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Yes, you must complete all your quizzes to unlock your final exam.
Yes, you can pay your account balance in full at any time.
Different courses allow for different completion timeframes (please see below):
After enrollment, all course material is provided for you in your student portal including, your digital textbook, audio and video lectures, and course workbook.
ISSA accepts most online and in-person CPR certifications. If there is a CPR course you are interested in taking, please reach out to ISSA first to confirm if it is accepted. You can reach our Student Success Team at 800-892-4772 (option 3), Monday-Friday from 6am-6pm, Arizona Time.
Completing quizzes after reading assignments helps test your knowledge and better prepares you for the final exam.
All CPT courses must be completed within 6 months of the official purchase date. All other specialization training courses must be completed within 8 months of the official purchase date. If a new edition of a course becomes available during your enrollment period, you will be given the opportunity to upgrade to the latest edition of the course.
A PDF of your certificate will be available to download directly from the student portal 24-48 hours after passing the final exam.
Students who submit their exam online will receive their results via email, using the email address provided at the time of testing. Home Study examination results will be sent by US mail. The communication via email or US Mail will be from the ISSA Educational Support Department. Students may contact the ISSA Educational Support Department for any questions regarding results.
All ISSA Professionals are required to maintain a current adult CPR/AED certification. If your CPR/AED expires before your renewal, you are responsible for updating your CPR/AED status. Your CPR/AED certificate must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the date of submission.
Two options exist to satisfy this requirement:
A. A hands-on CPR/AED course from an approved provider
-or-
B. A time-saving, more convenient and less expensive ISSA-approved online CPR/AED course.(The ISSA-approved online course also automatically updates the ISSA database upon your successful completion.)
For more information on the ISSA-approved online course, please visit: https://www.issaonline.com/certification/cpr/.
You have 6 months from your enrollment date to satisfy all the requirements of the program: submission of all quizzes, a score of 75% or better on all sections of the final examination, proof of valid CPR/AED. You will not earn your certification until you have met all requirements.
The American Heart Association and Red Cross are two of the most popular providers in the United States. CPR/AED classes can also be found through local gyms, fitness facilities, fire departments, hospitals and YMCA's.
The ISSA-approved online course also automatically updates the ISSA database with your documentation upon your successful completion.
Otherwise, ISSA requires a copy of the front and back of your CPR/AED card. Copies can be submitted via fax (805-745-8119) or mail (2942 N 24th Street, Ste 115 PMB 28058). Please contact Student Services with any questions you might have regarding CPR/AED Aid submission at 866-499-6439.
ISSA student identification numbers are printed at the bottom of each certified student's certificate. If a personal training certificate does not indicate the student identification number, the student should contact the Student Services Department between 7am and 5pm, Monday through Friday at 866-499-6439.
Students can transfer a course to another student within three months of the original enrollment date. A completed Course Transfer Form, a copy of the current student's photo ID, and a transfer fee must be submitted to the Student Services Department prior to the three-month limit. ISSA courses may only be transferred once. Authorization from a Student Services representative is required for all course transfers. (Contact Student Services at 1-866-499-6439.)
ISSA aims to provide its students with valuable resources such as educational support. Students may contact the ISSA Educational Support line as often as necessary to facilitate learning, even post-certification. ISSA is here to help students succeed! The ISSA Technical and Educational Support Department is available between 7am and 5pm Pacific Time, Monday through Friday at 1-866-499-6439 or 1-855-478-0340 (international). Students may also post questions inside the Members Section to receive feedback from our Technical and Educational Support Department as well as other ISSA trainers who frequent the message board.
Course exchanges will be granted within 30 days of purchase. In order to issue materials for the new course, ISSA must receive the original course package in its entirety, postmarked no later than the 30th day of enrollment. An administration fee plus shipping costs for new materials shall apply. Students will be subject to the tuition reimbursement schedule of the new course commencing with the reassignment date.
Refund Policy: All sales are final seven (7) days after the date of purchase (the "Return Period") (certain products are final on the date of purchase - see those listed below). In other words, as of the 8th day following the date of purchase, the Company will not provide refunds or accept returns. You must contact your Success Coach within the Return Period to request a refund. If you have attempted the final test, exam or proctored exam associated with the product or service you purchased, you will not be entitled to a refund. A 10% return processing fee is applied to all refunds and is based upon the "Product Price", which is the total purchase price including applicable taxes minus all standard fees charged at the time of purchase. The following standard fees are nonrefundable: shipping and/or handling, application, administration, test extension, late cancellation, retest, workshop transfer, program extension, petition, recertification, and recertification late fees. Refunds are only available for the portion of the "Product Price" already paid. Often products are sold as packages (e.g., electronic textbook, online program, and final exam). Refunds are not available for individual items within a Product Package. If an item within a Product Package is defective, you can request an exchange of that item by contacting your Success Coach within the Return Period.
