Frequently Asked Questions

Going to school is an important decision and it’s normal
to have a few questions.
Check out the ones we hear most frequently below!

TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM - WHAT IS IT, WHAT WILL I LEARN?

We are the largest nutrition school in the world and have been leading the industry for over 25 years.  Our Health Coach Training Program is completely comprehensive and will teach you everything you need to know to be a successful Health Coach. Plus, you'll learn everything in just one year.  The one-year online program was built specifically for adult learners and teaches passionate students nutrition and wellness concepts (over 100 dietary theories!), as well as health coaching, business, and marketing skills.

Your work is done completely online, but that doesn't stop our program from being a very interactive experience as students are supported by their peers, personal coaches, and IIN staff.  The program can be accessed from a smartphone, tablet, or desktop so whether you're a busy mom, a working professional, or just super busy you'll be able to fit it into your life.  The 40 modules, which are released weekly, have both audio and visual lectures.  You'll be quizzed at the end of each module and complete four tests throughout the course - don't worry, we know you'll pass! You can expect to spend about 5-10 hours per week on your coursework, it really depends what you want to get out of the program.  Just like with anything you're working on, you get out what you put in.  

WHAT’S THE CURRICULUM LIKE?

Discovering your best self and taking those learnings to inspire and empower others is the heart and soul of what we do. We’re not your traditional nutrition program because we take a holistic approach to wellness and explore all of the things that affect your health – think relationships, spirituality, finances, and education.   We do this by deep-diving into over 100 diverse dietary theories spanning from ancient Eastern Traditions to modern Western medicine, including our own unique core concepts, Bio-Individuality and Primary Food.  But we’ll never tell you what’s “right” or “wrong,” because we don’t believe in that.  We believe there’s no one-size-fits-all diet and as you go through the curriculum you’ll learn what makes you feel like your best self and how to help clients achieve the same.  As your first client you'll find yourself losing weight, increasing your energy, and saying goodbye to all that negative self-talk.  You will fall back in love with the most important person in your life. YOU.

You'll also be on the road to career freedom.  We’ll also train you to launch a meaningful career as a health coach and how to achieve your own personal goals for success.  There's no recreating the wheel here.  We've made launching the career of your dreams as easy as 1, 2, 3. You’ll hone essential coaching skills like active listening and asking high mileage questions as well as marketing practices like finding your niche market, creating a website (you actually get this for free!), and using social media.

When we said comprehensive, we meant it!

HEALTH COACH? WHAT'S THAT?

There's a ton of buzz about Health Coaches out there right now, which is probably why you're here! The term “Health Coach” is being used a lot lately and you may be confused about what exactly it means.  Let us help you out...

A Health Coach is a wellness professional who works with clients one-on-one or in group settings to help them achieve their personal wellness goals including weight loss, boosting energy, or sleeping better.  It doesn’t stop there, though. Health Coaches act as a supportive mentor and guide to help their clients discover which foods and lifestyle makes them feel best.  Coaches are accountability partners and even friends who give an unbiased approach to their clients and empower them to live the lives they love.

To put it simply, Health Coaches are changing the world and reversing the pervasive health care crisis.  Health Coaching is one of the quickest growing careers and Health Coaches are seriously in demand. Now's the time to get in! 

WHO IS MY TEACHER?

Joshua Rosenthal is our founder and director, and fortunately for our students, he is also our primary teacher.  He teaches about half of the program!  Joshua holds a Masters of Science in education and has over 30 years of experience in health, wellness, personal development and coaching.

We also have over 100 of the best minds teaching our students. Our visiting teachers  are thought leaders and pioneers in their fields.  Some of our amazing teachers include Deepak Chopra, MD, Mark Hyman, MD, Arianna Huffington, Dr. Oz, Marion Nestle, MD, and David Wolfe. You can check some of them out here.

WILL PEOPLE TAKE ME SERIOUSLY?

