Three cross country skiers skate skiing
Male cross country skier

Become a Snow Pro

PSIA-AASI certification is a professional credential recognized worldwide and relied on by most U.S. ski areas to determine an instructor’s proficiency. Certification indicates you are specifically skilled in teaching, technical, and people skills; are prepared to deliver an excellent guest experience; and are highly passionate about sharing the joy of skiing. Whether you want a lifelong career in snowsports, seek to gain transferrable professional skills while enjoying a few seasons on snow, or are entering your second act in life and are motivated to be the best you can be, PSIA-AASI certification is a path to more fun, more opportunity, and more respect. Start or accelerate your journey, today!

WHY certify? Not yet an instructor? start here.

Cross Country Certification Levels

PSIA-AASI cross country certification has three levels, each indicating your proficiency in providing specific guest experiences on specific types of terrain. While many instructors obtain Level I certification at the end of their first teaching season, it can take years of continual learning and practice to earn a highly coveted Level III. PSIA-AASI pins are one of the most recognizable and respected indicators of professionalism in the snowsports industry. Wear yours with pride.

AASI cross country Level 1 pin
Level I

The instructor is qualified to teach beginner or novice guests, primarily on beginner or novice terrain. LI is required to earn children’s specialist certificates.

PSIA cross country level 2 pin
Level II

The instructor is qualified to teach beginner to intermediate guests, in which students are primarily on intermediate terrain. LII is a big step up in your teaching abilities and can lead to many more career opportunities.

psia cross country level 3 pin
Level III

The instructor is qualified to teach all students and on expert terrain. LIII instructors can become instructor trainers, examiners, education staff, and more.

What It Takes

PSIA-AASI certification is professional credentialing for snowsports instructors. Begin your journey with free educational coursework then join our member ranks, engage with your PSIA-AASI region, and set yourself up to never stop learning!

1
CHOOSE YOUR DISCIPLINE
  • Alpine
  • Snowboard
  • Cross Country
  • Telemark
  • Adaptive
2
Start WITH FREE ONLINE COURSES
3
Become a Member

Join PSIA-AASI to connect to your region, access educational resources, sign up for training opportunities, and unlock pro offers.

4
Explore Resources
5
Take Your Level I Course online

Take the Level I digital learning course or complete the online workbook for your discipline. This is a required prerequisite for the on-snow exam.

6
Attend On-Snow Training

Attend an in-person training hosted by your snowsports school or your PSIA-AASI region for practice, coaching, and feedback. Find these via the event calendar.

7
PASS your Assessment

Find and register for an exam near you via our event calendar. Note: certification assessments fill up fast! Need help? Apply for a scholarship in the fall.

8
maintain your certification

Earn at least six Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) every membership year by attending in-person events or completing online coursework. Find CEU opportunities via the calendar.

Cross Country Certification Resources

Below is everything you need to succeed at all levels of cross country certification. Membership questions? Visit the membership section of the site to find what you need. Ready to join? Start here!

Certification is open to snowsports instructors who are current PSIA-AASI members; the process is not for people still learning to ski or who have never taught. Many instructors take their Level I exam at the end of their first season of teaching. Before your on-snow exam, you must complete the following three courses. Please note: your region may have additional certification prerequisites.

What does it take to be a certified instructor? Start here for an overview of certification levels and what technical, teaching, and people skills are. American ski instruction demands versatility. The objective of the PSIA Alpine Certification Standards is to identify the fundamentals of great skiing, effective teaching, and connecting with students.

Your certification, no matter the discipline or level, is built on the Learning Connection Model (LCM). The LCM emphasizes that great lessons rely on the instructor’s ability to offer a blend of people skills, teaching skills, and technical skills. It’s not just about how proficient your technique is. Whether students are new to skiing and riding or experts seeking greater mastery of their chosen sport, this approach creates informative, fun, and personalized experiences that keep students engaged in the learning process.

