Jay Shetty is one of the biggest celebrities in the self-help world, with millions of followers and a net worth of the same size. Over two million people have taken his programs on relationships, purpose, and happiness.
So naturally, many coaches are eager to know whether his coaching program is legit and worth the investment.
In this review, we’ll discuss what The Jay Shetty Certification School looks like, how much it costs, and what people say about it.
What Is the Jay Shetty Certification School?
The Jay Shetty Certification School is a coaching program founded in 2020 by Jay Shetty, a famous author, former monk, and motivational speaker. The school offers life coach certification that isn’t niche-specific but based on Shetty’s coaching style and process.
The program is open to everyone, regardless of experience, so you can take it, whether new to life coaching or already practicing. Here are the three main areas shared on the Jay Shetty coach platform:
- Coaching basics: Foundational coaching frameworks claimed to be developed by Jay Shetty.
- Advanced methods: Coaching techniques focused on getting your clients the desired outcomes, such as managing stress, practicing gratitude, or earning more money.
- Business strategies: Strategies to build and promote your coaching business with topics like marketing funnels, record-keeping, brand management, and fee structures.
Completing the program will earn you Jay Shetty Certified Life and Success Coach credentials. If you’re a fan of his philosophy, this course will help you translate that into a coaching approach. According to the program’s website, the curriculum is built around these ten core skills:
It also includes a module on how to run a coaching business with marketing and pricing strategies. Many coach certifications lack this aspect, and given the millions of followers Jay Shetty has on his various channels, this could help you learn how to grow an audience.
Besides the course content, you’ll get a year of membership with the Association for Coaching the program is accredited by. You’ll also be part of a community with other coaches and mentors to exchange strategies and ask questions.
Overall, the Jay Shetty Certification School is a comprehensive program with educational materials on coaching and marketing. It includes over 50 coaching tools and templates, a code of ethics, and personalized support, all delivered online.
Who Is Jay Shetty?
Jay Shetty is a bestselling author, former monk, and inspirational speaker known for his insights on personal development, mindfulness, and purposeful living. Born and raised in London, he became famous for his riches-to-rags-to-riches story of pursuing a business career, living as a monk in India, and becoming a mega influencer.
Jay Shetty has earned a massive following on social media, sharing his experiences and teachings on various platforms. His videos tell engaging and insightful stories that blend Eastern philosophy with popular psychology.
Shetty has authored several books, including Think Like a Monk, which draws on his experiences as a monk and provides guidance on living a purpose-driven life. He’s also a sought-after speaker who delivers talks and workshops worldwide, inspiring audiences to better understand themselves and their potential.
Over two million people have taken one of Jay Shetty’s other programs, and his coaching school has been gaining popularity since 2020. Today, he’s a prominent voice in personal growth and mindfulness, and recently, he’s known as the spiritual advisor for celebrities like Will Smith.
How Long Is the Jay Shetty Certification Program?
The Jay Shetty coaching program is a six-month online course that covers 120 hours of materials.
Though its website doesn’t mention the exact breakdown of these hours or the program’s intensity, it shows how its different components are built on each other.
The coursework is presumably divided equally between the three modules: coaching basics, advanced techniques, and marketing tips.
It also includes live coaching practice calls that students receive feedback on from their mentors. Time is allocated for self-study and preparation for evaluation, and then the program ends with a final assessment.
How Much Does the Jay Shetty Certification School Cost?
Currently, no information about tuition fees and pricing options is available on the school’s website. Instead, aspiring coaches interested in enrolling are encouraged to sign up for an introductory call with the Jay Shetty team.
A journalist has reported that, upon signing up for the call, he received an offer for $7,400 to join the program. He writes for the Guardian:
“After 30 minutes of explaining the school’s schedule and curriculum, an enrollment adviser finally informed me about the sign-up cost, $7,400.”
He added, “The adviser was kind enough to offer me a one-time deal and cut the price to $6,800.”
It’s common for coaching programs that are sold through a sales funnel to keep their pricing structure private. It isn’t as much an attempt to make their enrollment process personalized for student needs but to use direct sales and address any objections applicants might have to signing up. It also allows Shetty’s team to cut the price tag with limited-time offers when a potential student seems hesitant.
Due to the mystery behind pricing, there’s a lot of guesswork on coaching blogs around Jay Shetty’s coaching school fees. Although most would estimate a realistic price for the program in the mid-range (up to $5,000) of similar courses, marketing anything with a celebrity’s name can raise that cost significantly.
