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Institute for Life Coach Training Review – Become a Certified Coach

Last updated on February 24, 2024

Did you know that the market value of the life coaching industry is expected to reach $25 billion by 2025, with a 7% average annual growth rate from 2022 to 2025? Now is the right time to board this train. However, before you immerse yourself in a lucrative life coaching career, you need to earn your title as a professional coach through a certification program. 

This is where the trouble begins, since the training courses are many, and finding the right fit can seem like searching for a needle in a haystack. But fret not! Our series of the best life coaching certification reviews breaks it all down for you.

In this article, we’ll dive deeper into Institute for Life Coach Training reviews. From their accreditation to their programs to the prices, we’ll cover it all. 

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, and Life Coach Magazine may receive a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!

About the Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching

The Institute for Life Coach Training (ILCT) was originally founded by Dr. Patrick Williams, MCC, in 1998 with the intention of training counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Today, the Institute for Life Coach Training is one of the best life coaching certifications and a leading provider of coach training. Up til now, they have trained over 3,000 professional coaches in numerous coaching industries. 

The Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching Philosophy

ILCT’s philosophy is centered around the belief that everyone with a passion for coaching and tailored training can reach coaching excellence. They stand behind this belief with a long list of successful coaches whose starting point was their coaching program. Their approach is a combination of theoretical and experiential learning, all with the purpose of helping coaches through their professional development. 

The Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching and Accreditation

ILCT was among the first coach training programs to receive ICF accreditation. If you’re unfamiliar with ICF or the International Coaching Federation, they are the world’s leading organization for coach training that evaluates training programs, holding them to  their high standards of coaching. 

There’s more to ILCT’s rich heritage, as they were also the first coaching program selected by the Center for Credentialing and Education to train graduate-level professionals pursuing the Board Certified Coach credential. 

Pros and Cons of the Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching Certification

To make an informed judgment on whether ILCT is the right program for you, you should consider all the key factors, such as their program offerings, cost, duration, and benefits. Allow us to simplify it for you.

General Credentialing or Specialties Programs

The Institute for Life Coach Training offers you two paths to your coach credentials: Credentialing Path and Specialties Path.

The Credentialing Path program is perfect if you’re looking for a more generalized approach to coaching. This program includes all of the essential courses and electives required for you to obtain the level of credentialing that fits your specific goals. In this category, you can choose between four programs: 

  • 30-hour Board Certified Coach Training
  • 60-hour Board Certified Coach Training
  • ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
  • ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC)

If you want specialized training in a particular area of coaching, the Specialties Path program may be a better fit for you. Through these programs, you can receive focused education in your area of interest while still earning credit towards your credentials. There are 6 niche programs available:

  • Career Development Coaching Specialist
  • Christian Coaching Specialist
  • Executive and Business Coaching Specialist
  • Life Coaching Specialist
  • Relationship Coaching Specialist
  • Wellness Coaching Specialist

Self-Paced Learning or Live Teleconference Learning 

The majority of ILCT classes are held in a teleconference format. However, if you want more flexibility and prefer working at your own pace, you can choose their self-paced courses.

They offer a number of electives that you can complete online in your own time within one year. You will also receive continual feedback from your coach instructor to compensate for the lack of immersiveness that comes with teleconference courses. You can find the list of self-directed courses here

Free Teleconferences

ILCT is quite generous when it comes to sharing coaching resources, as they offer free teleconferences on intriguing topics in the coaching industry. You can stay on top of their upcoming calls here or browse and listen to their audio archives. 

Some of the topics they have covered up to now include Advanced Job Search Coaching, Business Money Mindset, Brand Your Coaching Business, and a Deeper Dive into the New ICF Code of Ethics & EIS Statements. These informative teleconferences can advance your understanding of the coaching world at no charge. 

How Long Is the Institute for Life Coach Training Program?

The variety of courses also entails a difference in course duration. The Credentialing Path programs last from 30 to 60 hours in total, while Specialties Path courses all demand 80 hours of learning.

The length of the course depends on your availability and course schedule. You can take many of the required courses while enrolled in the Foundations course, which could allow you to complete the program in approximately 9 months. 

As mentioned before, there are also self-paced programs, so if you want more flexibility and freedom, that may be a good option. 

How Much Does the Institute for Life Coach Training Cost?

As you might expect, the tuition varies from program to program, mainly depending on how comprehensive it is and how many hours it includes. So, let’s review how much you need to invest in different courses. 

Credentialing programs: 

  • 30-hour Board Certified Coach Training—$1,995
  • 60-hour Board Certified Coach Training—$3,555
  • ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC)—$4,330
  • ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC)—$7,800 

The specialty courses all have the same tuition fee of $4,550, except the Life Coaching Specialist program, which costs $4,950. 

Tuition for self-directed courses varies with each specific course and ranges from $200 to $1,000. 

The Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching Reviews

Do you want to know what ILCT graduates have to say about their experiences? We’ve selected a number of reviews for you to check out. 

Reviews From Graduates

Let’s start with some ILCT testimonials on their website that are truly inspiring:

At Indeed, we found several reviews, mainly positive ones. Here’s an example:

It’s evident that these Institute for Life Coach Training graduates are pleased with their decision.

Is the Institute for Life Coach Training Coaching the Life Coach Training Program For You?

The Institute for Life Coach Training is praised for its amazing instructors, informative classes, and options for both general credentialing and niche training. The wide variety of options, both in terms of the type of coach training and learning format, allows everyone to find the course that matches their goals. 

If you want to consider other best life coaching certifications before you decide to settle, we recommend that you take our quiz and check out our top picks life coach certification, the super affordable Transformation Academy, and the comprehensive Coach Training Alliance.

Take the Coach Certification Quiz

Need help choosing a coach training and certification program? We created this short quiz to help you find the best program for you.

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