General
- Does UESCA require CPR to register or receive their coach certificate?
- How long is my certification good for?
- How will I receive my certificate?
- Is UESCA associated with any national sports governing bodies?
- Is UESCA accredited?
- Are there different levels for each certification?
- Are the study materials available in other languages?
- Are there any prerequisites to sign-up for the certification?
- Is liability insurance required to be a UESCA coach?
- Does UESCA offer discounted liability insurance?
- As a UESCA certified coach, am I able to prescribe nutritional plans?
- How does UESCA use my personal information?
- Can I call UESCA to get help when studying?
- Can individuals that reside outside of the US become certified by UESCA?
- Does UESCA have an Ambassador or Referral Program?
Training Modules
Testing
- How is the exam administered?
- What score is required to pass the exam?
- Do you have a sample test?
- What does the exam consist of?
- How long do I have to take the exam after signing up?
- What if I don’t pass on the first try?
Continuing Education
- What organizations recognize UESCA as a continuing education provider?
- Does UESCA require continuing education credits?
Fees
- What is the certification fee?
- Does UESCA offer any discounts on the price?
- If I just want to learn the material but do not want to take the test to become a certified coach, do I have to pay the full amount?
- Is there an annual renewal fee?
- Does UESCA offer refunds?
- Can I pay in installments?
- My employer is going to pay for me to take the certification, what do I need to do?
- Can I pay by check or cash?
- Can I make a payment over the phone?
Technical Issues & Billing
Does UESCA require CPR to register or receive their coach certificate?
No, UESCA does not require UESCA certification candidates or coaches to carry CPR certification. This is primarily due to the number of UESCA coaches that solely coach athletes virtually. If you work or plan to coach athletes in-person, it is strongly advised to attain CPR/AED certification prior to working with these in-person athletes.
How long is my certification good for?
2 years – at which point you may either take an online recertification exam and pay a 99 USD fee, write an endurance sports related paper that cites professional studies (no fee), or complete an additional UESCA Certification, or two (2) UESCA Specialization courses within the two-year period.
How will I receive my certificate?
We send all certificates electronically.
Is UESCA associated with any national sports governing bodies?
No. UESCA recognizes USA Triathlon, USA Cycling and USA Track and Field as the official governing bodies of triathlon, cycling and running in the United States, respectively. UESCA has no affiliation or association with these organizations, other than being a continuing education provider to them. Additionally, UESCA has no association with national sports governing bodies outside of the US.
Is UESCA accredited?
At current time, UESCA is not accredited by a third-party organization. UESCA is currently evaluating multiple accrediting organizations to determine which, if any, would best fit the business model and direction of UESCA.
Are there different levels for each certification?
No, unlike other certifications, UESCA does not believe in a tier-level structure. The goal of the certification is to present the material in a clear and concise manner and that the material is progressed at the correct rate to ensure a high level of understanding and retention.
Are the study materials available in other languages?
No, currently all of the content is in English
Are there any prerequisites to sign-up for the certification?
Yes, you must be 18 years or older at the time of registration.
Is liability insurance required to be a UESCA coach?
In the US, liability insurance is not required; however, it is strongly advised. Some employers may require that you be insured as a stipulation of employment. If you live outside the US, it is your responsibility to determine if having professional liability insurance is legally required to be a coach. If required, contact your national sports governing body regarding the specifics and name of the participating insuring agency(s).
Does UESCA offer discounted liability insurance?
Not directly, however, for UESCA certified coaches, UESCA will provide the names of companies that provide affordable and comprehensive liability coverage for running and triathlon coaches. This insurance policy covers coaches residing in the United States. Coaches residing outside of the US that require insurance must attain insurance coverage that is specific to their country and/or geographic region.
As a UESCA certified coach, am I able to prescribe nutritional plans?
No. While you are able to educate your client about dietary guidelines and intake volumes, your client should consult with a registered dietician regarding nutritional plans
How does UESCA use my personal information?
UESCA has a strict policy of never selling or distributing your information. Please refer to our privacy policy on the UESCA home page.
Can I call UESCA to get help when studying?
In an effort to keep costs low which in turn results in a lower cost certification, all questions should be submitted in email form to info@uesca.com. Our staff will seek to reply to all emails within 24 hours… though, most likely much sooner!
Can individuals that reside outside of the US become certified by UESCA?
Yes. However, it is the sole responsibility of the individual purchasing the certification(s) to ensure that that the UESCA certification is recognized and meets any and all legal and regulatory requirements in one’s home country.
Does UESCA have a Referral Program?
Yes, certified UESCA coaches are eligible to participate in our Referral Program to earn commissions for referring others to UESCA.
Training Modules
Is the education material offered in a classroom setting?