All sales are final on Continuing Education Units, CPR certifications and the CPT Study Expansion Pack. Refunds are not provided on these products.
All refunds are issued in the same form as the original payment, except if you elected an installment plan the refund will be issued to the most recent form of payment.
Yes. You can pay off your balance early.
*For credit and debit cards only
No. There are no penalties for paying it off early.
*For credit and debit cards only
No. We do not charge interest.
*For credit and debit cards only
No. Everyone is 100% approved with no credit checks.
*For credit and debit cards only
We have 1, 6, and 12 month payment plans.
*For credit and debit cards only
If the payment does not process successfully upon the draft date that is scheduled, we will attempt to draft the payment for 3 consecutive days. Meaning, the original payment due date, the day after that, then the day after that.
*For credit and debit cards only
Please contact our Student Financial Services team at (800) 892-4772 (option 2), Monday-Friday, between 6am-5pm, Arizona time
Please contact our Student Financial Services team at (800) 892-4772 (option 2), Monday-Friday, between 6am-5pm, Arizona time
Please contact our Student Financial Services team at (800) 892-4772 (option 2), Monday-Friday, between 6am-5pm, Arizona time
Please contact our Student Financial Services team at (800) 892-4772 (option 2), Monday-Friday, between 6am-5pm, Arizona time
If you are currently on a payment plan, your first payment (after enrollment) is due 30 days from your enrollment date and monthly thereafter
To update payment information, please call our Student Financial Services team at (800) 892-4772 (option 2), Monday-Friday, between 6am-5pm, Arizona time
Your Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) package should include the following:
Textbooks are an additional cost and separate from the package.
The "How to Complete your Course information" packet contains step-by-step review and preparation information for each of the two available testing options: Home Study Examination and Online Examination. Review the packet for study options and testing procedures.
The workbook and Study Guide provides assistance in the retention of the course material. You are not required to submit the workbook in for grading. However, experience has shown that individuals who faithfully use the workbook and Study Guide achieve greater understanding of the course materials than those who do not use a workbook. ISSA recommends that you actively use the workbook and Study Guide to prepare for the fitness course examination.
You must meet the following:
Yes, you must submit all course quizzes as part of your completion requirements.
Yes, Online testing, for both quizzes and final exams, is the preferred testing method. Online testing saves you the hassle of organizing and photocopying your answer sheets, saves you from a trip to the post office, saves you postage for registered mail, and keeps track of your submissions in your Member Account. What's more, online testing produces a much faster turn-around time for grading!
No, quiz scores do not affect your final examination score.
You may submit any number of quizzes at a time (a single quiz or a group of quizzes), but you must submit the quizzes in order. If you take the quizzes online, your Member Account will track your quizzes for you.
We highly recommend that you take your quizzes online at ISSAtrainer.com. Not only will you avoid the hassle of photocopies, registered mail, and a trip to the post office, you will receive immediate feedback on your performance. In addition, your Member Account will track all of your quizzes for you.
When you complete all of your course quizzes, you will be able to access and begin your final examination.
Submission of all of your course quizzes indicates that you have studied all of the course material and have enough background information to begin your final exam.
Yes, you may submit your quizzes entirely online, entirely by mail, or by using a combination of both.
Our server tracks and documents all of your quiz attempts and scores. This information is tied to your personal Member Account.
You may take the quizzes as many times as necessary, but we highly recommend that you do so online. If you request additional answer sheets to submit repeated quiz answers by mail, you will be required to pay an administration fee plus shipping and handling costs. Retaking quizzes online is free of charge.
Yes, as an enrolled student you are free to use all of the available resources at your discretion. If you would like to take your quizzes online but mail in your final examination, feel free to do so. However, taking your final examination online will reduce the hassle of organizing and photocopying your examination, and save you a trip to the post office and money for registered postage. Also, you'll get your results much faster!
You have three testing options and are at liberty to select whichever version best suits your learning and testing style. The examinations are not without difficulty. Remember, if becoming a professional in any field were without challenge, the profession's credibility would be questioned. Also, communication skills are essential to being a successful CPT. We have seen countless trainers who were quite experienced but lacked the communication skills necessary to succeed financially and professionally. Being able to express yourself verbally and in writing is imperative to your success. Don't forget: Our Educational Support Team is here to help! Please contact our Educational Support Team with any questions. Any student caught soliciting another person to take an exam will be immediately dismissed from the ISSA.
