About us
What we do
About us – at ISSF Academy we bring together coaches, athletes, sport leaders and everyone committed to developing shooting sport – both locally and globally. ISSF Academy does not just give you a platform for your education; we bring you also a community and a peer network. We are a pioneer shaping the future of our sport through knowledge, collaboration and technology.
What we are providing
We provide education, inspiration and practical tools to those who want to grow within shooting sports. Many of our courses are fully online and with the help of AI we are able to break down barriers such as those of language and distance.
Explore our courses
Firstly you can find upcoming course dates, detailed information, and then other useful links.
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to the most common questions about us below. And then if you can’t find what you’re looking for, we’re here to help so feel free to contact us directly.
What is the ISSF Academy?
ISSF Academy is the official training and coaching academy for the Olympic shooting sports of the ISSF and therefore has the right to license graduates. The aim of the Academy is to bring together all those involved in the sport of shooting and to produce new knowledge for the development of the sport.
Are there any eligibility requirements for the course?
For D and C Courses, a person like yourself can apply as an individual by filling in the application form on this site. Likewise the national federation can send us an application by email. The requirements include a proven link to the shooting sports, such as membership in a shooting club, a competition license, etc.
Courses B and A can only be attended with a recommendation from the national federations and require, in addition to the lower-level course qualifications, an ongoing active experience in coaching.
English language proficiency will facilitate your completion of the course, but the learning platform also allows you to translate materials into your native language.
I am a para-shooter. Can I register for the course?
We welcome all individuals who aspire to become para shooting coaches to join the course the same as everyone else. A specific teaching module focusing on para-coaching will be introduced in 2025.
How do I register for the course?
You can apply to your selected course through the ISSF Academy website: issf-academy.com. Application forms to the D, C and B courses are currently open.
National Federations may also submit registrations via email to info@issf-academy.com.
When do the courses start?
The online D courses commenced in 2024. Each course has a limited capacity and there can be multiple courses for each discipline running at the same time and there are many rounds of courses every year.
The online C courses began in January 2025. Each course has a limited capacity and there can be multiple courses running at the same time and there will be multiple courses throughout the year.
The first B course will begin with an online phase in July 2025 and the first A course will be held during the World Cup finals in December 2025.
How can I pay for the course?
You can by the course online with a credit card or by providing a billing address. Consequently we’ll send an electronic invoice to the given billing address. We’ll give you the payment information in the acceptance letter and the payment is the final confirmation to attend the course. If a selected coach fails to pay by given due date, we may give the seat to another coach. The course must be fully paid before it starts.
Can my National Federation/shooting club/other pay for my participation in the course?
Anyone can pay the course fee as described above. When someone else pays the course using the given online payment link we ask the participant to inform us at info@issf-academy.com who is paying for them from what email.
Can I get a refund if I do not pass the course?
No. The course fee is non-refundable. However, the course is not designed to weed out participants through written examinations but to ensure that every motivated participant passes the course.
What is included in the course?
The content of the courses is outlined on the Education page on our website.
How long is the course and how much work is required of me?
The online courses (D and C) last 12 weeks. On average students put in about 5 hours of work a week to complete the course. The hybrid courses B and A have an online phase of some weeks and an in-person phase of 5-6 days.
I cannot attend some of the online lectures. Can I still complete the course?
The online lectures are recorded and therefore can be viewed whenever you have time, as many times as needed during the course.
How good do I need to be in English?
A satisfactory level of English makes it easier for you to participate, but on the other hand, on the learning platform you can select to translate all course materials to your language of choice and when you answer and chat with others it can be done in more than 40 languages.
If you are taking the course with another person who speaks English, you can complete the course even if you only know basic English.
Are there courses available in languages other than English?
At the moment we organize online courses mainly in English but in the future there will also be courses in other languages. Furthermore, we are happy to work with the federations and confederations to provide also both local and online courses in the local language.
What equipment do I need to complete the course?
You only need a computer, internet access, a weapon for the sport and the opportunity to visit the range or at least handle the weapon in a safe environment.
I can't go to the shooting range at all because I live so far away, can I take the course?
As a general rule, you can do the training outside the actual shooting range, with an empty gun. In other words, you can participate.
Can I get a license automatically after completing the course?
The course ends with an exam and/or a feedback session with the instructor, after which the license will be issued taking into account the learning tasks completed during the course. Obtaining a license is not automatic.
I have previously passed the D course. Do I have to take the course again now?
If you have been a coach since the D course and can prove it, your D license can be renewed.
- If you have been inactive but your license is not old, renewal of your license also requires attendance at one online seminar (dates of seminars to be announced later on our website).
- We will ask for your federation’s approval for renewing your license.
- If you don’t meet the above, you must take the course again.
I am a professional coach but do not have ISSF status. Do I have to take the D course or can I go directly to, for example, the C course?
Completion of the D course is recommended, but on separate application, we may consider practical coaching experience as a substitute for the course.
I am a former professional athlete and have participated in the Olympic Games as an athlete. I have now moved into coaching and would like to have the ISSF coaching licence. Do I need to start at the basic level?
Yes, you do. Master level coach’s perspective on a sport is different from that of an athlete.
I have completed the D course in the past but have not been a coach since. Can I renew my licence?
Yes, the licences are renewable, provided that you have been coaching actively and your federation approves the renewal. We also strongly recommend that you attend Coach Training.
I have completed the national basic level coaching course. Do I have to attend the ISSF Academy D course?
The ISSF Academy does not recognize national training courses due to their varying content. You must complete the D course to receive the ISSF D license.
I have been awarded an ISSF Coach Pro, Coach or National Coach license due to my successful coaching career. Is this still valid?
ISSF decides the license terms.
We recommend that you also attend Coach Training.
How long are the licences valid for?
ISSF decides the license terms.
I would prefer to attend the course as a contact course. Will you still offer a possibility to organize a contact course in the future?
ISSF Academy may still organize shorter contact courses in the future. We will discuss this and plan it together with the National federations, Confederations and Training centres.
Where can I find out more about upcoming courses?
You can find more information on this website or additionally by emailing us. We recommend that you also subscribe to our newsletter to always hear about new courses.
What about the Referee Courses?
At ISSF Academy we don’t deal with the Referee courses for now. Therefore please contact munich@issf-sports.org.