No. To eliminate the need to travel as well as to make life as convenient as possible for UESCA members, all education materials are offered via online training modules.
Can I purchase a hardcopy of the training modules?
Currently, UESCA does not produce a hardcopy version of the modules. This is largely due to the multimedia aspect (e.g., videos) that would not correlate to a hardcopy manual. However, each course has a downloadable PDF of the entire course content, and the nutrition certification has a downloadable transcript of the the video modules.
What format are the modules in?
The modules are 100% online and are broken down into digestible sections in our learning management system.
Will I have access to all of the modules once I purchase?
Yes, we don’t drip feed our content.
How do the Running and Ultrarunning certifications differ from one another?
The running certification focuses on distances between 5k and the marathon, whereas the ultrarunning certification focuses on distances greater than a marathon. While many of the modules and sections have the same names, the content of the two certifications are very different. This is largely because the training methodologies for an ultramarathon and that of shorter distances are often at opposite ends of the spectrum. Additionally, the running certification is not a prerequisite to taking the ultrarunning certification.
Testing
How is the exam administered?
The exam is administered online via our learning management system.
What score is required to pass the exam?
80%
Do you have a sample test?
Yes, included in your purchase price is an online sample test (50 questions).
What does the exam consist of?
The exam consists of multiple choice and true/false.
How long do I have to take the exam after signing up?
12 months (365 days) from the date of purchase. Students are permitted to purchase 6 month extensions to their access for a small fee of $99.
What if I don’t pass on the first try?
You get two attempts to pass the exam. If you do not successfully pass the exam after two attempts, you must wait three months and pay a $99 re-take fee.
Continuing Education
What organizations recognize UESCA as a continuing education provider?
American Council on Exercise (ACE), International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and CanFitPro. Currently, UESCA’s CEU provider status with USA Cycling and USA Triathlon is pending due to the restructuring of the education departments at these organizations.
Does UESCA require continuing education credits?
UESCA is different from other fitness or sport specific certifications in that we provide a few different options to keep your certification status active. One option is to write a paper on an Endurance Sports topic that sites professional research. We also count other UESCA Certifications and Specializations as credit for recertification. Lastly, we offer the option of a short recertification exam (small fee). To learn more about this, please refer to the Continuing Education section of the website.
Fees
What is the certification fee?
$599 and includes all online training modules and access to the test with one retake (if needed).
Does UESCA offer any discounts on the price?
Yes, those individuals that download the course overview/syllabus for our certifications will receive a link to receive 50 USD off the original price. Another way to save is to complete a certification and receive access to the UESCA Coach discount that can be used on all future certification purchases. UESCA also offers a 50% discount for members of the military and first responders.
If I just want to learn the material but do not want to take the test to become a certified coach, do I have to pay the full amount?
Yes. By purchasing the certification, you are given access to the training modules as well as the exam. You may choose not to take the exam however there is no difference in price and only upon successful completion of the exam will you be able to be recognized as a UESCA certified coach.
Is there an annual renewal fee?
No, there is no annual renewal fee. However, should you want to renew your certification after two years and do not want to write the continuing education paper, you may opt to pay $99 and take an online recertification exam, or you can complete additional UESCA courses.
Does UESCA offer refunds?
For Certification Courses, UESCA has a 30-day, 100% money back guarantee from the date of purchase. After this period, no refunds are offered. Important: If certification full course PDF’s are downloaded during the 30 day refund period, please be aware that this will nullify the money back guarantee. No refunds will be provided if the course PDF has been downloaded.
For Specialization Courses, UESCA has a 30-day, 100% money back guarantee from the date of purchase as long as no more than five(5) modules have been viewed or completed. Important: Where applicable, if a student downloads the Specialization Course Slide Deck PDF and/or Key Points PDF, any opportunity to receive a refund is voided.
Can I pay in installments?
Yes, you have the option to pay in two installments or three installments, 30 days apart.
My employer is going to pay for me to take the certification, what do I need to do?
If you are purchasing just for yourself, you will need to pay for the certification and have your employer reimburse you as per their education reimbursement policy. However, if your employer is purchasing a block of certifications for your organization, please have the organization contact us at info@uesca.com for more information.
Can I pay by check or cash?
At this time, only online payments using a credit or debit card are accepted.
Can I make a payment over the phone?
At this time, only online payments are accepted.
Technical Issues
I forgot my password
Click on the “Forgot Password” button on the login page and you will be prompted to change your password.
I can’t access my account
Please contact info@uesca.com
Billing
Does UESCA accept foreign currency?
UESCA uses PayPal and Stripe to process payments. If PayPal and/or Stripe supports your country’s currency, it will automatically convert your currency to USD. However, if you have an issue purchasing a certification, please contact us.
