Updated November 12, 2026
By Tevia Feng, founder of White Tiger Qigong. Tevia has practiced qigong for over 40 years and has taught since 2008.
The best online qigong teacher training depends on what you want to teach. For a certification in several qigong systems, rooted in Chinese medicine, with live classes and a graded exam, choose White Tiger Qigong. For one well-known style at your own pace, choose Holden QiGong. For a live 12-week class led by an acupuncturist, choose Yoga Farm Ithaca.
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How we made this list. White Tiger Qigong publishes this guide and runs one of the programs in it, so read our entry with that in mind. Every other program's hours, format and price come from its own website, checked on November 12, 2026. Prices and dates change, so check each link before you enroll.
Which online qigong teacher trainings are worth comparing?
Here are the programs people ask about most, side by side. Prices are in US dollars, paid in full.
| Program | Hours | Format | How you are assessed | Price (US$) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Tiger Qigong, one system, Levels 1 to 5 | 200+ | Online: live classes plus recordings, no deadline | Written theory test and a video of your forms | 1,997 | Multi-system depth and Chinese medicine |
| White Tiger Qigong, four-system bundle | 700+ | Online: live classes plus recordings, no deadline | Written theory test and a video of your forms, in each system | 5,500 | Becoming a full-time teacher |
| Holden QiGong, Tier 1 | 200 | Online, self-paced, with live masterclasses and a monthly Q&A | Written exam, a 15 to 20 minute teaching video, 30 hours teaching others | 3,997 | One popular style at your own pace |
| Yoga Farm Ithaca, QiGong Level 1 | 200 | Live online on Zoom, 12 weeks, three classes a week | Not detailed on the page | 2,399 | A live group led by an acupuncturist |
| Qigong Awareness, QI 200 | 200, in four levels of 50 | Online | Not detailed on the page | 3,695 | A path that continues into medical qigong |
| YOQI Teacher Training | 200 (100 for Associate) | Self-paced online plus one 9-day in-person immersion | Not detailed on the page | 950 per online module, plus 1,250 per immersion | Qigong blended with Daoist yoga and meditation |
| Red Thread Institute, Insight Qigong | 350 | Hybrid: 19 days in person in Colorado, plus monthly online sessions | Competency shown in person, plus a 60-hour teaching practicum | Not published until enrollment opens | Deep in-person training in the US |
| Great Energy | Not stated (the school says it is not a 200-hour program) | Online: 8 weeks of self-paced modules plus live Zoom classes | A teaching practicum and a final submission | 888 on sale (usually 997) | A short, low-cost first step |
White Tiger Qigong: best for multi-system depth and Chinese medicine
White Tiger Qigong certifies teachers in four online systems: Breathwork Mastery, Dragon Meridian, Five Element and Eight Trigram. Five Animal Qigong is taught in person. Each system has five levels: Body, Breath, Spirit, Prescription and Teacher Training. Breathwork uses four. You learn in live online classes with Master Instructor Tevia Feng and keep the recordings for life. The program combines Daoist lineage with Chinese medicine, neuroscience and sports science. White Tiger Qigong has taught more than 70,000 students since 2008.
- Hours: 200+ each for Dragon Meridian, Five Element and Eight Trigram, 100+ for Breathwork, and over 700 for the four-system bundle.
- Exam: a written theory test plus a video of your forms, reviewed by Tevia or a senior certified instructor.
- Time limit: none. You take the exam when you are ready.
- Experience needed: none for Level 1.
- Price: US$1,997 for one system, Levels 1 to 5. US$5,500 for all four online systems. You can start with Level 1 of a system for US$167.
- Guarantee: the teacher certification page offers a 14-day money-back guarantee if less than 10% of the program has been accessed.
One system costs less than Holden QiGong, Qigong Awareness or Yoga Farm Ithaca, for at least the same 200 hours. Full details are on the Qigong Teacher Training and Certification page.
Holden QiGong: best for one popular style at your own pace
Lee Holden's Tier 1 certification asks for 200 hours. That includes 40 hours of Five Elements, 40 hours of Three Treasures, 58 hours of personal practice and 30 hours teaching others. The course material is self-paced over 16 weeks, and the school says most students finish in 8 to 10 months. You get two live masterclasses a month, a monthly live Q&A and three private sessions with senior instructors. To certify, you pass a written exam and send a 15 to 20 minute teaching video. Price: US$3,997 paid in full.
