Nominate someone you believe in for our Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification. One nominee will receive $300 off their certification, and the person who nominated them will receive $100 off their own.
Nominations are open from November 15, 2026 until December 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
Our winner and their nominator will be contacted privately through email on December 17, 2026 by 12:00 PM EST.
Why we're offering this scholarship
We created this scholarship to give people with a real desire to learn the chance to grow their knowledge, further their education and step into teaching.
We have now run three hugely successful teacher training cohorts. Since then, our instructors have completed further continuing education in fitness and movement, and we have used what we learned to deepen and develop this course. We are so excited to share it!
Our instructor team (Danielle & Ashley) is made up of entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals: a physiotherapist, a pelvic health physiotherapist, a kinesiologist, strength and conditioning coaches and Pilates instructors. That combination makes our certification something special, well beyond a typical Pilates certification. You'll learn the ‘why’ behind every movement, not just the ‘how’.
This contest is eligible for both healthcare practitioners and non-healthcare practitioners. Whether your nominee is a clinician looking to add Pilates to their practice, or a passionate mover who has never taught a class, this training will meet them where they are!
At a glance
Nominations open: Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST
Nominations close: Tuesday, December 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST
Winner notified: Thursday, December 17, 2026 by 12:00 PM EST (privately, by email and/or Instagram DM)
Nominee award: $300 off the Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification
Nominator award: $100 off the nominator's own Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification
How the discount works
Applied to the full tuition, or spread across a 2, 3, 4 or 5-month payment plan
Number of winners: 1 (one) nominee and 1 (one) nominator
Who can nominate: Anyone 18 or older living in Canada (excluding Quebec)
Nominations allowed
One nomination per person. A nominee can be nominated by more than one person!
Cost to enter: Free! No purchase necessary. We will never contact you for any payment information.
How to nominate: 4 steps
Complete all four steps before December 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. A nomination only counts once every step is done.
Like our scholarship announcement post on Instagram.
Follow @pillarpilates on Instagram.
Share the scholarship post with your own community through DMs or forwarding our email and share to your Instagram Story on your feed. Tag @pillarpilates so we can see it. If your account is private, send us a screenshot of your share by DM.
Fill out our nomination form [LINK TO GOOGLE FORM]. Tell us who you are, who you're nominating, and why they deserve this scholarship.
A few things to know:
You may nominate one person only. If we receive more than one nomination from you, only your first one counts.
You can't nominate yourself.
Someone you love may be nominated by several people. That's wonderful and we will read every nomination! Each nominator still has to complete all four steps.
Your nominee doesn't need to do anything to be considered. Please let them know you've nominated them, since we may reach out to them directly through email to notify them that they have won!
Who we're looking for:
We're looking for someone who loves to learn, wants to help the people around them, and has the makings of a great Pilates instructor. They don't need to be a Pilates expert today. They need the heart, curiosity and drive to become one.
Here's what our team will be looking for in each nomination, and why it matters.
1. A passion for education and lifelong learning
Great instructors never stop being students. Pilates teaching is a skill built over years: every client brings a new body, a new history and a new question. Someone who reads, asks questions, takes courses and genuinely enjoys learning will keep getting better long after the certification ends. Tell us how your nominee shows this. Maybe they're always taking a class, reading about health, or teaching themselves something new.
2. Curiosity about anatomy, movement and how the body works
Our certification goes deeper than most because it's taught by physiotherapists, a kinesiologist and strength coaches. The people who get the most out of it are curious about the why: why an exercise works, which muscles are doing the job, and how to adapt a movement for someone with back pain, a new baby or a sports injury. That curiosity is what turns a person who leads exercises into an instructor who keeps people safe and helps them truly progress.
3. A drive to help others in their community
The best instructors teach because they care about people. We want to hear how your nominee already shows up for others: their friends, family, coworkers, teammates or wider community. Maybe they're the one who checks in, who encourages, who organizes the group walk or helps a parent recover from an injury. Those instincts are the foundation of good teaching. A certification simply gives them more tools to help more people.
4. The qualities of an excellent Pilates instructor
Beyond knowledge, great teachers share a few qualities that are hard to teach:
Clear, kind communication. They can explain things simply and make people feel comfortable, especially beginners and people who feel nervous in fitness spaces.
