ICF Coach Training Certification · Dubai · Abu Dhabi · Sharjah · UAE
Become an internationally certified coach on the ICF gold-standard pathway — amplified with NLP and led by ICF-PCC coach Rajiv Sharma. Everything you need to start, certify and build a coaching career.
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ICF (the International Coaching Federation) is the global gold standard in coaching. A globally recognized ICF credential tells clients and employers that you trained to a recognised standard, completed coaching and mentoring, and coach to the ICF core competencies and code of ethics — the mark of trust in today's coaching industry and the wider coaching world.
The pathway
The ICF offers three credential levels — ACC certification, PCC certification and the advanced MCC — each an ICF level recognised worldwide. Most people begin at ACC or PCC to become a professional certified coach. Here is what each requires and how our ICF-accredited coach training supports it — our programme runs from 40 to 125 hours across the CCE, ACC and PCC tracks, with 10 hours of coaching and mentoring. Credential requirements follow the International Coaching Federation's published standards; fees and current dates are shared on enquiry.
The entry credential, ideal if you are new to professional coaching.
The professional standard corporates value most — for experienced coaches and leaders.
Our programme also carries ICF CCE units (Continuing Coach Education) — useful whether you are starting out or renewing an existing ACC/PCC credential. Not sure which level is right for you? Message us and we'll map it to your background.
The difference
Most UAE institutes teach the ICF syllabus alone. We combine the ICF pathway with NLP training and the MARK Model, so you don't just pass an assessment — you deliver powerful coaching from day one. It is world-class coaching and leadership development in one programme, taught by a leader in coaching.
You learn and are assessed against the ICF core competencies and code of ethics — the recognised global standard.
Rapport, calibration, reframing and state management give you tools clients feel in the very first session.
Mindset, Action, Repetition, Knowledge — Rajiv's framework for turning coaching into lasting behaviour change.
Every cohort is led personally by an ICF PCC coach and NLP Master Trainer — not a rotating associate.
The curriculum
A practical, ICF-aligned professional coach training curriculum that builds real coaching skills — from powerful coaching conversations to leadership skills — taught through active coaching practice, coaching and mentoring, and live feedback.
Your specialisation
One ICF foundation, many specialisations. From life coach certification programs to executive, team and group coaching, choose the direction that fits your goals — we help you specialise.
Help individuals set goals, overcome blocks and grow personally.
Coach CEOs, directors and senior leaders on performance and presence.
Develop managers and high-potentials into confident leaders.
Guide professionals through transitions, promotions and direction.
Build collaboration, trust and performance across whole teams.
Coach founders and owners on growth, focus and decision-making.
Coaching essentials
Before you choose a coach training and certification programme, it helps to understand what great coaching actually involves — the skills, the frameworks and the career ahead. Here are the essentials aspiring coaches ask about most, straight from an ICF accredited, PCC-led programme.
An effective coach combines strong coaching skills — active listening, powerful questioning and empathy — with genuine presence and a passion for helping others. Great coaches hold powerful coaching conversations that move clients forward without judging or advising. These are learnable skills, built through professional coach training rather than fixed personality traits.
A typical coaching conversation follows seven steps: build rapport, agree the goal, explore the current reality, generate options, commit to action, set accountability, and review progress. It is a client-led process in which the coach guides through questions rather than advice. We teach it through active coaching practice, not slides.
A popular memory aid is the 7 P's of coaching: Purpose, Presence, People, Powerful questions, Practice, Progress and Partnership. It isn't an official ICF model, but it captures the mindset behind powerful coaching. Each one is built into your everyday coaching conversations on the programme.
Choose an ICF accredited coach training programme with a credentialed trainer in the room, real practice and mentor coaching, and clear outcomes — not just a certificate. Compare each training institute on accreditation, method, support and verifiable proof. A serious programme answers all of these in writing before you enrol.
Certified coaches work as independent life, executive, leadership or career coaches, as in-house coaches for organisations, or as consultants — in person or through online coaching. Demand is strong for a coach in Dubai and for coaches across the UAE as more companies invest in coaching. Many build a portfolio spanning private clients and corporate work.
New coaches often struggle to win their first clients, price confidently, and hold structure in live coaching conversations. Staying disciplined through the early coaching journey takes support. Ongoing mentor coaching, group coaching and a strong cohort make these far easier — which is why business-building and continued support are part of the programme.
Who it's for
If you have a passion for helping others grow, this programme turns that into a recognised career in coaching. It suits people across the UAE at every stage — from complete beginners to experienced professionals — who want to change lives, including their own personal and professional lives.
Format & inclusions
Comprehensive online and in-person coach certification training — live, instructor-led, with real practice, mentor coaching and online coaching sessions, delivered your way across the UAE. Confirm the exact hours, schedule and fee for the current intake on enquiry.
