The Ayurvedic Institute does not discriminate in employment, admissions, testing, financial aid or any other practice on the basis of gender, race, nationality, religion, age or disability, in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws.
 

Acceptance into the program is based upon application review, phone or personal interview, and on responses to essay questions. Applications are reviewed in order of receipt. Once the maximum number of students has been accepted, subsequent approved applicants are placed on a waiting list. The Institute reserves the right to decline admission to anyone it determines is not suited for successful completion of its programs.

Students come to the Institute from all over the world for many different reasons. Some come to study Ayurveda for use in professional

practice and others for self-healing. The
students who make up the classes also have many different backgrounds. Some are health care professionals, others are just beginning their professional careers, and some students have no health care background at all. To accommodate these differences we offer the Ayurvedic Studies Programs. These programs are rigorous enough to meet the needs of professionals wanting to incorporate Ayurvedic principles into their health care practice yet supportive to those interested in immersing themselves in an Ayurvedic atmosphere to facilitate adopting an Ayurvedic lifestyle.

As required by the New Mexico Higher Education Department, all applicants must hold a high school diploma, GED or meet alternative test requirements.

All applicants must be fluent in verbal and written English. International students are advised that insufficient English skills may prohibit successful completion of the program.

Ayurvedic Studies Program, Level 1.
Although not required, some prior knowledge or study of Ayurveda, anatomy and physiology, hatha yoga, Sanskrit and other Vedic traditions will greatly enhance the understanding and comprehension of the program material. Due to the intensity of the program, applicants need to demonstrate a dependable level of good health and emotional maturity.

Ayurvedic Studies Program, Level 2.
ASP 2 is designed specifically for ASP 1 graduates who were additionally reviewed by faculty and administration as having demonstrated a high level of participation, commitment and understanding indicative of a career professional. Such students would be qualified to apply for advanced level 2 training. Applicants must have completed ASP 1 training during or after the 2004-2005 program. ASP 1 graduates from years prior to 2004-2005 will be considered provided they offer proof of a sufficient level of knowledge to be successful in Level 2 courses and are approved upon review.

Graduates of other Ayurvedic schools may apply to audit Vasant Lad’s Gurukula course, which includes Vasant Lad client consultations and Ayurvedic Lecture. Candidates for auditing status will be interviewed to confirm their level of understanding is sufficient, before being approved for participation in this course. 

Pune Gurukula Program.
Invitations are extended to students who have completed the Level 1 or 2 Ayurvedic Studies programs withVasant Lad. Applicants who have not studied directly with Vasant Lad, but have completed training with another recognized Ayurvedic school, or those who have attended a significant number of Dr. Lad’s seminars and intensives, may contact the Education Administrator to discuss possibilities for participation. Considerations for participation are: depth of Ayurvedic Study, a personal description of why they desire to participate, and the number of contact hours they have studied with Vasant Lad.

Ayurvedic Weekend Seminars and Summer Intensives.
A few of these assume some prior knowledge of Ayurveda and/or the subject being presented. Completion of the Correspondence Course can provide a good foundation of study. Call our office to learn details.

In a few isolated cases, course prerequisites may be waived by the instructors if they feel the prospective student has acquired equivalent knowledge and experience elsewhere. In such cases, this approval needs to be granted during the application and registration process, well in advance of the start of the course.
 

All applicants for the Ayurvedic Studies Programs, Levels 1 and 2, and the Pune Gurukula Program must submit a completed application package in order to have a place held for them in class. Applications can be downloaded here, or requested from our office at (505) 291-9698, extension 0.

The full application package includes:

1. Student application completed in full.
2. Your type-written, one-page response to the three essay questions, as listed on the application.
3. Signed copy of the Student Agreement.
4. Completed AyurYoga Assessment form. (This is not required for the Pune Program.)
5. Personal resumé or curriculum vitae, including former (a) job experience and (b) education.
6. Recent personal photo, taken within past year.
7. The $100 registration fee.
8. For international students, any documents necessary for us to issue the I-20 form needed to obtain an M1 visa.
    

We review and revise the programs in the spring of each year. Final information packages are then mailed to those who already sent in their applications as well as to those newly inquiring.

For those definitely interested in attending, it is becoming more and more important to complete the application process early. If you have questions, call our Education Administrator or email Registrar.

You may download the application package here as a PDF document.

You will need the free Acrobat Reader from Adobe to view and print the application form. Note: To fill out this form online, select the Hand Tool icon and click on the box for the program for which you are registering. Then place the cursor over the next information box and start typing. You can use the Tab key to move to each successive box. Then print the copies you need for your records and to mail to the Registrar.

You may download the AyurYoga
Pre-Assessment form here as a PDF document.

ASP Level 1 class enrollment commonly reaches its capacity well before the beginning of the Ayurvedic Studies Program Level 1 in October of each year. Although there is not a specific deadline, for those definitely interested in attending, it is important to complete the application process early. International students are required to apply no later than eight weeks prior to the start of the program. Class size is limited to 45 participants.

If you have questions, call our Education Administrator or email our Registrar.

ASP Level 2 registration begins August 1st of each year and ends on December 1st. International applicants are required to apply no later than ten weeks prior to the start of the program. This allows all registration to be completed before the two weeks the Institute is closed over the holidays. Class size is limited to 24 participants, so early application is recommended.

Pune Gurukula Program applicants are invited to apply in the spring of the year and registrations are on a first come, first served basis.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), has approved our programs for attendance by non-immigrant international students. They require the following procedures for all international applicants in order to obtain an M1 visa from the US consulate in their country.

International student requirements:

1. They must send us the complete application package as listed above.

2. They must demonstrate proficiency in both verbal and written English. International students are advised that insufficient English skills may prohibit successful completion of the program.

3. They must provide us documentation proving the necessary funds to support themselves while attending school. Applicants must prove they can cover the full expense of tuition, fees and books as well as $1,000 US for each month they are here, as evidenced by a bank statement or letter from the student's financial institution. Specific fees are listed on the application form. If someone else is sponsoring the student to attend school, that person must provide a letter stating intention to support the student for the duration of the school year, as well as documentation from an employer or financial institution stating his or her ability to do so.

4. All this documentation must be sent to the Ayurvedic Institute for approval.

We are approved by the State of New Mexico Veterans Commission to provide training for veterans under the following Veterans Administration (VA) education benefits: VEAP, Non-Contributory VEAP, Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty Educational Assistance Program, and Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program.
 

Contact us with any questions regarding the application process or your eligibility for VA educational benefits.

The Ayurvedic Institute is organized as an educational, 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
The State of New Mexico’s Higher Education Department has recognized and licensed the Institute as a private post-secondary institution.

Veteran’s Association has recognized the Institute as a provider of training for students eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill and other educational benefits.

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has approved the Institute for attendance by non immigrant students. We can issue foreign student (I-20) certificates to qualified applicants. The student then presents this to their local embassy in order to obtain an M1 visa (see above).

NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association) has recognized The Ayurvedic Institute’s Level 1 and 2 programs meet the NAMA 500-hour practitioner requirements. Graduates of these programs will be qualified to apply for NAMA’s Practitioner membership.

The Yoga Alliance (YA) has approved the Institute’s ASP 1 Optional Yoga Teacher Training as a Registered Yoga School (RYS), 200 hour level. The Ayurvedic Institute ID is #19894.

At this time, the Institute does not offer any degree programs. A certificate of completion is given to those graduates who successfully complete the full time Ayurvedic Studies Programs, Levels 1 and 2, Pune Gurukula and the Ayurvedic Correspondence Course.

Contact Westbrook at www.westbrooku.edu or contact our Education Administrator.