• Yes, you must complete all your quizzes to unlock your final exam. 

• The only exception is when purchasing the Fast Track add-on for the Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) course.

• Fast Track allows students to skip the quizzes and move directly to the final exam.

• Yes, you can pay your account balance in full at any time. 

  • Pay online, directly from your student portal. Click the MY ACCOUNTS tab located on the top right corner of the page, Click the ORDER HISTORY tab and look for the MAKE A PAYMENT link. 

  • Call Student Financial Services directly at: 1-805-364-9117, Monday-Friday, from 6am-5pm, Arizona Time.

Different courses allow for different completion timeframes (please see below):   

• Certified Personal Trainer Live Learning Experience: 3 months to complete

• Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Course:  6 months to complete 

• Specialization Courses:  8 months to complete 

• CPR/AED Courses:  These courses do not expire

After enrollment, all course material is provided for you in your student portal including, your digital textbook, audio and video lectures, and course workbook.

• Exams with written sections can take 3-5 business days to be graded by our Education Support Team. 

• If your exam was multiple choice only, please check your email inbox for exam results. If you don't see an email, please check your spam folder.

• You will need to have a current CPR/AED certification and have paid a minimum of 1/12th of your overall balance with ISSA to be issued your certification.

• Once the requirements above 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.

• A PDF of your certificate will be available to download directly from the student portal 24-48 hours after passing the final exam.

• Please note, ISSA does not mail certifications outside of the United States. International students can download a high-resolution PDF of their certificate directly from the student portal and print on heavy paper stock. 

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.

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

Your Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) package should include the following:

• Fitness: The Complete Guide 

• CPT Workbook and Study Guide

• Fiscal Fitness

• "How to Complete your Course" information packet

• Selected reminders and promotional material

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:

• Submission of all course quizzes

• A score of 70% or better on the final examination

• Proof of current Adult CPR/AED certificate

Yes, you must submit all course quizzes as part of your completion requirements.

• Course(s) are listed in the 'Certification Course' tab within your student portal.

• If you enrolled in continuing education courses, you'll see them listed under the 'Continuing Education Course' tab.

• To access course study materials, click the course name from the Student Portal homepage.

• Login to your student portal at www.issatrainer.com.

• Click the course title you want to study and get started.

• Exams with written sections can take 3-5 business days to be graded by our Education Support team.

• If your exam was multiple choice only, please check your email inbox for exam results. If you don't see an email, please check your spam folder.

• Our policy allows students to cancel within 7 days of enrollment only.

• If it's been more than 7 days, please call the Student Success team for options to add more time to complete your course(s), or to explore possible payment plan modifications.

• Please call us at 800-892-4772 (option 3). Your Student Success team is available Monday-Friday from 6am to 6pm, Arizona time.

• ISSA provides bootcamps for Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition courses only.

• To access bootcamp videos, please click on the corresponding course in your student portal.

• Look for the WEBINAR option in the blue box on the left side of the screen.

• Bootcamp and office hour meeting Webinars are located there.

• Recorded sessions are uploaded within 48 hours of session completion.

• The course expiration date is the final date you must submit your final exam for grading

• We advise submitting the exam for grading a few days in advance, so there is time to make corrections if needed

• Once the course expires, you will lose access to your final exam, unless the course is eligible for extensions

• Please contact our Student Success team at (800) 892-4772 (option 3) Monday-Friday, between 6am-6pm, Arizona time

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.

• We require all members to renew their certifications/membership with ISSA every 2 years.

• To discuss option, please call the Student Success team at (800) 892-4772 (option 3), Monday-Friday, between the hours of 6am-6pm, Arizona time.

If you need to verify the validity of an ISSA certification, please reference: https://www.issaonline.com/company/certificate-validation

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 once completing the CPR course.

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

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:

• Health and fitness assessments and testing procedures;

• Injury recognition, appraisal, preliminary treatment, and instruction; and

• Counseling on wellness and public health issues, including:

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:

• Demonstrates to colleagues and superiors a dedication to quality healthcare and to the highest standards for conduct of fitness professionals.

• Presents solid evidence to employers that an employee has trained and has been tested to implement best practices and apply current technology solutions, in addition to any abilities that in turn advance the organization.

• Sets a person apart from uncredentialed job candidates.

• Assures current knowledge through continued education and verification of base level competency.

• Holds value to employers because it supports a worker's ability to uphold fitness industry standards and regulations, thereby potentially saving organizations from potential liabilities.

• Catalyzes career development by augmenting resumes and adding recognition to candidates' capabilities. Since credentials appear after a person's name, they announce expertise with every signature.

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.