Yoga Farm Ithaca: best for a live group class
Yoga Farm Ithaca runs a 200-hour QiGong Level 1 training live on Zoom: three classes a week for 12 weeks, with replays and office hours. It is led by Bryan Isacks, M.S., L.Ac., a licensed acupuncturist. Price: US$2,399 paid in full. The page lists more than one start date, so confirm the next group with the school.
Qigong Awareness: best if you want to go on to medical qigong
Qigong Awareness offers the QI 200: four online levels of 50 hours each, led by David J. Coon. It teaches you to lead a one-hour class and a two-hour workshop, and to give a one-hour medical qigong treatment. Price: US$3,695 paid in full. Their Medical Qigong Practitioner title needs a fifth level, which is not included.
YOQI: best for qigong blended with yoga and meditation
YOQI, led by Marisa Cranfill, blends qigong with internal alchemy, Daoist yoga, breathing and meditation. The 200-hour Certified Instructor path mixes self-paced online modules (US$950 each) with a required 9-day in-person immersion (US$1,250 tuition, travel and lodging extra). A 100-hour Associate level comes first.
Red Thread Institute: best for in-person depth in the US
Red Thread Institute's Insight Qigong teacher training is 350 hours. It is not fully online: you attend six in-person modules in Carbondale, Colorado (19 days in all) plus monthly online sessions. Tuition is released when enrollment opens, with a US$1,200 deposit at application. Applicants need experience with the Insight Qigong form and an interview.
Great Energy: best for a short, low-cost start
Great Energy, run by Daniela Hess and Christopher Grant, offers an 8-week online immersion with optional certification. The school says it is not a 200-hour program. Immersion plus certification is US$888 on sale (usually US$997).
How do you choose the right qigong teacher training?
气功老师
qìgōng lǎoshī
a qigong teacher
In Chinese, 老 (lǎo) means old or experienced. Choose the teacher as carefully as the course. Then work through these five checks:
- Decide what you want to teach. One style for community classes, or several systems you can match to different students.
- Check the hours. Most first teaching certificates in this list are 200 hours. Shorter programs are a good introduction, not a full training.
- Look at how you are assessed. A written test plus a reviewed video or teaching demo means someone has checked your forms.
- Choose live, self-paced or both. Live classes give you corrections. Self-paced fits a busy life. White Tiger Qigong gives you both: live classes, plus recordings and no deadline.
- Count the full cost. Add travel and lodging for any in-person part, and any extra courses the certificate requires.
Next step
See the full curriculum, levels and exam on the Qigong Teacher Training and Certification page. Want to try the practice first? The White Tiger Membership includes Level 1 of all four qigong systems, with a 7-day free trial.
Keep reading
- How much does qigong teacher training cost?
- Online vs in-person qigong teacher training
- Is qigong certification accredited? The honest answer
Sources
Each program's own page, checked November 12, 2026:
- White Tiger Qigong, Teacher Training and Certification
- Holden QiGong, Tier 1 Teacher Certification
- Yoga Farm Ithaca, QiGong Level 1
- Qigong Awareness, Qigong Instructor 200 Hr
- YOQI, Teacher Training Program
- Red Thread Institute, Insight Qigong Teacher Training
- Great Energy, Qigong Certification and Immersion
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a qigong teacher certification online?
Yes. Several schools certify qigong teachers fully online, including White Tiger Qigong, Holden QiGong, Yoga Farm Ithaca and Qigong Awareness. Others, such as YOQI and Red Thread Institute, also require time in person.
How many hours is a qigong teacher training?
Most first-level qigong teacher certifications in this comparison are 200 hours. Red Thread Institute's Insight Qigong training is 350 hours. Each White Tiger Qigong system is 200+ hours, and the four-system bundle is over 700 hours.
How much does online qigong teacher training cost?
Among the 200-hour programs here that publish a full price, paid-in-full tuition runs from US$1,997 (one White Tiger Qigong system) to US$3,997 (Holden QiGong Tier 1). Shorter programs cost less: Great Energy's immersion and certification is US$888 on sale.
Do I need qigong experience to start a teacher training?
Not always. White Tiger Qigong needs no experience for Level 1, and Holden QiGong also takes newer practitioners. Red Thread Institute asks for experience with its form and an interview.
Is a qigong teacher certification a license?
No. A qigong certificate shows you finished a school's training and passed its assessment. It is not a medical license. Read our honest answer on whether qigong certification is accredited.