Yes, there are distinct advantages to submitting your examination online:
We strongly recommend online testing for all students, especially those with potential job offers or time-sensitive pay increases.
If you take your examination online, our secure server will organize and track your examination for you. Exams submitted by mail must be stapled or bound in a manner that keeps the coursework and examination organized. All final examinations should be typed, not handwritten. Students must be sure to include their name on every page of their exam. We do not allow plastic page dividers, sheet protectors or binders of any kind.
If you fail any portion of your Examination, you will be offered the opportunity to resubmit that portion of the examination, free of charge. (This is known as your second attempt at the examination.) Each retest beyond the second attempt (e.g., third attempt, fourth attempt, etc.) will incur an administrative fee.
For the Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) courses, if you do not finish within 6 months, your student account will become inactive. If you fail to complete the program requirements within 6 months, you may request a 1-month extension, for a non-refundable fee. If you fail to complete the requirements during your first extension period, you may request up to 3 more 1 month extensions for a non-refundable fee for each 1 month extension. Completion of the program beyond the final extension period requires re-enrollment. For the other course specializations, if you do not finish within 8 months, your student account will become inactive. If you fail to complete the program requirements within 8 months, you may request a 1-month extension, for a non-refundable fee. If you fail to complete the requirements during your first extension period, you may request up to 3 more 1 month extensions for a non-refundable fee for each 1 month extension. Completion of the program beyond the final extension period requires re-enrollment. If you purchased a bundle of products that contains a CPT course and other specializations, the timelines noted above apply to the individual courses. You have 6 months to complete CPT and 8 months to complete the specialization courses.
Yes. Please contact our customer care team as this is a case by case decision. One of our customer care reps will contact you within 24 hours.
Yes. Please contact our customer care team as this is a case by case decision. One of our customer care reps will contact you within 24 hours.
Applicable Sales, Use, GST, and VAT Taxes are collected and remitted where required by local tax authorities.
If you miss a payment, your account will then become locked, and you will no longer be able to login and access your courses or materials. Our Student Financial Services will then be in further contact to try to collect the payment/provide assistance if there is an issue, and help to create a solution.
In addition to the free online version of the course textbooks, you can purchase printed copies of our most popular courses. Click here to look for your course and buy the book.
Books ship within 2 to 3 days of placing your order. US orders ship through UPS Ground Service which can take 3 to 5 business days to arrive. International orders may take up to 1 week to be delivered. You can check the status of your order in the Order History section on the textbook ordering site. books.issaonline.com
If you're having trouble printing the workbook, please download the workbook PDF to your computer.
If you're still having trouble printing, please call the Student Success team at 800-892-4772 (option 3), Monday-Friday from 6am to 6pm, Arizona time.
The workbook is fillable once downloaded as a PDF onto your computer.
Directions:
You will still have access to the course material after you've completed the courses.
All course material is online and found in your student portal at www.issatrainer.com.
You will find a link to 'Courses and CEUs' toward the bottom of your issatrainer.com member's homepage. Below the link you can view all certification and CEU courses for purchase.
Course swaps (of equal value) are available within the first 30 days after enrollment
If you want to trade your current course for another eligible course, please contact our Student Success team at (800) 892-4772 (option 3), Monday-Friday, from 6am-6pm, Arizona time
Yes, ISSA is happy to offer discounts to our veterans
Please contact our Enrollment team, 7-days/week at (800) 892-4772 (option 1) between 6am-6pm, Arizona time for details
ISSA is represented at all top fitness conferences globally, but we don't currently hold our own ISSA conference yet. Stay tuned!
To be issued your certification, you need to have a current CPR/AED certification, as well as pay 1/12th of your overall balance with ISSA.
Once those requirements are met and your certification is done processing, click the applicable course in your student portal and the PDF certification will be available to download and print.
Please go to the 'My Account' section of your student portal and download/fill out the name change form.
Along with the form, include the necessary documentation and email us at support@issaonline.com.
One of our Student Success coaches will assist you from there.
If you need to verify the validity of an ISSA certification, please reference: https://www.issaonline.com/company/certificate-validation
A minimum of a 70% is required to pass the Personal Training exam.
A minimum of 75% in each section of all specialization exams is required to pass.
We know you can do it!
It all depends on the course you take and could have up to 200 questions.
We advise students to provide as many words as needed to sufficiently answer all parts of the question in detail.
On average, most passing essays are between 250-500 words in length.
ISSA trainers are required to renew their certification every 2 years. This process consists of a renewal fee, updated CPR/AED certification, and documentation stating the completion of 20 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). (Please note, fulfillment of this specification is required of trainers only after they have received certification through ISSA. CEUs are not a prerequisite to receiving certification.)
