Questions we get asked most

No. You need to be a regular Pilates attendee with a genuine love for the practice - but you do not need to be at an advanced level. The Level 3 Diploma is a beginner-to-intermediate teaching qualification. It is designed for people who are not yet instructors. You are not expected to arrive already knowing how to teach. That is what the course is for. The students who do best are not necessarily the most advanced practitioners - they are the ones who show up, engage fully, and are not afraid to ask questions.

There are no formal entry requirements. You should be a regular Pilates participant with a good understanding of the practice, and you should be physically able to participate in and demonstrate exercises. You will also need access to a device to complete the online learning and a small number of people willing to be your practice clients for your Learner Achievement Portfolio.

The minimum age for HSP courses is 18. If you are 18 or over and serious about building a career in Pilates, the course is absolutely open to you. Some of our students have been in their early twenties fitting the course around existing work or studies.

There is no upper age limit, and in our experience, life experience makes for better instructors. Students on our courses have ranged from their early twenties to their mid-fifties. Clients want to work with someone they can relate to and trust - someone who understands what it feels like to be in their body. If you have been doing Pilates for a while and you understand its value firsthand, that is an asset, not a barrier.

No. You do not need to be at an advanced level before you begin. What matters is that you have a consistent personal practice and are comfortable with the movements - not that you are the strongest or most technically polished person in the room. Teaching Pilates is about understanding how movement works in other people's bodies and being able to explain and correct it clearly. That is something we teach you. If your personal practice needs strengthening before your first workshop, we will tell you honestly, and we will point you in the right direction.

Yes - the Level 3 Diploma in Instructing Mat Pilates is a standalone qualification that covers the specific principles, technique and teaching methodology of Pilates. It cannot be replaced by a PT qualification or a general fitness certificate. However, if you hold a Level 3 qualification that includes anatomy and physiology, you may be eligible to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and be exempt from the written A&P and Principles of Exercise exams. Get in touch and we can look at what you hold and advise you properly.

From your first online module to your practical assessment, the course runs over approximately five months. The online learning is self-paced so you work through it around your existing commitments. There are three in-person workshop days - two for Workshop 1 and one for Workshop 2 - all on weekends. Your assessment is scheduled separately once you and your tutor agree you are ready.

There are no traditional written exams. There are two open book anatomy and physiology exams which are completed online - if you hold a relevant prior qualification you may not need to sit these, so it is worth mentioning this when you enquire. Beyond that, the qualification is assessed through two components - a Learner Achievement Portfolio (a written portfolio you build throughout the course with guidance and feedback from your tutor) and a practical teaching assessment. Both need to be passed to achieve the qualification. One reassessment is included in the course fee if needed.

Workshop 1 runs over two days. Day 1 is 8:00am to 4:30pm and Day 2 is 9:00am to 5:30pm. Workshop 2 is one day, 8:45am to 5:30pm. They are full days and full-on - but most students leave feeling more confident than when they arrived.

Because our cohorts are small and the group dynamic is a genuine part of the learning experience, mixing workshop days between cohorts is difficult in practice. It is not impossible, but it is something that needs to be discussed with Emma before you enrol rather than assumed. Assessment dates are more flexible - if your chosen cohort's assessment date does not work for you, get in touch and we can look at options.

Yes. The course requires approximately 200 hours of online study in total - over five months that works out at around 10 hours per week. You get access to the online materials as soon as you register, so if you want to get ahead before Workshop 1 you can start earlier and spread the study over more weeks. The in-person workshop days are all on weekends so there is no requirement to take time off work.

Each cohort has a maximum of eight students. That is a deliberate choice, not a logistical limitation. With smaller numbers, every student gets proper attention during workshop days, teaching practice is genuinely useful rather than rushed, and the learning environment feels like a course rather than a crowd. It also means you build real working relationships with the people you train alongside, which most students find unexpectedly valuable.

Yes. Once you have completed Workshop 1, you can begin teaching beginner-level classes using student insurance. You do not need to wait until you are fully qualified to get started. Most students find that teaching practice during the course is one of the most valuable parts of the process - it builds confidence and gives you real-world experience that feeds directly back into your assessment preparation.

The practical assessment takes place over a full afternoon. Each student being assessed also participates in their fellow students' assessment classes, so it is a shared experience rather than an isolated test. You are required to teach a pre-prepared class covering set up, mobility, main phase, and closing phase. You are assessed against Active IQ's qualification criteria by an independent assessor. One reassessment is included in the course fee if needed.

There are three pathways - Foundation at £1,499 + VAT, Professional at £2,499 + VAT, and Signature Mentorship at £3,499 + VAT. All pathways require a £199 + VAT deposit to secure your place, which is non-refundable and in addition to the pathway fee. Payment plans are available - you can spread the cost over 3 or 5 instalments. Full pricing details are on the course page.

You do need to choose a pathway when you enrol, but you are not locked in permanently. If you start on the Foundation Pathway and later decide you want the Graduate Circle coaching or one-to-one mentorship, you can upgrade. It works out slightly less expensive to choose the higher pathway upfront because the support is included in the package price, but the option to add it later is there if you are not sure yet.

Student insurance is required before you begin teaching anyone - even friends and family during your training. This should be arranged after Workshop 1 when you start your teaching practice. Once you qualify, student insurance should be upgraded to full professional indemnity and public liability insurance before you take on paying clients. Emma can point you in the right direction for both.

Not if you do not want to be. All students get access to the Pilates Business Launchpad - a self-paced online resource covering how to find clients, price your classes, and get started in the real world. Students on the Professional and Signature pathways also get 12 months of access to the Graduate Circle - fortnightly group coaching calls with Emma covering everything from marketing to class planning to the practical realities of running your own teaching business. The goal is that you leave not just qualified, but ready to actually build something.

No. Once you have your qualification, you are accredited and free to teach. There is no annual renewal fee payable to HSP. The only optional ongoing support is the Graduate Circle (included in Professional and Signature pathways, or available separately) and the Pilates Prep School membership for qualified instructors. Both have a minimum three-month commitment, after which you can cancel at any time.