OPEN MAT SCHOLARSHIP
A merit-based scholarship for those ready to teach —
and ready to serve.
Making Yoga More Accessible, One Teacher at a Time
Since 2020, Folk Yoga has funded over 200+ students to support people facing real barriers to this education. That work continues—with a wider door.
What is the Open Mat Scholarship?
We're excited to introduce the Open Mat Scholarship — a merit-based scholarship for our Yoga Teacher Training programs. It's open to anyone rooted in community, committed to their practice, and ready to bring yoga back to the people around them. Financial need matters too — but it's one piece of a bigger picture, not the whole story.
Full and partial scholarships are available for every cohort. Decisions are made by a review panel and based on the whole person — never a single qualifying factor.
OUR COMMITMENT
The people teaching yoga don't always reflect the people who could benefit most from it. Folk Yoga is committed to changing that — building a community of teachers as diverse, rooted, and alive as the neighborhoods we serve. If that mission speaks to you, we want to hear from you.
We review every application across four areas:
We continue to look for individuals who are excited about contributing to this work.
1. Community Rootedness & Representation
2. Love & Commitment to Practice
3. Readiness to Complete
4. Financial Need
DETAILS
- Full or partial tuition covered for any eligible Folk Yoga Teacher Training
- A complimentary 3 month studio membership across all Folk Yoga locations
- Housing, books, transportation, and living expenses are not included
- No more than one scholarship awarded per person per calendar year
- You may apply for multiple cohorts, but must submit a separate application for each
- Awards are specific to the cohort you’re accepted into and are not transferable to future cycles
Who Should Apply
This scholarship is for people who:
- Have an established yoga practice and are ready to deepen it
- Are actively connected to communities in the Bay Area who’d benefit from more yoga teachers
- Can commit to the full attendance requirements of the training
We actively encourage applications from BIPOC practitioners, LGBTQIA+ community members, people with disabilities, caregivers, those facing financial barriers to teacher training, and anyone whose voice and perspective is underrepresented in yoga spaces.
If this sounds like you, we hope you’ll apply.
Scholarships FAQ
Folk Yoga offers a limited number of full and partial scholarships every cohort.
- Full scholarship: 100% of tuition covered
- Partial scholarship: Awarded based on the level of support you need and cohort capacity
When you apply, you’ll be asked what level of support would make this training possible for you. There’s no wrong answer — honesty helps us allocate awards where they’re most needed.
Yes, but please submit a separate application for each training. Only one scholarship will be awarded per person per calendar year.
Since scholarship slots are limited, we ask that you only apply if you’re genuinely ready to enroll if selected — out of respect for other applicants and our review team’s time.
Applications generally open 12 weeks before each cohort starts, with a 4–5 week window to submit. You’ll receive a decision shortly after — before early bird pricing closes, so you have time to plan either way. Keep an eye on your inbox!
You’ll be notified by email with full instructions, and a response is required to confirm your scholarship. Our Folk Yoga School team will be your point of contact from award through enrollment.
Scholarship awards are non-transferable. If you need to defer, please contact us — awards don’t automatically roll over to future cohorts. Applications are reviewed per cohort, so an award for one training doesn’t guarantee an award for another.
Currently, we only host in-person 200-Hour trainings. If you are coming from out of town, you will need to ensure you have your own housing and travel.