All ISSA Professional Trainers maintain their professional status by:
1. Submission of the CE Report Form and accompanying documentation of acceptable CE hours completed during the previous 2-year certification cycle. These documents can be uploaded online at: ISSAtrainer.com, under My Account.
2. Proof of a valid Basic Adult CPR/AED certification.
3. Payment of renewal fees.
Member Renewal: $99. The fee must be paid at the time of renewal.
(The $99 renewal fee is waived if all 20 CEU's are earned through ISSA certificate, ISSA-specific CEU's or undergraduate courses.)
All ISSA Professionals are required to keep a current basic adult CPR/AED certification. If your CPR/AED expires before your renewal, you are responsible for updating your CPR/AED status. Your CPR/AED must be valid for at least 30 days beyond the date of submission.
One CEU credit is equal to 1 contact hour of instruction. All 20 units or contact hours must be taken through ISSA, an ISSA Continuing Education Provider, or other ISSA-approved continuing education activity. To be sure that a specific personal training course is approved, please contact the Continuing Education department at 800-892-4772 (Monday through Friday; 7am to 5pm PST), or visit Approved Partners.
A student will receive 1 CEU only if they complete the CPR/AED course with ISSA.
ISSA seeks to uphold its standards of providing top-notch personal training education and information to its fitness trainers. Similarly, ISSA encourages its students to continue their learning with the most cutting-edge information available to health and fitness professionals. For this reason, CEUs earned in excess of the required amount cannot carry over because new information is always emerging in the field of exercise and health. 20 CEUs is the minimum requirement for every 2-year renewal cycle.
Upon completion of any ISSA course or approved provider courses, students will receive a certificate of completion/attendance. This documentation confirms completion of the CEU program. For college or university courses, students will need to obtain a copy of their transcripts or grade report to receive ISSA CEU credits.
No, students should keep their CEU documentation in a safe place until it is time for them to renew. Students may submit all required documents and fees in 1 renewal packet.
ISSA students may submit a petition for an unapproved provider's course. The course must be directly related to the member's fitness profession and educational growth in the professional fitness industry. A petition for each CEU program approval must be submitted and must be accompanied by all appropriate documentation and fees for review. Each petition is reviewed at the discretion of the ISSA advisory board.
Renewal packets may be submitted up to one year after the original expiration date. Late fees will be assessed to all applications that are received after their expiration date. For ISSA fitness certifications that have been expired for over one year, the applicant will be required to re-enroll.
Failure to complete CE requirements and timely renewal of your professional status may result in the forfeiture of your certification. We encourage you to complete continuing education requirements on time. A late fee will be assessed for applications not post marked by the expiration date. The late fee is in addition to the renewal fee. The following breakdown applies:
Once the completed renewal packet is received, your professional status will be renewed for two years from the date your renewal application is processed.
Example for when your completed renewal packet is received after your original expiration date:
Membership Expiration Date January 20, 2020
Renewal Application Received December 3, 2020
New Expiration Date December 3, 2022
Once the completed renewal packet is received, it will take three to four weeks for processing of the updated Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certification. Incomplete packets will be returned and issuance of the updated personal training certificate will be delayed. Students should make sure the renewal packet contains all the required material and fees prior to submission to prevent time delays.
Go to the 'My Account' section of your student portal (ISSAtrainer.com) to review your contact information and update as needed.
Go to the 'My Account' section of your student portal (ISSAtrainer.com) to review your contact information and update as needed.
To re-enroll in your course(s), please call our Enrollment team at (800) 545-4772 (option 1).
You can also go to www.issaonline.com and click the LIVE CHAT option.
Finally, you can reach us via email at support@issaonline.com.
NOTE: The Enrollment team is available by phone/Live Chat, 7-days/week, from 6am-6pm, Arizona time
In fitness, accreditation applies to the certification exam, not to the organization behind it, true for ISSA and every other major certifying body. ISSA's personal trainer exam is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), through NCCPT, the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers, an ISSA subsidiary.
Yes. ISSA offers an accredited personal trainer certification exam through its subsidiary, the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT). It is a timed, closed-book, proctored exam, and it is separate from the ISSA CPT course final exam. Every CPT enrollment includes access to it; a separate proctoring fee applies. Here is the complete guide to ISSA's accredited and non-accredited personal trainer exam options.
The NCCPT, a subsidiary of ISSA, focuses solely on the development, maintenance, and oversight of its nationally accredited NCCPT-CPT personal training certification exam, while ISSA offers a broader range of health and fitness courses and certifications. The NCCPT is managed by an independent board of directors and operates separately from ISSA.