Your trainer
Every cohort is led personally by Rajiv Sharma — an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), NLP Master Trainer certified under Dr. Richard Bandler's Society of NLP, and creator of the MARK Model®. With 30+ years in coaching and behaviour change and 850,000+ professionals trained across 57 countries, he is ranked #1 in India and #3 in the world by Global Gurus 2026 (verify ↗). You learn coaching from someone who coaches at the highest level, every day.
"Rajiv is one of the top professional trainers and speakers in the world today."Brian Tracy, Bestselling Author & Speaker
Connect with Rajiv: RajivSharma.me · LinkedIn · YouTube
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Rajiv's work and the MARK Model® are recommended by some of the most respected names in leadership and coaching worldwide. Their endorsement reflects the same standards you learn on the programme — the difference between a certificate and genuinely world-class coaching.
Rajiv is one of the top professional trainers and speakers in the world today. He is thoroughly qualified to help you and your people become absolutely excellent.
Rajiv Sharma gives timeless principles that help individuals and organizations in their pursuit of excellence. You will discover compelling insights into the MARK Model.
Rajiv Sharma has connected four pillars of effectiveness: Mindset, Action, Repetition and Knowledge. It provides the key to unlocking your potential.
As a global training company and a recognised leader in coaching, NLP Limited has trained coaches and leaders across banking, insurance, FMCG, industrial, hospitality, technology and government. Our graduates join a network of coaches across the UAE and beyond — a mark of our standing in global coaching and the wider coaching world.
Get a straight answer
The fastest way to find your route is to tell us where you are. Not sure whether you need CCE units, ACC or PCC — or how NLP fits in? This quick tool maps it for you. Pick the coaching path and goal that fit you, and we'll reply with the right ICF level, the format (online or in-person), the schedule and the fee — a real answer, not a generic brochure.
Your questions
Straight answers on the ICF pathway, fees, format, certification and renewal — the practical detail before you enrol.
Enrol in an accredited coach training program, complete your coach-specific training hours, do 10 hours of mentor coaching, build coaching hours with real clients, pass the assessment, and apply for your ICF credential. Our coach certification training guides you through each step — the clearest route to a new career in coaching.
Coach certification programs span specialisations — life coach certification programs, executive and leadership coaching, career coaching, team and group coaching, and business coaching. Training ranges from CCE units to full ICF-accredited coach training at ACC and PCC level. You build one ICF foundation, then specialise across life and career.
The ICF has three credential levels: ACC certification, PCC certification and the advanced certification, MCC — plus CCE units for renewal. Coach training programs accredited by the International Coaching Federation prepare you for each ICF level, and the credential is a globally recognized coaching standard. Choosing an ICF-accredited coach programme protects the value of your qualification.
A certified professional coach earns credibility and can charge professional rates, because an ICF credential is globally recognized. A coaching career can empower you to achieve your own personal and professional goals while you help clients transform their personal and professional life. It is flexible, meaningful work in a growing coaching industry.
ICF (International Coaching Federation) certification is the global gold standard for professional coaches. It signals that you trained to a recognised standard, completed mentor coaching and assessment, and coach to the ICF core competencies and code of ethics — which is exactly what corporates and private clients look for.
ACC (Associate Certified Coach) is the entry credential — ICF guidelines are 60+ hours of coach-specific training, 10 hours of mentor coaching and 100 coaching hours. PCC (Professional Certified Coach) is the professional level — typically 125+ hours of training and 500 coaching hours. Our programme supports both pathways.
No. The programme suits complete beginners as well as experienced professionals. You build real, supervised coaching hours with practice clients during the training as you work toward your ICF credential.
Both. It's delivered live-online and in-person across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with mentor coaching and supervised practice included. You choose the format that fits your schedule.
We combine the ICF pathway with NLP tools and the MARK Model®, and every cohort is led personally by Rajiv Sharma, an ICF PCC coach and NLP Master Trainer. You leave able to coach with both ICF rigour and practical NLP technique — not just theory for an exam.
Fees depend on the level (ACC or PCC pathway), format and inclusions you choose, so we quote it individually rather than at a fixed list price. Message us with your goal and background and we'll send the current fee, dates and any instalment option.
Yes — you receive a certificate of completion, and the training is built to support your application for the ICF ACC or PCC credential. The ICF credential itself is awarded by the International Coaching Federation once you meet its training, mentor-coaching, coaching-hours and assessment requirements.
Yes. The programme carries ICF CCE (Continuing Coach Education) units that can count toward renewing your existing ACC or PCC credential. Tell us your credential and renewal date and we'll confirm the fit.
Take the first step
Becoming an ICF-certified coach is one clear, supported pathway — and you don't have to work it out alone. Tell us your background and goal, and we'll map your ICF path, share the schedule and fee, and answer every question. Start your coaching journey today.
