FAQ

The AIAS offers two, Nationally Recognised Qualifications in Ayurveda:

• HLT52615: Diploma in Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation
• HLT62615: Advanced Diploma in Ayurveda

Yes. The AIAS is an RTO, registered to provide nationally recognized qualifications in Ayurveda under the Australian Qualifications Training Framework, AQTF). Your Ayurveda qualification is recognised throughout Australia.

• People come to Ayurveda seeking insights into health, a meaningful career, and a new direction in their lives.
• Job Opportunities: Ayurveda is a growth industry at present in Australia with demand for practitioners exceeding supply.
• Many mature aged students comment that this is ’their time now’, time to engage in a personally fulfilling and rewarding path that coincides as a vocation
• Complementary health practitioners enrol to extend the range of diagnostic tools and skills and the range and effectiveness of therapeutic treatments they offer in their existing practice. In the pursuit of an all-encompassing system of holistic medicine, Ayurveda is the standout choice.

• People from all backgrounds, ages and cultures are drawn to Ayurveda.
• Medical Practitioners; Dieticians, Naturopaths, Herbalists, Massage Practitioners, Chiropractors. Physiotherapists, and Yoga Teachers;
• People looking for a career change and a meaningful vocation;
• School leavers interested in alternative medicine and the holistic nature of Ayurveda and wishing to take advantage of this growth sector in Natural medicine;
• Anyone interested in Ayurveda, health and complementary health care and medicine.

You will learn everything required to work in the field of Ayurveda in Australia. The Ayurveda ‘Specialization Units’ of study (specific to the subjects of Ayurveda) will provide you with all the diagnostic skills, treatment protocols and expertise to deliver Ayurvedic Consultations, Lifestyle Coaching and Ayurvedic healing therapies, with confidence. The ‘Common Unit’ competencies will provide you with the necessary requirements and abilities to conduct your own Ayurveda Centre, with clinic management skills, management of infection control, how to make referrals and comply with Workplace Health and Safety regulations in Australia.
It would be an exhaustive exercise to spell out each, and every, article of study. A.I.A.S is fortunate to have Dr Ajit B.A.M.S to guide the students through the necessary subjects and to the necessary depth of study. What’s more, Dr Ajit’s extensive clinical experience in the west places him as a leading figure in Ayurveda education both in terms of knowing what needs to be taught and understanding how to translate Ayurveda for western students. Further, Dr Ajit will clearly identify the areas of Ayurveda that will serve our community in the best possible way.
To illustrate to some extent the depth of studies, the course involves:

• Applied Philosophy of Ayurveda: An investigation of Ayurveda’s origin and its philosophies, introducing an understanding of the role of the body, mind, and soul in achieving perfect balance; and an understanding of the ancient principles that awaken cellular intelligence.
• Ayurvedic Anatomy and Physiology: An extensive study covering detailed knowledge of how the Tridosha (or Vata, Pitta and Kapha) work in our body; the assessment of Prakruti, understanding of the body structure and the nature of Prakruti and Vikriti (imbalance), the functioning, and metabolism activities of the Srotas (13 channels) and their role in health and disease.
• Ayurvedic Herbology/ Materia Medica: Ayurvedic Herbology will provide a deep knowledge of healing substances and the skills necessary for selecting and preparing herb based therapeutic formulations. This module provides a greater understanding of Ayurvedic Pharmaceuticals (Bhaishajya Kalpan), the preparation and use of appropriate herbs in the right way, at the right time, using the right ‘Anupana’ (herbal vehicles).
• Ayurvedic Clinical Diagnosis: Theory and practice – Nadi Pariksha (Pulse Diagnosis), Tongue Diagnosis, Ayurvedic Iridology.
• Ayurvedic Nutrition, Ayurvedic Cooking: In depth study into the energetic principles that provide understanding of how food affects body and mind, experiential workshops and authentic Ayurvedic meal preparation.
• Ayurvedic Massage and related Therapies: ‘Shirodhara’, and ‘Kati Basti’ (a unique Ayurvedic treatment for musculo-skeletal issues), and Ayurvedic Abhyanga Massage, and Marma point therapy are skills that you will learn in the Ayurveda Diploma. In the Advanced Diploma Ayurveda, additional skills are provided in the areas of ‘Udwartanam’, ‘Navar Kizzi’ massage, ‘Bashpa Swedana’, ‘Netra Basti’, ‘Marma Point’, ‘Nasya Karma’, ‘Karna Purna’ and ‘Nadi Swedana’, ‘Uro’ and ‘Janu’ Basti therapies.
• Women & Child Care: providing skills in applying Ayurvedic programs for conscious conception, women’s and maternal health, improved parenting, and infant and childcare.
• Ayurvedic Psychology and Spirituality: includes the evaluation of case histories to determine counselling needs with emphasis also on the personal psychological development of the Ayurvedic Practitioner to develop professional detachment (to enable the Practitioner to work effectively in situations of high emotional charge).
• Authentic Ayurvedic Clinical Pathology: This a particular feature of the Advanced Diploma Ayurveda involving an extensive and unique presentation developed by Dr. Ajit, covering numerous common dis-orders according to Traditional Ayurvedic texts. This study provides knowledge of how to identify the correct herbs and strategies for each ailment and to structure the formulations for each client.
• Clinical Case work – extensive work on taking and documenting case studies with regular summations by Dr Ajit is covered in both the Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels of study.

