Life coaching is a field which is always evolving and growing. So, how do you ensure that your coaching practice is reliable appealing, trustworthy, and credible? One way to earn credibility is to earn an ICF-accredited accreditation.
If you’re interested in knowing what are the most reputable ICF-accredited coaching schools then you’re at the right spot! We’ll provide the most reputable recognized certifications in various areas of life coaching and discuss the benefits that come with ICF accreditation.
What Is an ICF Coach Certification Program?
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the largest non-profit association for coaching around the globe and is the most well-known accrediting organization in the coaching industry.
They offer independent certifications which prove that a coach meets the standards of professionalism and competence established through the ICF. ICF represents the highest standard in expert coaching within the life coaching business.
The ICF provides three levels of certification that its members can choose from, each of which has their own set of requirements:
Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
- 60plus hours of approved ICF training
- Over 100+ hours coaching experience
- Mentor coaching for 10 hours
- Evaluation of performance
- The application fee ($175 to ICF members and $325 for non-members.)
Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
- More than 125 hours of approved ICF training
- Over 500 hours coaching experience working with clients
- Mentor coaching for 10 hours
- Evaluation of performance
- The application fee ($375 (for ICF members, and 525 dollars for those who are not members)
Master Certified Coach (MCC)
- 200plus hours of ICF-approved training
- Over 2,500 hours of coaching experience
- 10 hours of coaching with a mentor
- Evaluation of performance
- Fee for application ($657 to ICF members, and $825 for members who do not)
Benefits of ICF Coaching Certification Programs
There isn’t a regulatory body that demands ICF certification or any other type of certification to be a coaching professional.
Why does this have to be so important?
As the most prestigious global association of professionally trained coaches ICF provides instant credibility for its participants. With ICF accreditation, it will be much easier to establish your credibility to be a reputable coach to clients and coaches.
It also demonstrates potential clients that you’ve put in considerable time and effort in becoming a competent coach. In addition to the credibility, by the course and resources you’ll acquire skills in knowledge, understanding, and comprehension of the coaching requirements to be successful when you begin your career as a coach.
How to Choose an ICF-Accredited Coaching Program
The ICF-accredited certificate isn’t the only way to become a professional coach. If you’re looking to include to the “golden standard” to your coaching qualifications, the following aspects can help you choose the right one for your needs.
Type of Life Coaching
Are you interested in specializing specifically in life-coaching or a specific area of coaching for life? Life coaches interested in identifying their business as being part of the particular niche will save time and money when they choose a niche training program which is ICF accredited. But, if the goal of registering in a specific niche program that’s not ICF recognized, they may be able to obtain that accreditation and ICF accreditation through a more general ICF coach course.
Cost
ICF certification programs will cost more than other certifications that aren’t ICF recognized. The reason for this cost difference is that the programs are taught with a mentor ICF requires. Finding ICF-accredited coaching courses online could offer a greater variety of choices, which include less expensive accreditations.
Program Length
The process of gaining ICF accreditation is a long process in particular because of the coaching hours that you must accumulate. In addition to the coaching hours the structure of the program is a major factor. The accredited certification programs are flexible or have a fixed schedule. This can help when you weigh your options between the advantages and disadvantages when you’ve set a target for your training or hectic schedule.
Best ICF-Approved Coach Training Programs
Let’s look at the top ICF-approved programs that provide life coach training for all types of people as well as popular specialties for life coaching.
Best ICF Life Coach Certification: Coach Training Alliance
Coach Training Alliance is our top choice for the best overall life coaching program due to numerous reasons. First, it has a complete curriculum as well as an exciting mix of self-study, group mentoring as well as observation and criticism.
What makes CTA in comparison to others ICF life coaching programs is the inclusion of precise business-oriented content. They don’t just discuss coaching techniques and tools however, they also cover the best ways to run a profitable business, attract customers as well as other aspects that are essential to business expansion.
CTA isn’t just an overall life coaching program as well as a range of specific trainings, like the transition coach, wellness coaching, group coaching and much more.
Check out the analysis of CTA to find out more about why they are better than other choices.
Course Length: 6 months
Program Cost: 3 747 dollars (Payable in the entirety or in 3-7 or nine parts)
Mode of Delivery: Online
Best ICF Health Coach Certification: Health Coach Institute
Programs for health coaches are typically accredited by wellness and health accreditation institutions, but not by ICF. This Health & Life Coach program from Health Coach Institute is among the ones that offer ICF certification for its graduates in health coaching. It is a dual-certification that covers both life and health coaching. You can study at your own speed, but you’ll must complete the course within 12 months. the course.
The health component of the program covers issues of healthy nutrition for coaches, as well as habits-changing coaching techniques. The curriculum also covers life coaching, starting your coaching career and personal development.
