Financial Aid
Hi everybody!
We believe that ideally, everyone who really and deeply wants to do the training should be able to. Especially in our current economic climate, we believe yoga is more important than ever. And being able to share yoga with kids (and learn from them) is deeply rewarding.
Our policy is to allow 20% of enrollment in any given course to be for those on financial aid. After that, we start a waiting list, and if there is space in the course a few days before it starts, then we contact those on the waiting list and see what we can do. So please take some time to consider: is the full tuition really prohibitive for you without some kind of assistance? If you are approved and we fill the quota (which we basically always do), someone else who applies later will be placed on the waiting list, regardless of his/her dire need. Our financial assistance consists of scholarships, work exchanges, payment plans, donations, or a combination of those.
Our financial aid packages are not funded by an outside source. We fund them ourselves. Please understand that Rainbow Kids Yoga is two people, and that we (both as a company and personally) live paycheck to paycheck, we have debts, we work crazy hours, we don't always get paid. Gopala literally has about $100 -$200 in the bank on any given day, and no savings. For real. So do take a moment to consider your financial situation, and the questions below.
How do you apply?
Send us an email. In the subject line, it would be super helpful if you mentioned the location of the course that you want to do, and then the words "Financial Aid" (example, "New York Financial Aid"). Then write to us about your specific situation and why it would cause severe financial hardship for you to do the training at full tuition.
Please only apply for financial aid if the full tuition is totally prohibitive for you. We get tons of financial aid requests each day. Please answer the following questions (if we get only one-word answers we will write you back asking for more details, so no one-word answers please, unless you qualify them with more explanation later in your email). Then add anything else about your individual situation:
Do you have children? If so, how many?
Are you the sole breadwinner in your family?
Are you a single parent?
Are you unemployed or under-employed? If so, for how long?
Do you have significant debts (school, credit cards, etc)?
Have you recently lost your home?
Do you have or have you had an illness which has resulted in high medical bills?
It would be great if you mentioned why you want to do the course and what you're thinking of doing with the certification, but make sure to explain your financial situation as well. If you're not sure what you want to do with the training, that's fine too! Also, if you know that you can only do the training at a certain amount, and absolutely no more, let us know that as well, so we can see right away if we will be able to work with you.
If you can host Gopala and/or drive him to and from the airport, let us know! Requirements for hosting Gopala: please live close to the studio, have an extra room for him to stay in, and internet access.
Please note, skills we can use include:
- ILLUSTRATION (please only mention this if you are a professional illustrator with experience doing children's books)
- GRAPHIC DESIGN (if you are a prof'l graphic designer with experience in books and games)
- ACCOUNTING (QuickBooks instruction is good too)
- WEB SITE PROMOTION and MARKETING!
- JOURNALISM
- TRANSLATION into other languages (simultaneous verbal translation if you are applying for a course in another country, as well as written)
- not massages, reiki treatments, energy healing, or yoga classes - while these are all awesome, we just do not need these skills right now. :)
Once we receive your email, we'll review it and then write you back.
That's it!
Best wishes,
Gopala & Katya
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A few testimonials:
Hi Katya! The course was GREAT... and being Gopala's host was [the] greatest! Today I had a class with girls 3 and 4 years old (that usually is a mess) and using RKY tips was a total success! I'm so happy!
Thanks!
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Thank you so much! That scholarship/work exchange really helps me out.
I attended a conference less than a month ago where I took a yoga for kids workshop. At the end of the class, the gave us paper work about becoming certified to teach children's yoga, but it cost around $3,000.00. There is no way I could afford that. The only payment plan they could work out for me was $300 a month, and well, I can't afford that either.
I started looking for other schools and that is how I found you. I think the way you are willing to help people be able to afford this class is so great. It shows that you really care about the children and that is what's most important.
Again, I can not thank you enough for this opportunity.
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I just wanted to thank you again for letting me pay over time.
The course was fantastic, Gopala was incredible and all my coworkers are getting sick of hearing me talk about it.
I have tried several things just this week with the children in my class and everything has been a hit!!! I can't wait to start teaching classes in January at our school.
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I wanted to thank you so much for a fantastic time. You gave me a gift I can hopefully pass on to lots of beautiful children in my local area and bring them an hour of positivity and laughter.
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I just want to say thank you from my heart to both of you for the scholarship. At this time I am not working and I have to do a move in the next month. I am so thankful that I was able to come and I will pay you back the money in the fall. Gopala you are an amazing teacher and your energy lights up a room. I found it very inspiring to watch you and you are definitely a gift in the lives of many children on their paths.