Registering for a Polestar Qualification Course is a meaningful investment in your career as a movement professional. This article explains exactly what your course fee covers, what additional costs to budget for, and the time commitment involved — so you can plan your full investment with confidence.
This guide applies to all Polestar Qualification Courses — Mat, Reformer, Studio Comprehensive, and Gateway pathways.
Your Polestar course fee covers everything you need to participate in and complete the taught portion of your qualification:
All in-person course modules in your chosen pathway (e.g., Gateway, Intermediate, Advanced)
Online course components, including Gateway Online and the relevant Principles of Movement (PP) online module
Polestar Online Platform access — instructional videos, exercise summaries, and course materials for the duration of your programme
Pre-training materials, released approximately one month before your first module
Student manuals, handouts, and your logbook
Certificate of attendance upon course completion
Access to Student rates at your local host studio (e.g., Iso Fit in Hong Kong) for classes, private, and semi-private sessions
Access to the global Polestar community of educators, mentors, and fellow students
💡 INFO — Online Platform access is included for a set period tied to your programme length. Check with your local host for exact access windows.
A few items sit alongside the course fee. These are important to factor into your overall budget:
Qualification Examination Fee — paid separately when you're ready to sit your final exam
Mentorship Programme / supplementary practical hours — required to meet exam eligibility (see below)
Pilates classes to complete your 25 prerequisite hours, if not yet completed (student rates apply at your host studio once you register)
Required reading texts (course training manuals are included; recommended texts are not)
Replacement manuals, if needed
Personal expenses — travel, accommodation, personal supplies, and lunch during course days
Online Platform extensions — a small monthly fee applies if you need access beyond your included period (e.g., if you delay your exam)
Re-sit fees — only applicable if a second exam attempt is needed
This is where Polestar's competency-based approach really comes alive, and it's worth understanding before you register.
Completing the course modules gives you the knowledge. The Mentorship Programme gives you the practical experience to become a competent, confident teacher. It's how you log your observation, self-mastery, and apprentice teaching hours — supervised by qualified Polestar Mentors at your host studio.
The Mentorship Programme includes:
Guided observation of qualified teachers in real sessions
Self-mastery practice with mentor feedback
Apprentice teaching opportunities with real clients
Sign-off on your logbook (required for exam eligibility)
Ongoing mentor support and feedback throughout your training journey
How it's structured: The programme is designed with maximum flexibility — you participate in as much or as little as suits your timetable and budget. Some students engage intensively over a few months; others spread it across a year.
⚠️ IMPORTANT — The Mentorship Programme is required to become exam-eligible. Course fees alone do not cover these supplementary practical hours.
Expect to pay between 30%-50% of your course fee to complete supplementary hours and be exam-ready. Read more here.
📌 NOTE — Specific figures are not listed here because pricing varies by pathway, host studio, region, and any active Early Bird offers. For current pricing, see the Polestar Pilates Asia course calendar or contact your local host.
Time is often a bigger consideration than cost. Polestar's competency-based model means you progress at a pace that suits your life — but it helps to understand the full picture before you register so you can plan realistically.
Your total time investment falls into two main categories:
Course Hours — pre-course preparation, online learning, and in-person course modules
Supplementary Hours (Mentoring) — observation, self-mastery practice, practice teaching, homework, and exercise check-offs
💡 INFO — Polestar courses are designed for working adults. Most students complete their qualification alongside other commitments by spreading the work across several months.
The table below shows the official required study hours for each Polestar pathway. These are the minimums needed to become exam-eligible.
📌 NOTE — These hours are required minimums for exam eligibility. Many students choose to log additional hours, particularly in self-mastery and practice teaching, to build deeper confidence before sitting their exam.
Course Hours — the structured, taught portion of your training:
Pre-Course (25 hrs): Your 25 hours of Pilates classes completed before your course. These can be taken anywhere.
Online (13 hrs): Self-paced video content and reading via the Polestar Online Platform, including Gateway Online and the relevant Principles of Movement (PP) module.
