Answers To Our Most Frequently asked Questions

Our Story

The Chicago School of Yoga, founded in 2009 by Mark B. Weiss, has trained and certified yoga instructors for nearly 15 years. Mark began his journey in 1980 with daily runs that helped him develop discipline, relieve stress, and maintain health. He explored various fitness activities, such as marathons, cardio, and strength training. In 2004, he discovered including yoga significantly enhanced his strength and flexibility. His unique experience at various yoga studios, yoga styles and teachers motivated him to create a flexible and thorough yoga teacher training program in Chicago.

Why The Chicago School of Yoga for your Certification?

  • Authentic education comes from an experienced and diverse faculty.

  • Weekend module schedules are geared to accommodate working professionals

  • Flexibility to complete - If you need to take more time to finish take as long as 24 months, without losing credit

  • Our program is a comprehensive program gears for self development and your vocational goal

  • We welcome all future yoga instructors to join us in this unique and supportive learning environment.

Where are you located?

2442 N. Lincoln Ave, 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60614  

Entry: Use the left camera entry doorbell at the entrance. Listen for the click and come upstairs.

Is Parking Provided?

Street Parking: Available daily until 6:00 PM. After 6:00 PM, a 143 permit is required, which we provide upon request.

Meter Parking: Not required on Sundays.

What are the Public Transportation Options?

  • 'L' Train: One block west at the Fullerton/DePaul station.

  • No. 8 Bus: Located 2 minutes east on Halsted and Fullerton.

  • No. 74 Bus: Located 2 minutes south on Fullerton.

How do I Enroll for a Chicago School of Yoga Session?

  1. Complete the enrollment application on our website.

  2. Schedule an admission interview with the Executive Director.

  3. Read, review and sign the tuition agreement

  4. Make payment of a deposit or tuition in full.

What is cost of the Tuition?

Option One: Pay in Full

$3,690.00, includes textbooks and all printed materials.

Pay full tuition with your contract.        


Option Two: Pay As You Go

Secure your enrollment:  You can secure your spot with a $ 500.00 Deposit when signing your agreement. 

  • After an initial payment of $500, you pay $500 per month until two weeks before the trimester begins, at which point the remaining balance is due.

  • The balance of tuition is required on or before February 14th, 2025
    Note: All payments are non-refundable.

Payment Methods

We accept Cash, Check, Zelle and Venmo @sendpmt.

First Day Checklist

Your yoga mat

A 3-ring binder for handouts


Class Size and Fellow Students

Class sizes range from 6 to 18 students. Our students come from diverse backgrounds, including corporate executives, lawyers, journalists, and consultants, all seeking to deepen their yoga practice or transition to a career in yoga. Ages of our students have ranged from 16 to 78.


Certification

The Chicago School of Yoga is an International Yoga Alliance Certified Program. Graduates can join the International Yoga Alliance, although it is optional. Our certification is robust and recognized worldwide.


Teaching Preparation

You will begin practice teaching before the end of the first module. Our goal is for you to feel confident and prepared to teach yoga upon completing the program.

Business of Yoga

While we do not guarantee employment, our faculty shares their experiences and insights into building successful yoga careers. Hard work and dedication are key to success in this field.


Life happens, and we understand. Options include private lessons at an additional cost, returning next session, or other methods suggested by your instructors. You have two years to complete the program without losing credit.

Faculty

  • Beginning in 2010 David has been the Lead Teacher at the Chicago School of Yoga. David teaches a Vinyasa style steeped in basic yoga fundamentals but often sequenced in creative ways. He will encourage you to have fun and challenge yourself while honoring your individual needs. David has taught thousands of yoga classes and completed multiple trainings and certifications with Rusty Wells, Baron Baptiste and Manju Jois.

  • Kathryn, a graduate of the Chicago School of Yoga, fuses old school fundamentals and traditions with new school sequences and music to create a lighthearted, fun and supportive environment for self-discovery through yoga. A former lacrosse player and corporate consultant, she aims to cultivate balance between strength and length, sweat and stability, time on and off the mat. Kathryn offers both private training and group yoga classes, scaled to individual goals and needs. She has Prenatal, Kids, and Trauma-Sensitive Yoga certifications and has experience with injury prevention, functional medicine, and active rehabilitation. Kathryn also volunteers with Yoga for Recovery, bringing yoga and mindfulness to women at the Cook County Department of Corrections.

  • Since 1998, Joey has studied various styles of yoga including Hatha, Anusara, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Pre- and Post-natal, Yin yoga and Zin meditation. Beginning in 2010, she began to round out her education with an AFAA Group Exercise Certificate, followed by Barre, Indoor Cycling and Kettle-bell Certificates. Joey draws on her knowledge of multiple practices to create a serene environment in which people can find a balance between strength and flexibility, combining mind-body principles to get blood and energy flowing. Mindful that healthy living encompasses all aspects of life, Joey completed a health coach program in 2014. Joey assists in yoga teacher trainings and teaches yoga at DePaul University. She is also a certified fascial stretch therapist through Stretch to Win.

  • Angie Aboutalib is a board certified Internal Medicine physician and Medical director who has been practicing vinyasa yoga since she began her medical schooling. She received her teacher certification at The Chicago School of Yoga in 2017. Angie has a passion for the field of yoga as medicine and incorporates some of her teachings during her vinyasa classes. She currently leads physician yoga wellness retreats and teaches yoga anatomy and physiology at the Chicago School of Yoga. Her classes are focused on bringing a balance physically, mentally and spiritually during a yoga practice.

    Mission Statement:

    Angie’s mission is to inspire her students to explore their own personal yoga journey while finding that balance mentally and physically both on and off the mat.

  • Sharon found her yoga inspiration in 1968 when she started taking classes in at the LaGarnge, YMCA in LaGrange. Sharon began teaching yoga in 1975 after receiving her teacher training at Temple of Kriya Yoga. In 2018 she added Meditation Training to her resume. In 1994 Sharon founded Yoga Chicago Magazine which quickly became the spirit and soul of Chicago's yoga community. Sharon grew up in Chicagoland attending the University of Illinois, Chicago campus.

  • Founder and Executive Director is the founder of The Chicago School of Yoga.