for mindfulness centers and programs

IMta accreditation

You are the bridge to bringing the wisdom of mindfulness into the world. Help aspiring mindfulness teachers find the highest-quality training.

Benefits of accrediting your program through IMTA

When your mindfulness training program becomes accredited through the IMTA, you give participants the peace of mind of knowing they’re signing up for a program that adheres to the best practices in the mindfulness field.

If your program curriculum and faculty exhibits the right expertise and depth of training, your organization will benefit from:

An internationally-recognized accreditation that demonstrates that your program meets high quality standards at all levels.
Greater visibility and exposure to new students with a public listing in the IMTA Accredited Mindfulness Teacher Training Program directory.
Higher authority as you gain the ability to use the IMTA program logo for marketing purposes.
The opportunity to shape the future mindfulness field. Nominate representatives from your organization for IMTA committees or for election to the Board of Directors.

Ready to become a leading organization in the mindfulness field?

By becoming accredited with IMTA, you demonstrate to current and future students that your program meets a standard of excellence. You establish your organization as one whose teachers deliver top-notch guidance and training on an international scale.

Why accredited programs matter

Teaching mindfulness is an important endeavor with the power to increase people’s well-being and to transform society…that’s why it must be done with care and diligence.

In today’s world where anyone can learn almost anything online, it’s hard to find quality amidst the noise. Every time a new school launches, various types of credentialing standards are being formed. Without a universal baseline to standardize training program qualifications, individuals have no way of assessing the quality of the program they’re signing up for.

To help make the mindfulness field more professional and legitimate in the eyes of the public, accreditation is key. It assures the public that graduating teachers are capable of delivering the most qualified care, training, and guidance on an international scale.

And that’s where IMTA comes in.

We standardize accreditation to ensure mindfulness training programs are designed to be rigorous and impactful.

APPLICATION PROCESS

STEP ONE

Review and confirm you meet the minimum program requirements for accreditation:

A training curriculum that satisfies or exceeds the 200 hour minimum.
Qualified supervising teachers must demonstrate a minimum of 10 years of advanced mindfulness experience and personal practice combined with 5 years of teaching experience. Qualified supervising teachers must hold a CMT-P credential.
You must provide opportunities for personal contact between students and supervising teachers in the form of individual or group teaching or mentoring sessions as demonstrated by program curricula.
You must utilize a screening process to verify candidate proficiency and qualification for program acceptance.
- All accepted students should have a regular daily mindfulness meditation practice and should have completed a mindfulness course like Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs), or an equivalent.
You must ensure observation and feedback mechanisms are in place for student teachers.
- Students teaching skills should be observed live or on video for at least 2×30 minutes and provided feedback in written and verbal form a minimum of two times. (Mid-program and final)

Upon submitting your application, your accreditation will be determined primarily based on the amount of contact hours your students receive.

You can also request to get your classes approved for Continuing Education credits towards the Certified Mindfulness Teacher credential.

Program Fees:

Application Review Fee (Non-Refundable): $500
Accreditation Fee Billed Upon Approval: $3,250 ($1,250 for IMTA Organizational Members)
Reaccreditation Fee Every Two Years: $3,250 ($1,250 for IMTA Organizational Members)

STEP TWO

Gather your documentation and click the “Apply for Accreditation” button below to go to our online submission portal:

The Program name and contact information of the program owner(s).
The name(s) and qualifications of the program director(s) and supervising teacher(s) in the form of professional bios.
A syllabus of your training program that meets our Program Standards. (PDF Format)
The prerequisites for program acceptance. (PDF Format)
The observation and feedback mechanism in place for student-teachers. (PDF Format)
A sample certificate of program completion. (PDF Format)
A credit card to pay the application fee.
- PLEASE NOTE: Application fees are non-refundable. Please confirm you meet all application requirements prior to submitting payment. Your accreditation fee is due upon approval of your application and will be invoiced.
- Accreditation fees and optional membership fees are not combined and are billed separately.

Your payments go towards administering our credentialing system, maintaining your information, and ensuring adherence of all participants to program standards. Renewal fees allow us to keep our organization running, continually improve our credentialing system, and expand our benefits and services to credential holders. For questions, contact us.

AS AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION, WE PRORATE IMTA FEES BASED ON THE WORLD BANK LIST OF COUNTRY ECONOMIES. RESIDENTS IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES MAY BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE DISCOUNTS UP TO 75%.