How do you become a yoga teacher in Denmark?

By yum · Updated 2 November 2026

You become a yoga teacher in Denmark by completing a yoga teacher training, usually a 200-hour one. “Yoga teacher” isn’t a protected title in Denmark, so there’s no state licence. But most studios want to see a training certificate, and many look for a school registered with Yoga Alliance (RYS 200). After training at an RYS 200 school, you can apply to become a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200).

That’s the short answer. Here’s the honest, slightly longer one. Built from the questions we get every week.

In short

• There’s no public licence for yoga teachers in Denmark.
• 200 hours is the foundation level and the most common way in.
• Yoga Alliance is a voluntary international registry of yoga schools and teachers.
• RYS 200 is the school. RYT 200 is you, once you’ve registered afterwards.
• At yum you do a 200-hour Vinyasa yoga teacher training in English in Sydhavnen, Copenhagen. yum is an RYS®200.

Do you need a qualification to teach yoga in Denmark?

Not by law. No Danish authority approves yoga teachers, and the title isn’t protected. In theory, you could teach your colleagues at lunch tomorrow.

In practice, it’s a different story. Studios, gyms and companies almost always ask for a certificate. And your students trust that you know what you’re doing when they go upside down on your cue. So a training isn’t a legal must. It’s what makes you ready.

One more thing, because people ask: a yoga certificate is not a work permit. If you’re moving to Denmark from outside the EU, check the rules for working here on nyidanmark.dk first.

What does 200 hours mean?

200 hours is the standard format for a foundation yoga teacher training. The number is the total hours of the training. You typically learn:

• postures (asana), alignment and sequencing
• anatomy and physiology
• breathwork (pranayama) and meditation
• yoga history and philosophy
• teaching: voice, cueing and how a class fits together

Most trainings end with an exam where you teach. Yes, it’s nerve-racking. No, you won’t be the first.

Always ask how a school splits its hours. How many are with the teachers? How much is homework? At yum, the training is built from 150 hours with the teachers and 50 hours of self-practice. That structure is approved by Yoga Alliance.

What is Yoga Alliance, and what’s the difference between RYS 200 and RYT 200?

Yoga Alliance is a US-based international non-profit. It keeps a voluntary registry of yoga schools and teachers and publishes standards for what a training should cover. It isn’t a Danish authority, and it isn’t a licence.

The acronyms confuse almost everyone. So:

• RYS 200 (Registered Yoga School): the school is registered to train at the 200-hour level.
• RYT 200 (Registered Yoga Teacher): you, once you’ve completed a full 200-hour training at an RYS 200 and applied to Yoga Alliance yourself.
• E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher): you, once you’ve taught at least 1,000 hours over at least two years after your training.

Two things few people tell you. You don’t become an RYT 200 automatically when you pass. You apply yourself, and Yoga Alliance has its own application fee and annual membership, paid directly to them. Check current fees on yogaalliance.org. And you can’t stack several short courses to reach 200 hours. It has to be one complete training from one school.

Is Yoga Alliance necessary in Denmark?

No. There are great teachers and great schools without the stamp. Yoga Alliance isn’t the only proof of quality.

But it gives you a shared, international standard to measure against. And if you want to teach abroad, on retreats or at studios that ask for RYT, it’s handy to have. We’ll be honest: when we hire teachers at yum, we don’t only look at the stamp. We look at where you trained, how much you’ve practised and taught, and how you are with people.

How long does it take to become a yoga teacher?

It depends on the format. Some trainings are intensive, over a few weeks. Others are spread over weekends for several months. Neither is better. It’s about what your life can hold right now.

At yum you can choose between two groups in 2027, with the same content and the same certificate:

• Winter/Spring 2027: 16 January–2 May 2027. Weekends only, with the winter and Easter breaks off. Made for people with a job or studies. See the winter training
• Summer Intensive 2027: 3 July–15 August 2027. 6.5 weeks of weekends and weekdays. See the summer training

Whatever the format, there’s homework between sessions. It’s an education, not a spa weekend.

What do I need before I start?

You don’t need to do a handstand or touch your toes. You need to have practised yoga before, so you have a basic sense of what happens on the mat. And you need the will. The rest you learn. That’s sort of the point.

At yum, the training and the 170-page manual are in English, so you need to understand and speak English comfortably. Not perfectly. Comfortably.

New to yoga? Start on the mat, not on the training. yum intro gives you 30 days of unlimited yoga to find out whether you want more.

What happens after the training?

You get a certificate from the school once you’ve met the requirements and passed the exam. If the school is an RYS 200, you can then apply for RYT 200. And then the real work starts: teaching, again and again, and getting a little better each time.

Most people start small. A class for colleagues. A substitute slot. A few friends in the park. That’s completely fine. Nobody becomes a good teacher in a classroom. You become one in front of real people.

How we do it at yum

yum is a Registered Yoga School (RYS®200) with Yoga Alliance in Sydhavnen, Copenhagen. Our 200-hour Vinyasa yoga teacher training in brief:

• One style: Vinyasa, learned properly.
• Language: English, including the 170-page manual. Some teachers and the studio team speak Danish.
• Group size: 7–15 participants.
• Price: DKK 28,995 excl. VAT, where VAT applies. The DKK 4,000 booking fee is included in the price.
• Included: free membership to our regular classes from the day you book until the last day of the training, and 20% off in the café.
• Exam: you teach a class of up to 30 minutes, including pranayama and/or meditation.
• Absence: 16 hours at most.
• After: alumni membership at DKK 379/month (under 30) or DKK 439/month (30+) for up to 24 months, and the chance to teach “freshman classes” with us.

And it all happens in real life. A room by the water, a group you’ll get to know very well, and a café next door for when your brain is full of hip anatomy.

Thinking of doing it mostly for yourself? Read 5 reasons to do a yoga teacher training (even if you don’t want to teach) and why we chose Vinyasa.

Ready, or just curious? Get our free prep kit with a recorded webinar and a peek inside the manual, or see everything on our yoga teacher training in Copenhagen page. Questions? Write to us at yoga@yum.dk. Or come by Alliancevej 22 for a coffee and a chat.

FAQ

Do you need a qualification to become a yoga teacher in Denmark?

Not by law. Yoga teacher isn’t a protected title in Denmark. But most studios and employers want to see a training certificate, and a 200-hour yoga teacher training is the most common way in.

What’s the difference between RYS 200 and RYT 200?

RYS 200 means the school is registered with Yoga Alliance to train at the 200-hour level. RYT 200 is a personal registration you apply for yourself after completing a full 200-hour training at an RYS 200 school.

Is a Yoga Alliance certificate recognised abroad?

Yoga Alliance is an international registry, and RYT 200 is known in many countries. It isn’t a public licence, so each studio or employer decides what they require.

Can I teach yoga in Denmark as a foreigner?

Yoga teacher isn’t a protected title, so you don’t need a Danish yoga licence. Your right to work in Denmark is a separate question. If you’re from outside the EU, check the rules on nyidanmark.dk.

Is yum’s yoga teacher training taught in English?

Yes. All teaching and the manual are in English. Some teachers and the studio team also speak Danish.