So, is the high price tag worth Jay Shetty’s certification school? Let’s look at some reviews.
Reviews From Graduates and the Media
The Pros: Student Stories on a Meaningful Career Path and Community
On the program’s website, Jay Shetty certified coaches share their success stories and how the course has changed their lives. They talk about the meaning they found as life coaches in helping others and changing the world. Some mention that they were fans of Shetty before they signed up for the program and are eager to pass on the same teaching that has helped them personally.
Apart from briefly mentioning the monthly Q&A calls, they don’t share details about the program components and how they compare to other certification options. They mostly talk about their new-found sense of purpose and being part of a global community of coaches.
There aren’t any opinions on this course on independent review sites, but a certified Jay Shetty coach has shared more about her TikTok experience. She said she received personalized feedback on her coaching during the program, which helped her gain practical experience. In the rest of the video, she emphasized that despite the numerous allegations surrounding Jay Shetty, “his problem is the industry’s problem.”
Speaking of which…
The Cons: What We Know From the Media
In recent years, several articles have been published questioning the validity of Shetty’s story. This piece above in the Guardian sums them up nicely.
He claimed that he had a degree in behavioral science, but it later turned out that he had studied management. Having no qualifications as a coach or in any related fields, his story about spending three years in India as a monk gave him credibility for his bestselling books and his coaching school.
However, after interviewing several people he worked with or was acquainted with, the timeline of his story doesn’t quite add up. Even more concerning, he was accused of plagiarism several times using other people’s content verbatim without their permission to earn his millions of followers.
The Guardian has also personally spoken to graduates of the Jay Shetty school. Although they claimed the program was a good investment, none of them were earning a full-time living from coaching a year after graduating.
Similar to the Tony Robbins program we’ve reviewed before, some people see Shetty’s school as an MLM scheme with graduates joining his team and selling courses instead of coaching people. It primarily revolves around the fame and charisma of Shetty, who, as an anonymous Reddit user points out, won’t be the one teaching the program personally.
Jay Shetty Certification School: Is It Worth It?
Is it worth becoming a Jay Shetty certified coach at $7,400? That depends on what you value the most in a coaching program.
Here are a few factors you can consider:
- Your coaching style: Is it essential to learn from a charismatic celebrity teacher and emulate them, or would you create your own coaching style instead?
- Specialization: Shetty’s school isn’t specialized in any particular method or niche; it’s based on the style of inspirational coaching you see in Shetty’s content. If you want to specialize in a specific segment of life coaching, you can consider a program centered around that.
- Coaching experience: We’ve not seen any reviews from experienced coaches about Shetty’s school. If you’ve been in this field for a while, this foundational program might not offer much to you apart from his personal coaching style.
- Accreditation: If you want to be associated with Jay Shetty and use his name to earn credibility as a coach, this is the way to go. However, many other programs are accredited by the Association of Coaching and other organizations. Many of them cost less or cover other aspects of coaching.
- Personalized learning: A few graduates mentioned the customized feedback they’ve received during the program as well as the community aspect of it. These are not unique to this coaching school, but they make your learning experience more impactful.
Now, all that’s left for you to decide is whether the issues surrounding Jay Shetty are his problem or the industry’s. If you’re an unwavering fan, they shouldn’t deter you from signing up and joining his community.
Alternative Certifications
If you’re looking for a comprehensive coach training program with research-based methodology and excellent credentials, here are a few alternatives:
- International Coach Federation (ICF) Accredited Programs: The ICF is globally renowned as a leading accreditor of coach training programs. They reinforce high standards of quality and ethics you can trust.
- Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC): iPEC offers comprehensive coach training programs that blend traditional coaching techniques with energy leadership principles. They also have specialized programs in health, executive, and performance coaching.
- Institute of Positive Psychology (IPP): IPP offers coach certification programs that integrate principles of positive psychology into coaching practices. Aspiring happiness coaches can benefit from these programs focused on cultivating resilience and well-being.
- Association for Talent Development (ATD): While ATD primarily focuses on talent development and organizational learning, it also offers certification programs for coaches who work within corporate settings. These programs might be a great option if you want to specialize as an organizational or performance coach.
If you want to dig deeper, check out our other reviews and guides on coaching certification programs.
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