How to compare Yoga teacher trainings in Portugal
Hours, certifications, mentorship, price and verifiable results: the 7 objective criteria to compare any training — without getting lost in the marketing.
Quick answer: to compare Yoga teacher trainings in Portugal, check 7 objective criteria: the real contact hours with trainers, the verifiable certifications (Yoga Alliance, DGERT, IPDJ), the credentials of those who teach, the support during and after, the honest format, the full price and the demonstrable results — graduates you can see. If a school doesn’t answer these 7 points clearly, that is the answer.
How to compare trainings — without getting lost in the marketing
Every training promises to be transformative. Every one has beautiful photos and happy testimonials. When it comes time to choose, the difference between a solid training and an expensive disappointment rarely lies in what the schools say — it lies in what you can verify. This guide gives you the 7 objective criteria to compare any Yoga teacher training in Portugal, and the exact questions to ask before you enrol.
Real training hours
The international standard for a foundation training is the 200H YTT — 200 hours of training. But not all “200H” are equal: ask how many hours are direct contact with trainers (in person or live online) and how many are independent work. A training that promises 200H in a few intensive weeks rarely leaves time to integrate the practice.
Certifications you can confirm
In Portugal, there are three seals you can verify independently: Yoga Alliance (search for the school in the official directory — it should appear as RYS 200 or RYS 300), DGERT (the state certification of training bodies) and IPDJ (sports recognition). Certified schools state it with a number and a link; be wary of vague mentions of an “international certificate” with no identifiable body. We explain each seal in detail in our article on Yoga Alliance certification in Portugal.
A solid training shows in practice: real classes, close support, community.
Who teaches — and for how long
Look for the trainers’ names, their years of experience and their individual credentials (in Yoga Alliance, the E-RYT 500 level indicates an experienced registered teacher who can train other teachers). A training is only as good as those who lead it — if the site doesn’t clearly say who teaches, ask.
Support during and after
The difference between finishing a training and becoming a teacher lies in the support: individual feedback on your practice, marking of assignments, mentorship after certification. Ask specifically: “what support do I have after I finish?” — the answer separates schools that train teachers from schools that sell certificates.
Almost everyone compares prices and schedules. Almost no one asks “what happens after the last day of training?”. That is precisely where the best schools stand out — in the mentorship, the community and the doors they open for new graduates.
An honest format
In person, live online, recorded online or blended — every format can work, as long as the advertised format matches reality. If it’s online, are there live classes or only videos? If it’s in person, where and how often? The right format is the one you can see through to the end.
The full price — not the entry price
Compare the total cost: tuition, materials, manuals, certification fees, mandatory retreats and travel. In Portugal, a certified 200H training typically costs between €1,500 and €3,500 — we analysed the real figures in our guide to the prices of yoga trainings in Portugal. Be wary both of the suspiciously cheap and of the premium with no justification.
Results you can see
The final test: where are the graduates? A school with a track record shows them. At BeYoga, we publish the community map — 167 graduates, across 103 cities and 5 countries, 72 of them teaching — with each one’s name, city and project. Any school can claim to train good teachers; few can show it person by person.
The final test of any school: the students it trains and where they are today.
The 7 questions to ask any school
1. How many direct contact hours does the training have, and over what period?
2. Are they registered with Yoga Alliance as an RYS? And do they hold DGERT certification and IPDJ recognition?
3. Who are the trainers and what are their individual credentials?
4. What support is there during the training and after certification?
5. Does the advertised format match exactly what I will receive?
6. What is the total cost, with everything included?
7. Where can I see your graduates and what they do today?
“Any school can say it trains good teachers. Few can show it, person by person.”
BeYoga School
How we answer these criteria
We play the game we propose: BeYoga School’s 200H training is certified by Yoga Alliance (RYS 200 and RYS 300), by DGERT and recognised by IPDJ. It is led by Carla Gonçalves, E-RYT 500 and a graduate in Sports Science from FMH, with mentorship after certification. Since 2018 we have trained more than 200 teachers — all verifiable, one by one, on the community map. And we have 5.0 stars across 114 Google reviews.
At BeYoga, support doesn’t end with the certificate — it continues in the community.
Questions about how to choose a Yoga training
How do I choose a Yoga teacher training in Portugal?
Compare 7 objective criteria: real contact hours, verifiable certifications (Yoga Alliance, DGERT, IPDJ), the trainers’ credentials, support during and after the training, an honest format, the full price and demonstrable results. Choose the school that answers all of them clearly.
How many hours should a Yoga teacher training have?
The international entry standard is the 200H YTT — 200 hours. What matters is knowing how many of those hours are direct contact with trainers and over what period they’re spread: 200 hours compressed into a few weeks rarely allow you to integrate the practice.
How do I check whether a school is certified by Yoga Alliance?
Search for the school’s name in the official Yoga Alliance directory. It should appear as RYS 200 or RYS 300. Certified schools state the registration with a number and a link on their own site; vague mentions of an “international certificate” with no identifiable body are a red flag.
What do DGERT and IPDJ mean in a Yoga training?
DGERT is the Portuguese state certification of training bodies — it guarantees audited processes and quality. IPDJ is recognition from the sports sector. Together with Yoga Alliance, they are the three seals you can confirm independently in Portugal.
How much does a Yoga teacher training cost in Portugal?
A certified 200H training typically costs between €1,500 and €3,500. Always compare the total cost — tuition, materials, certification fees, retreats and travel — and be wary both of the suspiciously cheap and of the premium with no justification.
In-person or online Yoga training: which is better?
Both formats can have the same quality — what matters is that the advertised format matches reality and that you can see it through to the end. If it’s online, confirm whether there are live classes; if it’s in person, confirm the location and how often.
What sets a good training apart from a “certificate mill”?
The support. Individual feedback on your practice, marking of assignments and mentorship after certification separate schools that train teachers from schools that just issue diplomas. Always ask: “what support do I have after I finish?”
How do I know whether a Yoga school’s results are real?
Ask to see the graduates — names, cities, projects. A school with a track record shows them publicly, as BeYoga does on the community map, with 167 graduates and 72 teaching. Anonymous testimonials and faceless numbers aren’t verifiable.
Compare — and come check for yourself
Apply the 7 criteria to BeYoga’s 200H training: Yoga Alliance, DGERT and IPDJ certification, mentorship after certification and more than 200 trained teachers you can see, one by one.
