Special Course Qualification Requirements

There are a number of special courses for old students in this tradition of Vipassana meditation practice. These courses have certain requirements which an old student must meet in order to qualify for admission. The basic qualification requirements are as follows:

1 Day or 3 Day Old Student Course

Completion of at least one 10 day course with Goenkaji or one of his assistant teachers.

Those practicing energetic healing on others should not attend.

Should be keeping all precepts to the best of one's ability.

Satipatthana Sutta Course

Completion of at least three 10 day courses with Goenkaji or one of his assistant teachers.

Practicing this technique for at least one year.

Have not practiced any other techniques since your last course with Goenkaji or one of his assistant teachers.

Trying to maintain daily practice.

Trying to maintain five precepts in daily life and must be keeping 3d precept (abstaining from sexual misconduct) and 5th precept (abstaining from intoxicants) from time of registration for course.

20 Day Course

Must be a serious old student who is committed to this technique.

Completion of at least five 10 day courses with Goenkaji or one of his assistant teachers.

Completion of at least one Satipatthana Sutta Course.

Must have served on a 10-day course.

Maintenance of daily practice (two hours per day) for at least 2 years.

Abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, intoxicants and keeping other precepts to the best of one's ability for one year minimum.
At least six months gap since last sat a long course.

Spouse must be supportive of partner sitting long course.

Special 10 Day Course for Old Students

Must be a serious old student who is committed to this technique.

Completion of at least one 20 Day Course or one 30 Day Course or have been qualified for taking a 20 Day or 30 Day Course for 5 years; no exceptions.

Maintenance of daily practice (two hours per day) for 5 years if have not completed either a 20 Day or 30 Day Course.

Abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, intoxicants and keeping other precepts to the best of one's ability for one year minimum, except those who have not sat a long course, they should have kept precepts for five years.

30 Day Course

Must be a serious old student who is committed to this technique.

Completion of at least six 10 day courses with Goenkaji or one of his assistant teachers (one to be completed after 20 Day course).

Completion of at least one Satipatthana Sutta Course.

Completion of at least one 20 Day Course.

Served at least one 10 Day Course.

Maintenance of daily practice (two hours daily) for at least 2 years .

Abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, intoxicants and keeping other precepts to the best of one's ability for one year minimum.

At least six months gap since last sat a long course; 10 day interval between long course and any other course.

Spouse must be supportive of partner sitting long course.

45 Day Course

Must be a serious old student who is committed to this technique.

Restricted to ATs and those involved with Dhamma service.

Completion of at least seven 10 day courses with Goenkaji or one of his assistant teachers (one to be completed after 30 Day course).

Practice this technique for at least 3 years.

Completion of at least two 30 Day Courses.

Maintenance of daily practice (two hours per day) for at least 2 years.

Abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, intoxicants and keeping other precepts to the best of one's ability for one year minimum.

At least six months gap since last sat a long course; 10 day interval between long course and any other course.

All confirmations provisional until day 30.

60 Day Course

Must be a serious old student who is committed to this technique.

Restricted to ATs and those deeply involved with Dhamma service.

Practice this technique for at least 5 years.

Completion of at least two 45 Day Courses.

Maintenance of daily practice (two hours per day) for at least 2 years.

Abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, intoxicants and keeping other precepts to the best of one's ability for one year minimum.

At least six months gap since last sat a long course; 10 day interval between long course and any other course.

Teacher's Self-Course

Must be a serious old student who is committed to this technique.

Restricted to ATs and those deeply involved with Dhamma service, and left entirely to Goenkaji's discretion.

Practice this technique for at least 3 years.

Completion of at least one 45 Day Course.

Maintenance of daily practice (two hours per day) for at least 2 years.

Abstaining from killing, sexual misconduct, intoxicants and keeping other precepts to the best of one's ability for one year minimum.

At least six months gap since last sat a long course; 10 day interval between long course and any other course.

The above are minimum requirements and not a guarantee of admission. Application for admission to each of the 10 Day Special Course, 20 Day Course, 30 Day Course, 45 Day Course and the Teacher's Self-course must include a recommendation from an Assistant Teacher who knows you well and a Full Teacher from the student's local area. Application for these courses and must be made with a special long course application form which is available from each of the Centers or which you may download here in Acrobat (".pdf") format. You can obtain more information and viewer software for Acrobat (".pdf") documents from Adobe.