Name: Oxford Punch Needle Instructor Certification Program
Brand: The Oxford Company
Price: 1595.0 USD
Availability: InStock

Oxford Punch Needle Instructor Certification Program

Oxford Certified Instructors are world renowned for the quality of teaching and high standards they provide. With punch needle rug hooking rapidly gaining popularity in North America and abroad, this an excellent opportunity to get a solid start in an exciting field!

The certification program is designed for anyone who is interested in becoming a punch needle rug hooking instructor. Punching experience is a must but no former teaching experience is required. The Oxford Rug Hooking School oversees the certification program, and the mandatory training component is offered independently by our Advanced Oxford Certified Instructors. The training follows our set Oxford Curriculum which involves approximately 60 hours of class learning and covers all the topics necessary to give you the skills and confidence needed to be successful.

During the training program all students will learn potential problems, pitfalls, and “tricks of the trade,” both for punching, and for teaching the craft to others. Where to teach, where to get supplies, how to write course descriptions, lesson plans, supply lists, contracts, and much more will all be covered. Students will even have the opportunity to practice new teaching skills and will end the course with a personalized plan for starting on their teaching journey.

Many different technical skills will be taught including how to use all the Oxford Punch Needle sizes, shading, three-dimensional rug hooking, sculpting, and how to use novelty yarns and strips of fabric and more. Students will begin a special sampler in class that will illustrate these techniques and serve as an excellent teaching aid for when they start to teach their own classes.

Participants will also be required to design an original 2' x 3' rug ahead of time to be color planned in class (materials for this rug are supplied by the student themselves). Both the sampler and the 2' x 3' rug will be finished as homework, along with other assignments.

All physical homework must be submitted for evaluation to the Advanced Instructor who is teaching their course, either by mail or personal delivery, and this is the responsibility of the student.

Those who successfully complete the course and all homework assignments will be made a Certified Oxford Instructor by the Oxford Company/Oxford Rug Hooking School. They will be provided with ongoing support through the Oxford Company, the Dean of the Oxford Rug Hooking School, and will receive all the additional benefits that come with holding the distinguished title of Certified Oxford Instructor.

Please note that this is a demanding and intensive program where much is given but much is also required. Come ready to work hard, to have fun and to learn a lot!

Homework Deadline: The Homework Deadline is 4 months from the last day of your course.

Program Structure:

You will notice that there are three main course formats that are being offered; In-person, Hybrid (combination of online, and in-person), and entirely online- to suit different needs and learning styles.

Each Advanced Oxford Instructor brings their own unique style, perspective and personal experience to the course, but all courses will cover the same core materials as outlined in the Instructor Training Manual, involve approximately the same number of classroom hours, and have the same homework requirements.

The cost for the Oxford Instructor Certification Program is standardised at $1595 USD which is payable to your instructor once you are accepted into the program. Additional taxes may apply. There are two scholarships available each year to help offset the costs of taking the course (see 'scholarships' tab below).

Please Note: Most Instructors require a minimum number of students to run the training course. Should those numbers not be met, students will be given the option to switch to another date/time and instructor.

How To Apply:

Read through ALL information on this page including the lower tabs (Prerequisites, Materials and Supplies, Scholarships, Application Information).

Look through the chart of dates,formats,instructors, and locations of the Instructor Certification Courses being offered in 2026 and find the one that suits you best. Follow the directions under the Application tab below.

