The training to become a Certified Teacher of the TM program involves attendance at a full-time, in-residence course for five months. Because of the length of the course, TTC is only offered once a year. To learn when the next TTC will be offered, contact the U.S. TTC office at education@tm.org. Include your name, when and where you learned the TM technique, and whether you have taken the TM-Sidhi course. We will add you to our list of Meditators and Sidhas who are interested in becoming TM teachers and let you know when the next TTC has been scheduled.

The annual TM Teacher Training Course is held in Chanthaburi, Thailand, at the beautiful Rajapark Institute Training Center. The campus is set amidst 124 acres of blooming orchards and local shrubbery, with easy walking trails. This unique campus was designed and built according to principles of Maharishi Vastu®, which is architecture in harmony with natural law.

There are four main buildings set around a central pavilion. (See photo below.) The peaceful, blissful atmosphere of the campus is enriched with the influence of advanced TM courses held there over many years.

As a course participant you will enjoy spacious, well-equipped classrooms for meetings and comfortable meditation halls for group TM and TM-Sidhi practice. For maximum focus on the TTC curriculum, the courses for men and women are held separately in different areas of the campus without interaction.

Everyone has newly renovated, single-occupancy, en-suite bedrooms with a private bath. Delicious and nourishing vegetarian meals are served three times a day.

Two recent TTC graduates reflect on the TM Teacher Training Course in Thailand:

"Unprecedented inner transformation"

TTC is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that instilled unprecedented inner transformation in me ... The facility, clean rooms, cooperative staff, and fabulous course leaders and course directors made the entire course seamless and enjoyable. I highly recommend TTC in Thailand to anyone who is contemplating becoming a Teacher of Transcendental Meditation. 
—U.B., United States/Nepal, 2019 TTC graduate

I finished TTC in January 2019 after wanting to go for a few years. I’m glad I waited so that I could go through this transformative experience in the pristine nature of Chanthaburi, Thailand. Nature was one of the highlights for sure; I always looked forward to the walks.

The food was delicious, nourishing, and wholesome. Everything was taken care of with the utmost attentiveness. I’m grateful to all the staff who made our stay so comfortable and worry-free. All rooms are very spacious... with en-suite bathrooms.

Knowledge-wise, it’s the best course I’ll ever attend; having Maharishi’s knowledge close to you every day for so long quietly transforms you. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, never-to-be-repeated, completely evolutionary experience.
—G.P., Germany, 2019 TTC graduate

We do everything we can to keep the course fee as low as possible. The five-month course fee includes tuition, housing, vegetarian meals, study materials, and teaching materials to take home with you. Expenses for transportation, passports, visas, health and COVID insurance, and incidental expenses are the responsibility of each course participant.

Learn more about this year's TTC details

Financial aid may be available for candidates who are accepted to the course and demonstrate financial need.

All grants and scholarships require the recipient to make a minimum two-year commitment to teach the Transcendental Meditation program on a full-time basis after successfully completing TTC. This TM teaching must be conducted in the United States under the auspices of Maharishi Foundation USA, Inc., the national non-profit educational organization that offers the TM program to the general public.

Learn more about TTC scholarships

Academic credit may be available for the TM Teaching Training Course through Maharishi International University (MIU) in Fairfield, Iowa. In some cases, federal student aid may be available toward the cost of TTC for U.S. students who are nearing the end of their degree program and have remaining federal aid eligibility.

Students attending other universities may apply for transfer credits for TTC from Maharishi International University by contacting the MIU Enrollment Center at registrar@miu.edu or (641) 472-1327.

Yes, everyone has a private room and bath.

Learn more about TTC accommodations and location

Here's an overview of the two-phase TTC application process, which is covered in detail here.

Phase 1: Submit two pre-application forms online

Applicants from the United States are required to complete two short pre-application forms online. Please fill out and submit both forms:

1. First, complete the International TTC Pre-Application
2. Next, complete the U.S. Residents Supplemental Pre-Application

After you have completed these two pre-application forms, please contact the Certified TM Teacher whom you would like to have recommend you for TTC. This teacher will be your "recommending Governor."

