Do you have the passion to work with people that will help them feel happier, secure, and aligned? If that resonates with your vision, a career in life coaching could be a perfect fit for you.
Life coaching is for those who want to make a real difference in the world by offering support to those who struggle to make their dreams come true. Professional coaching has matured over the years giving those with drive a path to become high-level coaches from the comfort of their home. The most recognized and high-profile schools can be found from a few very affordable ICF coaching certifications.
Let's start off with how you can get started on this transformative journey and make a difference as a life coach.
What is a Life Coach Certification?
Gaining a life coaching certification means going through the appropriate courses or classes to become a life coach. This means an accredited instructor with extensive training and experience will train you to meet the industry standards of professional coaches.
A life coaching certification program can also help you find a job in spiritual coaching, career coaching, and health and wellness as well as many other areas.
Why An ICF Certification Matters
Global Recognition
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) takes the role of promoting professionalism in the coaching industry on an international level. Getting an ICF certification means conforming to the internationally accepted standard of top-notch coaching practices.
This qualification is recognized in all global areas, increasing your professional mobility and creating room for international life coaching practice if that is one of your goals.
Credibility Boost
An ICF certification stands as a hallmark that you have top-level coaching skills. It also shows your prospective customers and businesses that you have invested time and energy and have branded yourself as a professional coach with strong ethical standards and coaching principles.
Professional Growth
Obtaining an ICF certification involves learning a suite of skills demonstrating you can be trusted as a life coach. Taking part in an ICF-accredited program allows you to explore and learn about new cutting-edge strategies. This also means that you will keep abreast of the recent trends and latest coaching methods to your advantage.
5 Best Affordable ICF Life Coaching Certification Programs
Among all the different life coaching certifications, it's necessary to choose the ones approved by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) while also meeting your personal growth goals.
Here are the top 5 life coaching certifications, each offering different advantages to help you choose:
The Coach Training Academy
The Coach Training Academy has earned its reputation for high-quality life coach training, having been accredited by both the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Certified Coaches Alliance (CCA). The founding team, with a combined industry expertise of over 25 years, ensures that their training programs are firmly based on tried and proven principles.
The academy offers a comprehensive 24-week ICF Professional Coach Training Program which will be delivered online in weekly interactive live web or teleconference classes. This program is targeted at those who are looking for a quick and intensive introductory experience in life coaching.
Furthermore, The Coach Training Academy also offers a 2-Day Fast Track Program. The purpose of this life coach training program is to offer quick and intensive training with a ready-to-go certified coaching model. This is perfect for motivated learners looking forward to kickstarting their coaching career immediately.
The Coach Training Academy is also very proud to be one of the most affordable ICF coach training programs in the world. They do not believe that people should have to take huge loans or mortgages to afford professional coach training. They are also one of the only schools that offer limited partial scholarships with affordable payment plans. Monthly payments go from $100 to $250 per month depending on the class level enrolled in.
The Coach Training Academy Can Help You
If you’d like to take an accredited life coach course, visit these coach training programs, and enquire to find out if this is the right path for you.
View our coach training program scholarships here.
Coach Training Alliance
The Coach Training Alliance (CTA) offers a life coaching certification that conforms with International Coach Federation (ICF) requirements and is required to have more than 60 hours of on-course training. The payment option of $3,897 which can be spread out for three, seven, or nine months is what makes it more affordable among others.
Their life coach program has a small class size limit of 12 students per class so that everyone can get personalized attention. Their programs are provided through live seminars, online classes, and audio recordings for a good mix of education.
iNLP Center
iNLP Center provides a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) program that has been accredited by the ICF (International Coach Federation). Prices begin at $3995 with additional costs depending on package options. They also offer a 7-day money-back guarantee for all their courses.
You can access and go through the course materials at any time online. The foundation course covers more than 160 lesson hours, while the advanced course is composed of approximately 200 lesson hours.
iPEC
The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) offers a detailed coaching program that costs $13,995, with a discount if you pay all at once, $12,495. They also offer various payment plans. The training is over 320 hours long and usually takes about a year to finish.
The program is self-paced, thus, users with various schedules can learn on their own. You'll get one-on-one feedback from a mentor coach and have access to user support whenever you need it.
Certified Life Coach Institute
The Certified Life Coach Institute offers the basic Certified Life Coach (CLC) certification for $2595, requiring 70 training hours to complete. There will be an opportunity to combine this program with the Master's program.
Courses are delivered via Zoom video conferencing and designed as instructor-led sessions. This program allows for live interaction and instant feedback. At the same time, it requires participants to be available on certain specific dates and times.
Steps to Become A Successful Life Coach
Typical steps to become a skilled professional life coach:
- Enroll in an ICF-Accredited Program: Start your journey with an ICF-accredited coaching program. Choose the program that has a curriculum that meets the training standards based on the International Coach Federation (ICF), which guarantees you high-quality education and training.
- Complete Required Coach Training Hours: To get certified, you have to achieve the predetermined number of coach hours. This will help you to comprehend and apply coaching concepts in real situations
- Use Your Coaching Experience: Begin applying the acquired skills in your coaching training by offering real-life sessions. Through this level of training, you will build your coaching style and improve your confidence.
- Pass the ICF Credentialing Exam: You will need to take and pass the ICF credentialing exam to get certified.
- Commit to Continuous Learning: The certification process is the first stage of your coaching career. Keep up your professional development by attending seminars, workshops, and education to master your coaching skills. Always stay updated on the latest trends and techniques associated with coaching.
Conclusion
To wrap up, getting an affordable ICF-accredited program is an important step to take before starting a career in the life coaching business. These life coach certification programs will get you well-trained and recognized internationally. Choosing a certification program that is cost-effective allows you to develop yourself as a coach and not be held down with hefty loans.
Being an ICF-certified life coach proves that you are a professional person who follows high standards in coaching. Also, it allows you an additional advantage as clients seeking competent coaches will understand you are among the best.
Investing in an affordable ICF coaching certification is not only about saving money, it is about starting a promising career with a purpose and helping others. Therefore, if you are thinking about becoming a life coach, don't let the price tag set you back. There is an affordable certificate that can help you gain what you need and succeed in the coaching industry.
FAQs About Affordable ICF Coaching Certifications
Is it worth it to become a certified life coach?
Becoming an ICF-certified life coach is the best choice if you’re committed to this industry. Although it takes time, energy, and money to become certified, the benefits such as being more credible and having a network of coaches, will pay dividends in the long run.
How long does it take to become a certified life coach?
The time that it takes to get certified as a life coach is different for each program that you choose. On average, the process may span from a couple of months to even a year. It depends on the specific demands of the life coach certification program, such as training hours, coaching practice, and various ways some training programs might divide a program into startup and advanced segments.
What makes someone a qualified life coach?
The coaching industry isn’t regulated. Therefore, there are no mandatory requirements for registering as a life coach. In spite of this, the majority of beginner life coaches do the enrolment process and participate in the coach training programs. These certification programs are designed to increase their knowledge and to make them capable of using efficient strategies to help individuals.
Very few self-taught coaches or those taking low-level non-ICF programs ever reach much success. The question is if you really want to become good, are you willing to make some investment in yourself?