- Course Length: 6-12 months
- Program Cost: $5,450
- Mode of Delivery: Online
Note: If you wind to decide that ICF accreditation isn’t necessary for your health coach’s certification and prefer something less burdensome to manage your finances look into the Transformation Academy’s Master Wellness Life Coach certification or their Health and Nutrition Life Coach certification.
Best ICF Spiritual Life Coach Certification: Life Purpose Institute
The demands of life has led people to look for peace through religion. The result that for spirituality-based coaches can be said to mean that their help is required than ever before. If you are a spiritual coach and it is your forte then you can be an expert and obtain ICF-accredited certification through the.
The Life Purpose Institute’s Spiritual Coach Certification program…
This course will show that you can tap into your spirituality, give you tools for spiritual coaching and provide you with practical guidance for coaching as well as ready-made resources. The “business-in-a-box” teaching strategy features templates, marketing examples as well as worksheets and forms that you can apply to your own business. They also provide something distinctive and valuable: ongoing support for marketing, even after training.
If you’d like an idea of their method of teaching You can request an complimentary consultation or a no-cost class.
Course Duration: 3 months and 6-month program. Five-day intenses that include four two-hour following classes.
Program Cost: $2,500
Mode of Delivery: Online
Note: Are you interested in exploring the various non-ICF options available for training in spiritual life coaching? Read our analysis of the best programs which includes our top pick, Natural Wellness Academy.
Best ICF Mindfulness Coach Certification: Mindfulness Coaching School
Mindfulness Coaching The school’s training is offered in stages.
A Level 1 coach is part of the ACC program, and it is the pre-requisite for Level 2.
Level 2, also known as that is the ICF level 2 Coach (PCC) program is the first step towards ICF certification.
After you’ve completed this stage, you will have to accumulate more than 100 hours coaching your clients and write a reflection piece and then pass the performance test live at the end of the program, you’ll be able to obtain mindfulness, wellness as well as Somatic Coach Certification.
In the course of your learning, Mindfulness Coaching School introduces students to the most important coaching abilities, the intricacies of the coaching industry and the best way to guide clients through the realms that include mindfulness wellbeing, mindfulness, as well as physical life coach.
If your interest in mindfulness has restricted to the neuro mindfulness coach designation We suggest that you take a look at the INLP training program. Also, go through our review of the iNLP program..
Course Length: Self-paced
Program Cost: Is $5,800 for level 1 tuition $9,355 for Level 2 and certificate; plus the potential cost of additional fees: costs for ICF’s credentialing procedure textbooks and other materials used in courses, as well as coaching sessions
Mode of Delivery: Online
Take note: If you choose to swap ICF accreditation to save quite several dollars on training expenses, Transformation Academy offers a high-quality and inexpensive accreditation on the field of Mindfulness Coach.
Best ICF Relationship Coach Certification: Mindfulness Coaching School
It’s no surprise that world’s biggest Mindfulness Coaching School has been granted ICF accreditation. You can become an accredited ICF relationship coach through the assistance by the Relationship Coaching Institute’s program.
The main benefit of this program is that it covers coaching for singles as well as the coaching of couples. It is easy to market yourself as a professional in any sub-area of relationship coaching following the gaining of accreditation.
Course Length: Self-paced
Program Cost: The cost of enrollment is $3,997 plus $79 monthly dues for membership access to all classes. There is also a $125 application fee for certification as a certified Relationship Coaches to Couples (CRCC) as well as Certified Relationship Coach for Singles (CRCS)
Mode of Delivery: Online
Best ICF Career Coach Certification
Do you wish to receive the career coach ICF certification? We recommend you take a look at the World Coach Institute and its self-paced, flexible course. The course materials include books, webinars, tests and coaching sessions that are conducted with other coaches, making the course engaging and informative.
It is possible to observe that there are two options for coaching, however, to get ICF-approved coach training hours you’ll have to select the second one, which is comprised of CPC Teleclass (CPC-300) and the self-study CCC Add-on (CCC-203).
Course Length: Self-paced
Program Cost: $5,000
Mode of Delivery: Online
In a close second place Coach Training Alliance’s Career Coach training is a fantastic alternative for coaches who are new to the field. Find out more information about it and the other programs for training (both ICF- and non-ICF-accredited) in our round-up of articles regarding careers in coaching.
Conclusion
ICF accreditation isn’t required for professional coaching and does not matter when it comes to becoming an accredited coach. But, ICF accreditation does matter in the event that you need a reputable credential to enhance your marketing strategy to ensure your education is in line with the highest standards of coaching.
If you’re looking for general life coaching training and accreditation or a training program that is particular to your area we hope that our list can assist you in finding the right training. If you’ve decided to open to training that isn’t ICF-related or just want to find out what other options are available on the market, check out our complete list of the top coaching certification courses.
Do you want to get an ICF-accredited certification, but don’t know which program is the best? Our guide can help you find out!