Course Modules: In-person teaching days with your Polestar Educator. Module count and length vary by pathway — see your local host for confirmed schedules.
Supplementary Hours (Mentoring) — the practical experience that builds you into a competent teacher:
Observation: Watching qualified Polestar teachers in real sessions
Practice (Self-Mastery): Your own Pilates practice, applying what you're learning
Practice Teaching: Teaching real clients under mentor supervision
Homework Assignments: Written and practical assignments (Studio Comprehensive only)
Exercise Check-Offs: Formal sign-offs by your mentor confirming exercise competency
⚠️ IMPORTANT — Supplementary hours must be logged in your logbook and signed off by a qualified Polestar Mentor. Without a completed logbook, you cannot sit your exam.
Most students complete their qualification within these ranges:
Mat Programme: 6–12 months
Reformer Programme: 9–15 months
Studio Comprehensive: 12–18 months
What affects your pace:
Your starting point — students with prior Pilates teaching or strong movement backgrounds often progress faster
Mentorship engagement intensity — concentrated weekly sessions vs. spread across months
Module scheduling at your host — course modules run on a published calendar, so your start and finish dates are partly determined by available dates
Exam readiness — you book your exam when you and your mentor agree you're ready, not on a fixed schedule
Life commitments — work, family, and travel naturally influence pace
⚠️ IMPORTANT — Your Polestar Online Platform access has a defined window. If you delay your exam significantly, you may need to extend Platform access for a small monthly fee. Plan your pace with this in mind.
Your logbook is the official record of all your supplementary hours. It must be completed and signed off by your mentor before you become exam-eligible. Most students log hours progressively throughout their training rather than in a single block — your mentor will help you track progress against the required totals shown in the table above.
Once certified, your Polestar qualification requires periodic re-qualification to remain active. This involves continuing education hours over a defined cycle. Re-qualification is a separate, ongoing time commitment from your initial training — but it's modest and designed to keep your practice current.
For full re-qualification requirements, see the Polestar Pilates Asia Knowledge Base and search "re-qualification."
Course fees and Early Bird dates: www.polestarpilatesasia.com/calendar
Full Terms & Conditions (Section 1 — Inclusions): www.polestarpilatesasia.com/en/terms-and-conditions
Contact your local host directly
Once you have a sense of your full investment — both time and cost — we recommend a short call with your local host to walk through:
Your specific course dates and current pricing (including any active Early Bird)
Mentorship Programme options that fit your schedule and budget
A realistic timeline based on your starting point and availability
Any final questions about prerequisites or the qualification timeline
Reach out via your local host's contact page to schedule a call.
Q: Why aren't exact prices listed in this article? Pricing varies by pathway, region, host studio, and current promotions. To avoid out-of-date information, we direct you to the course calendar and your local host for the most accurate, current figures.
Q: Is the Mentorship Programme optional? No. The Mentorship Programme is how you complete the supplementary practical hours required for exam eligibility. It is structured flexibly, but it is a required part of becoming a certified Polestar teacher.
Q: How long will it take me to complete my qualification? Most students finish within 6–18 months depending on pathway. Your pace depends on your starting experience, how intensively you engage with mentorship, and your available course module dates. There is no fixed deadline — you sit your exam when you and your mentor agree you're ready.
Q: Can I do a Polestar course part-time? Yes. Polestar courses are specifically designed for working adults. The in-person modules are scheduled in blocks, and supplementary hours can be logged flexibly around your existing commitments.
Q: What happens if I delay my exam? You can extend your Polestar Online Platform access for a small monthly fee. There is no penalty for taking longer to examine — many students do.
Q: Do I have to complete the 25 prerequisite hours before registering? No, you can register first. However, the 25 hours must be completed before you sit your first odule. Student rates apply at your host studio once you're registered.
Q: How many total hours will I need to log? Approximately 210–225 hours for Mat, 220–235 hours for Reformer, and 450–465 hours for Studio Comprehensive. See the Required Study Hours table above for the full breakdown.