Oxford Punch Needle Rug Hooking Instructor Certification Programs being offered in 2026:

Format	Date	Advanced Instructor	Location	Email To Apply:
In person	In-person days: May 17 to May 23 (Full days)	Una Walker	La Grande, Oregon, USA	una@woolywalkers.com
In person	In-person days: September 20 to September 26 (Full days)	Una Walker	La Grande, Oregon, USA	una@woolywalkers.com
Hybrid (Mostly in-person course with an introduction and final class on zoom)	Zoom: October 15 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm CST (Introduction) In-person days: October 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 (Full days) Zoom: November 5 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm CST (Final class) Additional info: Minimum 3 people required for class to run	Kim Scanlan	In-person portion: Hugo (St. Paul), Minnesota, USA	thewoolyloonmn@gmail.com
Hybrid- (Combination of zoom and in-person days)	Zoom: October 17 and 18 likely from 8 to 4pm ET (time may be adjusted depending on time zones) In-person days: October 23, 24, 25 (Full days) Zoom: November 7 and 8 likely from 8 to 4pm ET (time may be adjusted depending on time zones)	Robin Whitford	In-person portion: Hammond, Ontario, Canada	robinlwhitford@gmail.com

Prerequisites: Students need to have completed one beginner and one intermediate class at the Oxford Rug Hooking School OR with any Oxford Certified Instructor. If this is not possible, participants are required to complete at least two small punched pieces such as chair seats or wall hangings. Photographs of your best piece must be sent to the Advanced Instructor you wish to take the Teacher Training with as part of your application.

Upon acceptance into the program, students will be required to complete a specially designed 6” x 8” pre-class sampler (kit provided) before the start of their Teacher Training course. All students must also read Amy's book Punch Needle Rug Hooking- the Complete Resource to Learn & Love the Craft from cover to cover, and the entire Teacher Training Manual that will be used as the workbook in class.

Included Materials:

You will receive a pre-class sampler kit, an in-class sampler kit, as well as the Teacher Training Manual from your instructor and these are included in your course fee. (There may be additional mailing fees for the Sampler Kits and Training Manual being sent to locations outside of North America).

Additional Supplies:

You will need to provide the monk's cloth and fibers for your 2' x 3' certification rug. The cost will vary depending on materials chosen, along with a few other supplies and tools, such as punch needles etc. A detailed supply list of items required for the course will be provided by your Advanced Instructor after acceptance into the program.

Those taking the course entirely online will also require some additional equipment to allow your Instructor and classmates to see your work effectively. More information will be provided by your Instructor.

Please provide ALL of the following information in an email to the ATT instructor you wish to take the training with. The easiest way to do this is to copy and paste the questions into an email, and then answer before sending. Don't forget to attach the required photos of your work! Alternatively, email your chosen ATT and request the application from them.

*Name
*Full Mailing Address:
*Country:
*Phone number:
*Email:
*Which class date would you like to attend?
*How long have you been punching?
*How many pieces have you made? What are their sizes?
- Please list each piece with its size individually:
*What sizes of The Oxford Punch Needle have you used?
*What fibers have you punched with? What is your favorite fiber to work with?
*What kind(s) of frame(s) have you used?
*Please list any punch needle rug hooking classes you have taken with Oxford Certified Instructors:
*If you could only make one more rug what would it be?
*Have you taught punch needle rug hooking before?
*Have you taught traditional rug hooking before? Are you certified?
*When do you plan to start teaching? (Immediately, Within 5 years, Later)
*Which of the following do you want to do, teach Adults, teach children, volunteer?
*What do you like about punch needle rug hooking?
*Why would you like to take the Teacher Certification Class?
*What are you most interested in learning in class?

PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS:

*a photo of the entire front of your best piece.
*a photo of the entire back of your best piece.
*a closeup photo of an area of interest on the front of your best piece.
*a photo of an area of interest on the back of your best piece.
*a closeup photo of the hemming of your best piece including a mitered corner.

The Jackie Towell Scholarships will be open for applications in January, and will be awarded in February. Everyone who has been accepted into the program is welcome to apply. These scholarships provide two lucky recipients with $700 each towards taking their Oxford Teacher Training. The Scholarships are generously provided by Oxford Punch Needle Instructors Guild and The Oxford Company. More details on how to apply can be found here: Jackie Towell Scholarship.

Note: Please let your ATT know if you intend on applying to the scholarship.

Oxford Punch Needle Instructor Certification Program

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