The ISSA Certified Personal Trainer course is a comprehensive program designed to prepare students for success as a certified fitness professional. It features audio and video lessons, a clear and searchable online textbook, practice quizzes, a study workbook, and the option for live classroom learning with instructors. The ISSA certification exam is open note, can be completed without time constraints, is not proctored, does not have to be scheduled, and is found at the end of the course.
The NCCPT personal trainer certification exam, offered by the ISSA subsidiary the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT) is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and assess knowledge of personal training and fitness while also providing third-party affirmation to the credential. There is no associated course, and the proctored test has a two-hour time limit. Using books or notes during the exam is prohibited. It may be taken online or on-site at a Prometric testing center. An exam proctoring fee is charged by Prometric for either test delivery method.
Personal Training deals with the art and science of physical conditioning combined with healthful behavior modification techniques that are preventive in nature, but not corrective, therapeutic, or rehabilitative. There is focus on the use of passive, active, and resistive exercise to maintain and improve human function.
In addition, personal trainers can work with technologies that include:
1. Weight management
2. Smoking cessation
3. Nutritional counseling
4. Stress management; and
5. Disease prevention.
At the date this was revised, there is no licensing for personal fitness professionals in the United States. A personal training certificate does not constitute a license to practice medicine. Unless you are already a licensed health care practitioner, it is important not to present yourself as a physician in any manner. Industry recognition, memberships, and liability insurance are available to ISSA graduates. Students should investigate the laws within the state in which they reside.
When a client comes to a personal trainer for health support for a particular problem, they will have received a diagnosis from a primary health care physician. If not, they should do so. The trainer can educate the client on health and fitness, which can complement any treatment prescribed by the primary health care physician. The focus of a trainer is not on disease or illness, but on fitness and health allowing the body to heal itself. Many primary health care physicians are willing to work with certified personal trainers to achieve the best overall plan for the client.
As a personal trainer, it is important to remember that your suggestions are complimentary to a primary health care physician. A personal trainer cannot diagnose a client as having a particular illness, or purport to treat or cure any disease. This constitutes practicing medicine without a license. However, there is a large scope for a certified personal trainer to educate the client without stepping over that line.
Note that if you are a health care practitioner, you may be able to adjunct your new training to your existing practice. Many RNs, MDs, Physical Therapists, and Pharmacists take the courses for this purpose.
Certification is a process by which ISSA, as a nongovernmental agency or association, recognizes the competency of individuals who have met certain qualifications as determined by the ISSA. To achieve your personal training certification from ISSA individuals must meet the eligibility requirements for certification and pass our personal training certification examination.
Certification provides both personal validation and validation for employers and consumers of the certificate holder's professional competence in the fitness field.
Specifically, certification:
The definition of licensing is to give authority or formal permission from the proper authorities to perform certain acts or to carry on a certain business, which without such permission would be illegal. Requirements differ from state to state.
The National Board of Fitness Examiners (NBFE) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to promoting excellence in the fitness profession through standardized and unbiased National Board examinations. NBFE exams will assess the competencies of fitness professionals currently working in the field and those who are newly graduated from a national certification program or college with approved curriculum. Assessments are designed, developed and deployed based on scopes and standards of practice as defined by the NBFE and its six advisory boards. The NBFE will serve the needs of state licensing authorities, fitness certification organizations, health clubs, colleges, the military, the medical profession, fitness trainers and the public.
The NBFE was formed because there are no regulations or national standards for Certified Personal Trainers. In recent years, the fitness industry has received harsh criticism by the media, Medicine, health clubs, and the public. Currently, an individual with no experience and minimal competency can buy a certification. Due to these contrasting standards and the lack of regulation in the industry, several states have legislation pending or in discovery to regulate the fitness industry without input from industry stakeholders.
On March 20, 2004 members of the NBFE met with the heads of many national certification organizations and International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) executives to discuss plans to establish national standards, and the development and deployment of national board exams.
Members of the NBFE will determine scopes, standards, and content for all NBFE assessments. The NBFE will draw members and input from six Advisory Committees representing all areas interests of the fitness industry. These committees are as follows:
Please connect with our Enrollment team for assistance.
Call (800) 545-4772 (option 1).
Go to www.issaonline.com and click the LIVE CHAT option.
Email us at support@issaonline.com and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
NOTE: The Enrollment team is available by phone/Live Chat, 7-days/week, from 6am-6pm, Arizona time
If you want to remove your current banking information from your account, please contact the Student Financial Services team.
You can reach them via email at billing@issaonline.com, or by phone at (800) 545-4772 (option 2) Monday-Friday, between 6am-5pm, Arizona time.