PSIA-AASI Performance Guides are your roadmap to success and help validate that you are prepared to do the job. Use them to understand what you are expected to do for the guest. Performance guides refer to and are complemented by multimedia resources, including PSIA-AASI manuals, e-learning courses, and sample assessment activity descriptions and videos. These guides are living documents, receive regular updates, and will evolve as qualifications and competencies change in a dynamic snowsports learning environment.

PSIA-AASI Assessment Forms are what the examiner will use to grade your performance and provide feedback following your certification exam.

The PSIA-AASI Matrix is your one-stop shop for relevant ski and snowboard educational video content. Videos cover techniques, exam tasks, movement analysis, teaching tips, how to navigate certain terrain types, and more. Have footage of a cool drill, great teaching tip, or inspiring glimpse into the snow pro life? You can submit your video to The Matrix.

Regions are where your on-snow trainings and certification exam(s) will take place. PSIA-AASI certifications represent a standard of consistent competency, and your credentials are recognized and transferrable nationwide. Check with your region for additional certification details. Don’t know your region? Scroll down to find the map and zip code checker.

Your PSIA-AASI pin signifies a professional credential. To maintain a “certified” status, you must: 1) keep your membership current and, 2) earn at least six continuing education units (CEUs) every membership year, which begins July 1 and ends June 30. In-person events, clinics, and trainings plus online webinars and digital courses are available. You can also visit your region’s website to find additional webinars and online courses, or apply for a scholarship to support your next steps as an instructor. Non-CEU-earning educational resources include our member magazine, blog, and podcast.

Ready to level up even more? Check out these handy guides to earning your Cross Country Level II and III certifications.

Cross Country MANUALS

PSIA-AASI manuals are the ultimate guides to becoming a certified instructor. Members receive three, FREE digital manuals: Teaching Snowsports, Teaching Children Snowsports, and the technical manual of your primary discipline. You must be logged into the member portal to access these. Members may purchase print manuals, additional alpine skiing-specific books, and other digital manuals in the PSIA-AASI online store.

psia-aasi cross country technical manual

Cross Country Technical Manual

If you teach classic or skate skiing, you’ll fall head over free heels in love with this new manual! This is your Nordic trail pass to success, with information on the latest technical model, science of cross country skiing, teaching concepts, equipment, waxing, and more.

DIGITAL EDITION
psia-aasi teaching snowsports manual

Teaching Snowsports Manual

The Teaching Snowsports Manual brings to life the three components of PSIA-AASI’s Learning Connection Model to provide a framework for snowsports instructors’ development with advice on communication, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills, effective teaching, and how people learn.

DIGITAL EDITION
psia-aasi teaching children snowsports manual

Teaching Children Snowsports

“What makes a great children’s instructor?” Teaching Children Snowsports answers this question while highlighting the nuances of teaching children versus adults. Whether you’re an inexperienced instructor or seasoned veteran, Teaching Children Snowsports has something for everyone.

digital edition

Beyond Cross Country Level III

Obtaining a Cross Country Level III certification opens a world of possibilities for your professional snowsports career. With an LIII, you can work toward joining a regional development team or education staff, become an instructor trainer, conduct events in your region, or take on a leadership role at your snowsports school. Each region offers a multitude of opportunities to engage more deeply with PSIA-AASI, improve your skills, and get paid for your work. From there, your growth path can take you all the way to seeking nomination to attend PSIA-AASI National Team tryouts. You can even seek additional certifications that qualify you to work internationally. Your opportunities in this community are endless!

psia cross country national team 2024-28
group of cross country skiers

Don’t Miss Cross Country Academy

PSIA Cross Country Academy is an annual gathering of the country’s best Nordic instructors from across the United States. It is an opportunity to improve your skate and classic techniques, enhance your teaching abilities, learn from and network with your peers, stay up on innovations shaping our industry, grow your community, demo new equipment, and get inspired.

event info

Find Your Region

When you join PSIA-AASI, you also become a member of a PSIA-AASI region. Click the map to visit a region’s informational page.

Enter your zipcode above to find your region.