You bet they will! Integrative Nutrition is recognized worldwide as a renowned Health Coach Training Program – we’re the largest nutrition school in the world!  We have ~100,000 students and graduates in over 100 countries.  We also have partnerships with colleges and universities so you can continue your education if that’s something you’re interested in.  When you graduate from the program you’ll officially be an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach so people will recognize you everywhere you go! Finally, you’ll be eligible to take the International Health Coach Certification exam to add even more to your credentials.

We’re in the middle of a global health care crisis, and Health Coaches play an important role in the health care system.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics called health coaching one of the fastest growing careers of the decade!

HOW MUCH TIME DO I NEED TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM?

We know you’re busy. This is a common fear for many of our students, but it’s quickly diminished by the flexibility of the course.  The program is accessed 100% online from a smartphone, tablet, or desktop through our learning platform, the IIN Learning Center. Once a module is open it can be accessed anytime, so if you head out on vacation with your family or have an emergency, don’t worry - you’ll be able to catch up!

IS THE INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION AN ACCREDITED SCHOOL?

IIN has been licensed by the New York State Department of Education since 2009 and has received recognition by the National College Recommendation Service.

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is continuing to gain traction and recognition by the government and has developed educational partnerships with several colleges and universities, allowing graduates to earn up to 40 college credits and use their IIN certification towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree.  Some of IIN’s partnerships include: International Health Coach University, Goddard College, Excelsior College, SUNY Purchase, and Maryland University of Integrative Health. 

Learn more about our partnerships and affiliations here.

WHAT SETS IIN APART FROM OTHER HEALTH COACHING SCHOOLS?

The first Health Coach certificate was awarded back in 1992. We know – we awarded it.

Integrative Nutrition is the longest running institution that offers training in health coaching, and all of us here are gratified by the explosive growth in the industry we created.

In particular, witnessing the creation of other schools that offer Health Coach certificates reaffirms our important mission and our strong belief that the world needs more Health Coaches.

While we have a lot to be proud of, our role in creating the profession of health coaching comes with a deep sense of responsibility to protect the integrity of what a Health Coach certificate actually is, and what it stands for. For this reason, we have assembled the critical elements that we feel every Health Coach certificate program must include:

Department of Education Licensure:
While each particular school may feel strongly that its courses are beneficial, it’s important the Department of Education validates this.

College Affiliations:
Allow you to receive credit for your certificate when pursuing a higher degree (saving you time and money).
Another form of third-party validation from a recognized educational institution.

A three-pronged curriculum:
Nutrition - a deep dive into the critical dietary theories in use today, plus a library of 100+ dietary theories to explore.
Coaching – Comprehensive courses to develop listening, questioning, observation, communication skills, and more.
Business – Rigorous training in marketing, finance, and other business areas to ensure your health coaching skills add to your financial success.

Accomplished faculty:
Nutrition is a rapidly changing field and it’s important to learn from the experts who are at the forefront of the revolution. Similarly, it’s important that the faculty include world experts in coaching and business.

A track record of success
Ultimately, the value of any particular Health Coach certificate is determined by the quality of work of the graduates who use it, and by the improvement in the lives of their clients.
We’re proud of the profession we’ve worked for 25 years to create, and encourage you to be a part of it. However, we urge you to carefully examine and evaluate any school before committing your valuable time, effort, and money.

DOES INSURANCE COVER HEALTH COACHING?

It depends. There are a few insurance companies that cover Health Coaching, and you’ll see that more and more doctors are hiring health coaches to work alongside them in their practices, but other types of coverage does not.  We recommend that you ask your health care provider if these types of services are covered to be sure.

It’s important to know that recognition of health coaching as a career and of Health Coaches as an essential component of the health care system is on the rise.  As recognition grows, there are an increasing number of people who are looking for preventative and lifestyle management services from a Health Coach rather than typical doctors’ visits. We are working tirelessly with policy makers to make health coaching more accessible to all.

