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MILAN, Italy – The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is transforming its education pricing model to make learning more accessible, affordable, and equitable for coffee professionals everywhere.
Why Now?
For decades, the SCA has defined the benchmarks of coffee education. From cupping forms and brewing charts to handbooks and white papers, their tools have guided an industry and empowered thousands of professionals across the globe.
As the coffee world continues to evolve, they have seen a clear signal: more people want to learn, especially in emerging markets, underserved regions, and among the next generation of coffee professionals. They have heard this call—and they are answering it.
Now, they are launching a bold, forward-looking pricing model designed to meet learners where they are, both geographically and economically.
Last year, they introduced free SCA membership to lower the barriers to global community access. In 2025, we take the next step: a new pricing model that ensures SCA education is within reach for more people than ever before.
“Education serves as the foundation for careers, leadership, and innovation throughout the value chain. It plays a vital role in our mission to make coffee better, with our research and standards continuously shaping the evolution of our curriculum,” said Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of the Specialty Coffee Association. “After years of dedicated work, we are proud to introduce a new model designed to make our education more accessible and widely available.”
How it works
Education costs will now vary by country, reflecting local economic realities. We’ve organized countries into five groups based on data from the International Monetary Fund and the Purchasing Power Parity per Capita Index.
This approach ensures that both course fees for learners and license fees for trainers are scaled fairly and transparently.
For example:
- An Authorized SCA Trainer (AST) in Group 5 will pay $975 per year, while a trainer in Group 1 will pay just $115.
- A learner in Group 5 will pay a $50 fee per course to SCA, while one in Group 1 will pay $8.
This model applies to all SCA certificate programs, including the Q Program. Trainers will continue to set their own pricing. By making education more affordable where it’s needed most, we’re building a more inclusive, empowered global coffee community.
Partnerships that drive progress
SCA believes education is the foundation of a thriving, equitable, and sustainable coffee industry—and is proud to lead this transformation.
Through trusted relationships and shared values, they are partnering with key institutions to expand their reach and impact. Recent partnerships include:
- Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)
- Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC)
- Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA)
These collaborations help bring their programs and standards to more people, while respecting and leveraging local knowledge and infrastructure.
What you need to know:
- The full pricing structure is now available on the SCA Education
- Informational sessions—online and in-person—will be held in the coming
- We’re working toward a launch in the coming
Stay tuned, and click here for the latest updates.