Patience and empathy. They meet people where they are and celebrate small wins.
Attention to detail. They notice how someone is moving and offer a cue, a modification or encouragement at the right moment.
Presence and encouragement. They create a welcoming room where people want to come back.
Commitment and follow-through. They show up, prepare and put in the work, which matters in a training that includes practice teaching and assessments.
You don't need to cover every point. The strongest nominations are honest and specific. Tell us a real story or example that shows who your nominee is and what this opportunity would mean for them.
This scholarship is open to both healthcare practitioners and non-healthcare practitioners. Nominees are not judged on their current fitness level, profession or Pilates experience.
What happens after you nominate:
The winner is chosen by our team based on the nominations, not by random draw and not by the number of nominations received.
Nominations close on December 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Late nominations won't be considered.
We check eligibility. We confirm each nominator completed all four steps.
Our team reads every nomination. A panel of Pillar Pilates instructors reviews each eligible nomination against the four criteria above.
We contact the winner privately by December 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST. We'll reach out to the nominee and their nominator by email and/or Instagram DM using the details in the form.
The winner accepts. The nominee must reply to accept by December 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. If we don't hear back, or they can't take part in the Spring 2027 cohort, we may select another nominee.
Registration. The nominee and nominator register for the Spring 2027 cohort, and the discount is applied to the full tuition or their chosen payment plan.
We'll only share the winner's name publicly if they give us permission.
Please watch for scams. We will never ask for a password, banking information or payment to claim this scholarship. Our only accounts are @pillarpilates on Instagram and hello@pillar-pilates.ca.
Frequently asked questions
Can I nominate myself? No. This scholarship is about celebrating someone else. Ask a friend or family member to nominate you instead.
Can I nominate more than one person? No, one nomination per person. If you submit more than one, only your first counts.
Can my nominee be nominated by more than one person? Yes. We'll read every nomination for them. Winning is based on what the nominations say, not how many there are.
If my nominee wins the $300 off their certification, do I win too? Yes. The nominator of the winning nominee receives $100 off their own Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification. If the winner was nominated by more than one person, the $100 award goes to the nominator whose nomination our panel found most compelling.
Does my nominee need Pilates experience or a healthcare background? No. Our certification welcomes both healthcare practitioners and people with no healthcare background. We're looking for passion, curiosity and a drive to help others.
Can the scholarship be used with a payment plan? Yes. The discount can be applied to the full tuition or spread across a 2, 3, 4 or 5-month payment plan.
Can the scholarship be given to someone else or exchanged for cash? No. Both awards are non-transferable, have no cash value and can't be exchanged for cash or credit.
Can it be used for a later cohort? No. Both awards apply only to the Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification.
My Instagram account is private. Can I still enter? Yes. After you share the post, send a screenshot of your share to @pillarpilates by DM so we can confirm it.
Is this run by Instagram? No. This scholarship is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Instagram or Meta.
Who do I contact with questions? Email us at hello@pillar-pilates.ca or DM @pillarpilates on Instagram.
Official rules and terms
By submitting a nomination, you agree to these Official Rules. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.
1. Sponsor. The Pillar Pilates Scholarship (the "Scholarship") is run by Pillar Pilates, [15B King Street West, Bowmanville, Ontario (the "Sponsor"). Contact: hello@pillar-pilates.ca.
2. Not affiliated with Instagram. This Scholarship is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Instagram or Meta Platforms, Inc. By entering, each nominator fully releases Instagram and Meta Platforms, Inc. from any and all liability relating to the Scholarship. Questions or comments about the Scholarship must go to the Sponsor, not Instagram.
3. Nomination period. Nominations open on November 15, 2026 at 12:00 AM Eastern Time and close on December 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (the "Nomination Period"). The Sponsor's clock is the official timekeeper. Nominations received after the Nomination Period will not be considered.
4. Eligibility. Nominators and nominees must be legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who are at least 18 years old, or the age of majority in their province or territory of residence, whichever is older, at the time of nomination. Employees, instructors and contractors of the Sponsor, and members of their immediate households, are not eligible to nominate or be nominated. Nominees must be able to attend and complete the Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification as scheduled.