WHY IIN WHEN I CAN GO TO ANOTHER PROGRAM FOR LESS MONEY?

We’re confident that our comprehensive approach to health and coaching is well worth the investment. To be completely transparent, you get what you pay for.  We’ve been around the block and seen it all.  We’ve been training people to be Health Coaches for 25 years; no other program can say that.

For a full year, you’ll be trained by the leaders in the industry in over 100 dietary theories, supported by amazing peers (~100,000 fellow students and graduates from over 100 countries), and guided by our in-house Education team. Plus, you’ll have the ability to earn additional college credits.  When you graduate, you’ll be an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, a title you can’t receive anywhere else.  

The decision is yours, but you won’t find training like this anywhere else.

IS IIN REALLY SCIENTIFIC? HOW IN-DEPTH INTO NUTRITION DO YOU GO?

First and foremost, our program is designed to give you the knowledge you need to affect change. You’ll learn about over 100 dietary theories from the experts and visionaries in the health and wellness fields.  With the knowledge you gain from each concept, you’ll be able to choose which ones you’d like to dig deeper into.  We’ll also cover basic science and anatomy concepts so you’ll have a general sense of how the body functions.

In addition to discovering detailed nutritional theory, our course also focuses on lifestyle factors that influence health - all of the things that nourish your mind, body, and soul that can't be found on your dinner plate: relationships, career, exercise, and spirituality.  Health Coaches act as guides and mentors to help their clients shift towards positive daily habits.

IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, SO LET’S BE REAL: CAN I REALLY MAKE A LIVING?

Yes, absolutely! How do we know?  We’ve seen it firsthand.  Our graduates are total rockstars who go on to do some pretty incredible things.  From one-on-one coaching, corporate wellness to online programs, healthy food products, skincare lines, and books, IIN grads are everywhere.

In case you’re a numbers person, here are some stats:

96% of our students consider themselves an expert in health and wellness
74% of our students have clients before they graduate
Heard of: Purely Elizabeth, Gnosis Chocolates, SW Basics? They’re all grads!
Ivanka Trump and Venus Williams even work with Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches.

WHAT REQUIREMENTS DO YOU HAVE TO MEET TO ENROLL?

Passion. Drive. Determination.

Our only academic requirements are a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.

Required: a commitment to health and wellness, a desire for a transformative personal experience or career change, and the determination to make a difference in the world.  If you fulfill these, you’ll find success within our program.

IS IIN A “RIP-OFF” OR A SCAM?

No way.  Joshua founded Integrative Nutrition nearly 25 years ago and it has since become a global movement.  We’re so proud to have ~100,000 students and graduates present in over 100 countries – it’s amazing how far we’ve come!

We’ve seen the true value of the program come to life time and time again and are constantly revising our curriculum to meet the needs of our students.

We also know that while the return on your investment in our program is undeniable, it’s not for everyone.  But we invite you to find out for yourself.  There are always going to be people who don’t believe in your or what you stand for, and we’re okay with that because the people who do are changing the world.

WHAT IS THE INVESTMENT? CAN I AFFORD THIS?

Your investment in the Health Coach Training Program is $5,995, but the return is priceless.

We understand that having your finances in line is an important part of your personal balance and happiness, and we want everyone who wants to be part of our community to be able to have that balance, so we offer personalized payment plans and (every so often) special offers on our tuition.

Remember, this is an investment in you.  When you invest in yourself by enrolling in our program, not only are you taking steps towards achieving your own goals, you’ll contribute to bettering the health of your family and community and can even significantly reduce medical costs.  Maybe you’ll even launch a new and exciting career.  Trust us, the opportunities are endless.

HOW DOES IIN SUPPORT THE GREATER GOOD?

We believe in the power to use business to make the world a better place and help those in need, which is why we support likeminded organizations through charitable contributions. Since 2010, we have donated $1.7m to nearly 200 charities worldwide.