The principles of Ayurveda are based on laws within Nature and are quite logical. If you commit yourself to the study and apply what you learn to your own life, you can become a successful representative of Ayurveda.
“Siddha” is a term in the Sanskrit language applying to one who has reached a level of ‘attainment’. Ayurveda study requires

• Sincerity,
• Integrity,
• Dedication,
• Devotion,
• Honour and
• Altruism (concern for the welfare of others).

If you can apply passion and energy towards the above qualities in yourself, you can succeed and attain everything you require in Ayurveda.

Students of Ayurveda outside of India must seek out qualified and clinically experienced B.A.M.S ‘Ayurveda Acharyas’ to learn and understand the correct knowledge, skills and applications of Ayurveda.
You will need a teacher who can convey Ayurveda in a clear and comprehensive fashion. Studying Ayurveda is in many ways, unlike studying any other subject. You will require a course where you have the time to imbibe and live the subject, to really experience it. That is, a student of Ayurveda needs to apply the subject in their own life. Then – and only then, can it be conveyed to others with integrity and confidence.
When researching course options, aim to get clear answers these questions
• Is the course provider a Recognised Training Organisation (R.T.O) in Australia?
• Will you receive authentic In-depth training in the theory and assessment methods of Ayurveda including Ayurveda pulse diagnosis and therapies, Material Medica and authentic Ayurvedic pathology, clinical case studies etc?

• Is the course content based upon Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) Guidelines, reflecting a true and genuine Ayurvedic Study Program?
• Who will teach and supervise the Ayurveda course? What are their academic qualifications and clinical experience? (How many decades clinical experience in Ayurveda do they have?) Do they possess the Ayurveda B.A.M.S degree recognized by the Central Council of Indian Medicine? (or, are you learning from new graduates in Ayurveda who are not much further along in their journey than yourself?)
• Would your lecturer’s background stand up to scrutiny in India amongst other senior Ayurveda B.A.M.S doctors?
• Is the study program being regularly assessed to achieve set outcomes and standards through assignments, test examinations, tutor observation, supervised clinical practice and practical applications?
• Has the course been carefully and thoughtfully designed to provide flexible training utilizing both online and face to face course delivery that can be undertaken even while working full time?
• Is the course recognised by an authentic Ayurveda professional Industry Association?
• What are the total course fees? Are there additional expenses?

The Institute strongly encourages all prospective students to look into the professional background, qualifications and clinical experience of their teachers before choosing a course. The AIAS can confidently to announce that it meets all of these requirements. Our courses and tutors/practitioners have been scrutinised by ICAM, and ASQA (Australia).
This is your assurance of training excellence.

Webinars provide a learning experience online, which are effective and convenient and have become very popular in adult learning since the beginning of the ‘Covid period’. The AIAS being a progressive learning Institute, has well over a decade of experience providing this type of learning format, uniquely for Ayurveda. Using the internet, webinars create a virtual classroom on your computer. Even though you are in your own home, you still enjoy the benefits of interactions with your teacher and fellow students in real time. You can:

• See your teacher as you would in the classroom
• Ask questions as you would in class
• Take part in classroom discussions
• See questions from other students and listen to the answers

Yes, they are a compulsory and invaluable component of your studies. Your webinar attendance will be counted as a part of your class attendance. The weekly, live Ayurveda Webinar also provides you a regular opportunity to ask any questions related to your study.

Webinars are not recorded. If you miss a session, you can contact your classmates and ask for their notes or follow the comprehensive notes provided to you for the class. You can email any questions to your teacher, who will respond with an answer. Your attendance record will be affected. There is a requirement for a minimum 80% attendance at the weekly webinars.

All Ayurvedic Consultants require in depth practical training in Ayurvedic therapies. Practical training, supervision and assessment occurs in the AIAS Intensives and Practicums. These are focussed face-to-face training elements specially designed to deliver the necessary skills. They allow out students from across Australia to attend these essential trainings via Intensives rather than week to week attendance.

Modern medicine treats symptomatically rather than looking to the root cause of the problem. This stems from the view that all people are more or less, the same. Ayurveda’s special contribution is healing the cause of the symptoms by considering the uniqueness of each patient and by helping each body to heal itself. Ayurveda has perfected healing treatments and herbal preparations to keep the physical, mental, and emotional health of a person in its prime throughout life. It is contrary to the current practice of waiting until symptoms appear before getting medical help or only seeking treatment when a disease manifests. Ayurveda, unlike western medicine (which has its strengths and primary focus on the management of illness) has a particular focus on preventative health care, and offers specific, individualised guidelines on how each of us can better take care of our own health.