5. How to nominate. To submit a valid nomination, during the Nomination Period the nominator must: (a) like the Sponsor's Instagram post announcing the Scholarship; (b) follow @pillarpilates on Instagram; (c) share the Scholarship post with their own community on Instagram; and (d) fully complete the Sponsor's online nomination form, including their own information and their nominee's information. Nominations that are incomplete, illegible, late or that do not meet these requirements are void. The Sponsor may verify that each step was completed.
6. Limits. Each nominator may submit one (1) nomination and may nominate one (1) person only. If more than one nomination is received from the same person, only the first complete nomination will be considered. Self-nominations are not permitted. A nominee may be nominated by more than one nominator. Nominations submitted using multiple identities, automated means or any other method intended to get around these rules are void.
7. Nominee consent and personal information. By nominating someone, the nominator confirms they have the nominee's permission to share the nominee's name and contact information with the Sponsor, or that the nominee is comfortable being contacted by the Sponsor about the Scholarship. Personal information collected through the nomination form will be used only to administer this Scholarship, including verifying eligibility, contacting the winner and nominator, and applying the awards. It will not be sold or shared with third parties except as needed to run the Scholarship. Nominators will only be added to the Sponsor's newsletter if they separately opt in. To access or delete your information, contact hello@pillar-pilates.ca.
8. Selection of winner. The winner will be selected by a panel of the Sponsor's instructors from all eligible nominations. This is not a game of chance and no random draw will be held. Each nomination will be judged on how well it shows the nominee's: (i) passion for education and continued learning; (ii) interest in growing their knowledge of anatomy, movement, teaching and Pilates; (iii) drive to help others in their community, friends and family; and (iv) potential to become an excellent Pilates instructor. Winning is not based on the number of nominations a nominee receives. The panel's decisions are final. The chance of winning depends on the number and quality of eligible nominations received.
9. Awards. One (1) nominee award and one (1) nominator award are available:
Nominee award: $300 CAD off the tuition of the Sponsor's Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification.
Nominator award: $100 CAD off the tuition of the Sponsor's Spring 2027 Mat Pilates Teacher Certification, for the nominator who nominated the winning nominee. If the winning nominee was nominated by more than one nominator, the nominator award goes to the nominator whose nomination the panel judged most compelling, using the criteria in Rule 8.
The total approximate value of all awards is $400 CAD. Each award is a discount only and has no cash value. Awards may be applied to tuition paid in full or to a 2, 3, 4 or 5-month payment plan. Awards apply only to the Spring 2027 cohort and expire if not used to register by June 1st, 2027. Awards are non-transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash or credit, cannot be combined with any other discount, promotion or special rate, and cannot be applied to any other program, cohort or product. Unused portions are forfeited. The winners are responsible for paying the remaining tuition balance and any other costs not expressly included in the award.
10. Notification and acceptance. The winning nominee and their nominator will be contacted privately by email and/or Instagram direct message by December 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. Before being confirmed as a winner, the nominee may be required to correctly answer, without assistance, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question, and to confirm their acceptance of the award by December 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. If the nominee cannot be reached, declines the award, cannot attend the Spring 2027 cohort or does not comply with these rules, the award will be forfeited and the Sponsor may select another eligible nominee from the remaining nominations.
11. Publicity. The Sponsor will only publicly announce or share the name, image or story of the winner or nominator with their prior written consent.
12. Release and limitation of liability. By entering, nominators agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor and its owners, employees, instructors and agents from any liability, loss or damage arising from participation in the Scholarship or the acceptance or use of an award. Participation in the certification is subject to the Sponsor's standard registration terms, waivers and policies. The Sponsor is not responsible for nominations that are lost, late, incomplete or misdirected, or for any technical failure of Instagram, Google Forms or any other platform.
13. Right to modify or cancel. The Sponsor may, subject to applicable law, modify, suspend or cancel the Scholarship, or disqualify any person, if fraud, technical problems or any other factor beyond the Sponsor's reasonable control affect the fairness or proper operation of the Scholarship.
14. Governing law. These rules are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada that apply there. In the event of any difference between these Official Rules and any other Scholarship materials, including social media posts and emails, these Official Rules govern.