How to become a ski instructor: The Complete Guide

To become a ski instructor you need a recognised teaching qualification — in the UK that's BASI, the British Association of Snowsport Instructors. The usual route is BASI Level 1 followed by Level 2: Level 1 lets you teach beginners on indoor and dry slopes, and Level 2 is the first mountain qualification, which lets you teach on the piste at a resort. You don't need any teaching experience to start. You need to be a confident parallel skier, and you need a course that trains and examines you to the BASI standard.

Here's the whole path, start to finish.

1. Get your skiing to the right level

Before any course, you need to ski like a competent recreational skier: linking parallel turns and comfortable on most red runs. You do not need to be a racer or an expert off-piste — a good instructor course takes you from that level up to the qualification standard. If you're not sure whether you're ready, film a short clip of yourself skiing a red run and ask a trainer to assess it honestly.

2. Choose your qualification route

In Britain and across much of the world, BASI is the recognised pathway. The system runs from Level 1 (entry) to Level 4 (the highest, ISTD). For a first job teaching on the mountain you need:

• BASI Level 1 — teach beginners on indoor snow centres and dry slopes.
• BASI Level 2 — the first mountain-based qualification. Teach parallel skiers on marked pistes at a resort. This is the level most alpine ski schools hire from.

Most people do these as a "gap" course: an intensive programme that trains you and runs both exams back-to-back.

3. Do an instructor training course

This is where the actual work happens. A good ski instructor course gives you:

• 100+ hours of on-snow coaching from qualified BASI trainers.
• Both BASI exams (Level 1 and Level 2) built into the programme.
• Teaching practice — you learn to teach, not just to ski.
• Outdoor First Aid, a requirement for working as an instructor.
• Career support — interview prep and routes into paid work.

Our six-week GAP course does exactly this, with an 8:1 maximum student-to-trainer ratio and the exams included. You arrive a skier and leave a qualified Level 1 and Level 2 instructor.

4. Sit and pass your exams

The assessment criteria are set by BASI, not the course provider. You're assessed on your own skiing and on your teaching. Pass rates are high on a well-run course because the whole programme is built backwards from the BASI standard — attendance and effort are what get people through. (Want the detail on each level? Read BASI Level 1 vs Level 2 explained.)

5. Get your paperwork and start working

Once qualified you'll need:

• BASI membership — which includes the liability insurance you need to teach.
• A work permit for the country you want to teach in (in France, instructors also need to work toward a Carte Professionnelle).
• Personal insurance covering medical, evacuation and equipment.

Then you find work. Many ski schools hire newly-qualified Level 2 instructors directly — our partner school in Champéry interviews students on-course and takes BASI Level 2s straight from our programme. Because the winter intake finishes just before February half-term, graduates can be teaching a full week after they qualify.

How long does it take?

On an intensive course like ours, six weeks — Level 1 and Level 2 training and exams run consecutively. Doing it piecemeal (a Level 1 one season, Level 2 the next) can take a couple of winters.

What does it cost?

Course fees, exam fees, BASI membership, insurance, travel, a lift pass and kit all add up. We've broken the numbers down in full here: how much a ski instructor course costs.

Is it worth it?

If you love skiing, yes. A Level 2 qualification opens the door to paid winters in the Alps and, for many, summers teaching in the southern hemisphere. It's also one of the best ways to spend a gap year or a career break with something concrete to show for it.

Thinking about it? Our GAP ski instructor course runs two intakes a year — autumn pre-season in Hintertux, Austria, and winter in Morzine. Send us an enquiry and we'll tell you honestly whether you're ready and how to get started.