Meditators who are not yet Sidhas: As soon as possible, please ask your recommending Governor how to apply for the next TM-Sidhi course, because your TTC and TM-Sidhi course applications must be processed together.

Phase 2: Complete the online TTC application and all requirements

Phase 2 involves detailed TTC application information and requirements that are only available online on the private TTC 2023 website. Have your recommending Governor contact office@gcwp-ico.org to gain access to the full TTC application website.

This is an extensive application, so please begin working with your recommending Governor as soon as possible. Meet with him or her to go over all the application requirements, which include an interview with a Board of Governors and more. The online TTC application website also provides information about the daily TTC routine and activities.

For more information, U.S. citizens may contact education@tm.org or call (641) 209-1879 ext. 107. Please indicate your age, when and where you learned the TM technique, and whether you have completed the TM-Sidhi course.

The requirements to apply for TM Teacher Training include both experience and intellectual understanding of the TM technique and Advanced Programs.

• Practice of the TM technique for at least one year and participation in knowledge programs: Regular twice-daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique for at least one year and regular participation in TM Center knowledge programs are required to apply to become a Certified TM Teacher.
• Practicing the TM-Sidhi program for at least three months before the start of TTC: Meditators who are not yet Sidhas should apply for the TM-Sidhi course (also known as “Center Invincibility Course” or “CIC”) and contact their local TM Center to help facilitate their enrollment process. TTC applicants must complete the TM-Sidhi course at least three months before the start of TTC. (Note that the cost of the TM-Sidhi course is not included in the TTC course fee.) Learn more about the TM-Sidhi program
• Two-year commitment after becoming a Certified TM Teacher: Priority will be given to applicants who commit to work full-time, teaching the Transcendental Meditation technique for at least two years after completion of TTC. The two-year commitment will apply especially for those seeking scholarships.
• Approved TM teaching position: To be accepted to TTC if you are a U.S. citizen, you must have a TM teaching position in place in the United States for after you graduate. Once you begin the full application process, you will receive guidance in finding a teaching position and where to submit your TM teaching plan for approval.
• TTC Home Learning Program: Applicants are required to complete several weeks of pre-TTC study assignments at home before leaving for the in-residence, five-month TTC. For this reason, it is important to apply early in order to learn the necessary material for the study assignments and meet the TTC acceptance standards.
• Age of applicants: Recent college graduates and young professionals are especially encouraged to apply, but all interested candidates are warmly welcome to apply.
• Strong memorization ability: Applicants should have the ability to memorize large amounts of information.
• Language: The course lessons will be in English, but if there is sufficient interest from other language groups, translation may be arranged. Regardless of your skill in English, you are encouraged to apply. All participants will learn to teach the Transcendental Meditation technique in their mother tongue.
• Health insurance: Course participants are required to have health insurance that covers them at the course location. More information about this requirement is supplied later in the application process.
• COVID requirements: Any TTC health guidelines or requirements regarding COVID will be announced closer to the time of the course, and will depend on the current status of the pandemic.

Learn more about the TTC location, dates, and cost

To apply to TTC you are required to have been practicing the TM-Sidhi program for at least three months before the start of the Teacher Training Course.

However, if you have been accepted to TTC, the requirement for completing four Advanced Techniques prior to learning the TM-Sidhi program is waived. This waiver requires that you commit to learning the remaining Advanced Techniques after completing TTC.

To receive this Advanced Technique waiver for the TM-Sidhi course, it is vital that you begin your TTC application process as early as possible, so you may be accepted to TTC in time for your TM-Sidhi course.