Ayurveda provides the theory and knowledge behind the unique expression of life in every individual. There is no presumption that all individuals will respond to a medicine or therapy in the same way. Ayurveda recognizes, perhaps more than any other development in health care, the absolute need to regard the individual ‘holistically’ and to take into consideration all facets of their life to effect positive change. Ayurveda can be very effectively integrated with other forms of both complimentary and Allopathic Western Medicine. With current studies in ’Epigenetics’ which confirms the importance of lifestyle, diet, attitudes, and emotions on the expression of genetic material, and, the continuing search for a system of healthcare that respects individual requirements and the care of both mind and body, Ayurveda provides many of the missing elements in modern health care.

The ‘Ayurvedacharya’ or Ayurvedic doctor (also known as a ‘Vaidya’) course of study is an official qualification for those persons who have earned their bachelor’s degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) in India. This degree in traditional medicine is equivalent in duration and similar in curriculum to allopathic or the modern medicine degrees around the world, though its focus is the unique science of Ayurveda.
Entrance into the BAMS course in Ayurveda is available to students with the required pre-requisites in physics, chemistry, zoology and botany, who must then pass the State entrance examination, the ‘Combined Premedical Test’. The Syllabus and curriculum have been standardised by the Central Council of Indian Medicine (C.C.I.M). The BAMS degree is awarded by a university.
The Central Council of Indian Medicine is the official body responsible for recognizing all bona fide degree holders in Ayurveda and Schools of Ayurvedic learning. CCIM plays a very significant role much like the Australian Medical Council does for Allopathic Doctors. The public can then be assured that when they consult with an Ayurvedic Doctor recognized by CCIM, they are consulting with an authentic, reputable, and properly trained Ayurveda professional.
Very few westerners have been able to pursue the B.A.M.S degree in India due to the time and expense involved in supporting oneself for 6 years in India, the fact that many courses are not hosted in English and the pre-requisite subjects and marks required for entrance into the Ayurveda degree program.
The B.A.M.S qualification is not available in Australia.

Ayurveda and Yoga have been practiced together for thousands of years with the goal of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Historically, Ayurveda deals more with the health of the body, while Yoga deals with purifying the mind, and with consciousness but, in day to day practical terms, they complement and embrace each other. Besides sharing a philosophical foundation, both systems have many similarities in relation to nutrition, diet, hygiene, exercise, as well as spiritual practices. The ancient Rishis of India understood that good health is a great asset on the path toward Self-realization. If the body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice. Anyone who has practiced meditation for any length of time would agree to how difficult it can be to sit still for long periods of time without feeling discomfort and fatigue. Both yoga and Ayurveda are mutually supportive and offer many ways to prevent and heal various disorders as well as to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

The AIAS offers two Intakes each year. Ayurveda study is not suited to ‘rolling intakes’ or haphazard approaches to enrolment, since the learning requires very careful planning, consideration and student engagement. You can request information by emailing our Ayurveda course admissions team.

A well-planned and comprehensive study of Ayurveda at the Diploma level requires no less than 18 months delivery. Advanced Diploma Ayurveda would require a three-year program of study since any less time would not allow the specifically required skills and knowledge to be developed sufficiently. It’s really very similar to any credible health science training.

Information on course costs is available in the ‘course costs’ section of the related Ayurveda Course Intake Prospectus. Students pay their course fees via a monthly instalment payment plan.

Currently there are no Ayurveda courses in Australia eligible for Government Course fee Assistance (Student VET Loan Assistance). Students must self-fund their studies.

Under the Mutual Recognition regulations, you can gain immediate academic and financial credit for ‘Units of Competency’ you have studied through another Registered Training Organisation. You will need to provide your Qualification or Statement of Attainment. If you have completed any courses, work experience or clinical practice which is equivalent to the work required in this course, you may be eligible for course credit through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Process. This provides a process to assess your skills and knowledge against units of competency within a particular course.
The Institute sets fees and charges for the ‘mapping’ and assessment of R.P.L. Applications, which are available on receipt of an official RPL application.

To set up your own Ayurveda practice, provide treatments and advice to clients, you need to have completed your Australian Recognised Ayurveda Qualification and have your own professional Indemnity and public Liability Insurance (available if you possess the Australian Recognised Ayurveda Qualification). It would be unwise to offer advice and treatments if you do not have the Australian Recognised Ayurveda Qualification. During your studies, you will be directed to perform various treatments and give ayurvedic advice to the public of the purpose assessment. This is a different matter and you will be using client consent forms and not charging fees as a qualified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant would be.