? An immersion.
What's my real budget? Add up the course fee, travel, time off work and any memberships, not just the headline price.
There's no wrong answer here. Every one of these routes has given people a deeper practice and a better understanding of themselves. The best training is the one you'll actually finish, and enjoy.
Fancy starting 2027 with something new?
If the online route sounds like you, our next 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher training starts in January 2027 and runs live over 16 weeks.
Course fee: £2,200
Early bird: £1,997 if you book by Sunday 13th December
Come and say hello first: join me online for our teacher training open evening on Thursday 3rd December at 7.30pm–9pm UK time. Bring a cuppa, and I'll tell you all about the course and answer every question you've got.
Find out more and book your place →
Wherever you are right now is the perfect place to begin.
Sources
You might also like: Who Is Yoga Teacher Training Really For?
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200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Yoga Alliance certified and part-time over 16 teaching weeks, with teaching practice from week one. Our next training starts in January 2027.