Learn more about the TM-Sidhi program

You will learn every aspect of teaching the Transcendental Meditation program, including

• How to give engaging and informative introductory and preparatory talks
• How to interview prospective TM students
• How to guide a student in learning the TM technique
• How to verify and validate a student's TM practice
• How to provide follow-up services for correct TM practice and progress after completion of the TM course

Additionally, you will watch many inspiring videos by TM Founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and also his successor, medical doctor and neuroscientist Tony Nader, M.D., Ph.D., M.A.R.R. In addition, scientists, researchers, doctors, and other experts will give video presentations on the theory, knowledge, and scientific research on the TM program and all aspects of Maharishi Vedic Science^SM.

The best way to prepare for TTC is to have a broad base of knowledge and experience of the TM program, which greatly helps in mastering all of the knowledge learned during the TM Teacher Training Course. You can build this foundation through practicing the TM technique regularly, twice a day, for at least one year, while taking full advantage of all the TM followup programs at your local TM Center, such as Personal Checking and TM Refresher Courses.

We also strongly encourage you to participate regularly in the range of activities offered at your TM Center, such as Knowledge Meetings, group meditations, special events, and online or in-person TM Retreats. These provide numerous ways to deepen and expand your knowledge and experience of TM and the growth of consciousness.

Participating in TM Center activities also gives you an opportunity to get to know experienced TM teachers. They can assist you in the TTC application process, such as by being the TM teacher who becomes your "recommending Governor."

We especially encourage you to take courses for the Advanced Techniques of the TM program and the TM-Sidhi program as soon as you can.

Once you apply for TM Teacher Training, the TTC Home Learning Program will prepare you with several weeks of study assignments to complete at home before leaving for the in-residence, five-month TTC. For this reason, it is important to apply early in order to learn the necessary material for the study assignments and meet the TTC acceptance standards.

Learn more about TM Advanced Techniques

Learn more about the TM-Sidhi program

Each day on the Teacher Training Course at the  Rajapark Institute Training Center campus in Chanthaburi, Thailand, includes the following:

• Ample time for group practice of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs and Maharishi Yoga^SM Asanas
• Three class and study sessions, which include video presentations, learning, and practice to master new knowledge
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, consisting of healthy, delicious lacto-vegetarian meals
• Light recreation, such as walks around the beautiful Rajapark Institute campus
• A good night’s rest

Learn more about TTC here

You will have arranged to have your TM teaching position in place before you go to TTC. Once you begin the full application process, you will be guided in how to find a teaching position and where to submit your TM teaching plan.

As a TTC graduate and a new Certified TM Teacher, you are strongly encouraged to teach the Transcendental Meditation program as much as possible immediately following your course. This allows you to put into practice all that you have spent five months learning and preparing for. Since the purpose of taking the TM Teaching Training Course is to teach, everyone is strongly encouraged to teach TM full-time.

If you are seeking financial assistance for TTC, you are asked to commit to teaching full-time for at least two years immediately following the course.

Maharishi Foundation USA (MFUSA), Inc., is the non-profit educational organization that offers the Transcendental Meditation program to the general public in the United States. As a Certified TM Teacher, you will be an independent contractor whose earnings are based on the success of your own teaching initiatives.

There may also be some salaried TM teaching internships available upon completion of TTC. Those who receive scholarships for TTC are required to conduct their teaching activities in the United States under the auspices of MFUSA.

Full-time TM teachers receive discounts on certain TM advanced programs, Maharishi AyurVeda® products and treatments at selected facilities, and some courses offered at Maharishi International University.

To help orient you to teaching the Transcendental Meditation program in a TM Center, Maharishi Foundation USA provides new TTC graduates with a three- to six-month internship with an established Certified TM Teacher immediately following TTC.

On your TM Teacher Training Course you learn everything you need to know to effectively teach the Transcendental Meditation program. During your internship with an experienced TM teacher, you will learn how to put all your knowledge into practice. By teaching at a TM Center, you will be able to integrate all you have learned on TTC with the day-to-day activities at an established Center.

We hold annual summer workshops that offer continuing education for TM teachers in the United States. Those who have taken a break from teaching for some time may need to fulfill TM teacher refresher requirements before resuming teaching.