About CCA
education to shape the healers of tomorrow.
More Than a College — A Community of Healers
The California College of Ayurveda (CCA) is a leading institution dedicated to teaching authentic Ayurvedic medicine in the West. Founded in 1995, CCA was the first college in the U.S. to offer professional Ayurvedic training. With a curriculum rooted in classical texts and enhanced by modern practices, CCA provides expert instruction, hands-on clinical experience, and a global community of learners. Whether you’re beginning your journey or advancing your path in holistic healing, CCA offers the knowledge and support to help you thrive.
Our Mission
The California College of Ayurveda is dedicated to transforming human consciousness into a state of health, harmony and love by providing the highest quality education, health care, and research in the field of Ayurveda, and striving to express the principles of harmony in every action we take.
Our Mission
The California College of Ayurveda is dedicated to transforming human consciousness into a state of health, harmony and love by providing the highest quality education, health care, and research in the field of Ayurveda, and striving to express the principles of harmony in every action we take.
Our History
The California College of Ayurveda opened its doors in 1995 and was the first school in the US to gain government approval to provide formal education in the field of Ayurvedic medicine. The College began with humble beginnings in the home of our founder, Dr. Marc Halpern, and grew steadily becoming the most recognized institution for the study of Ayurveda outside of India. In 2024, the College was acquired by Hindu University of America, a leading university in the United States that is dedicated to the promotion of traditional Indian systems of knowledge.
The California College of Ayurveda was founded in 1995 by Dr. Marc Halpern. Dr. Halpern came into the healing arts to remove the cause of suffering and disease. After becoming a Chiropractor, he realized that Chiropractic did not go deeply enough and directly address the cause. He added energy medicine into his practice and addressed imbalances on a more subtle level. Still, Dr. Halpern was frustrated because patients, even after making remarkable recoveries, had to come back to him regularly to address both their spinal misalignments and their energy imbalances. He realized that something deeper was going on but could not define it. Dr. Halpern decided to sell his practice and jump into the void. He set out on a journey to discover the cause of disease and suffering. This journey led him to study Chinese Medicine, Homeopathy, Herbalism, and something he had never heard of before…. Ayurveda. It was when he studied Ayurveda that he realized he had found “the cause” and a complete system of medicine that addressed it. He knew then that he would be dedicating the rest of his life to Ayurveda but was unsure what that meant.
Dr. Halpern sought out the best teachers in the World to go deeper into the science studying with both Dr. David Frawley, a renowned Vedic Scholar, and Dr. Subhash Ranade, the Principal of Ashtanga Ayurvedic Medical School in Pune’, India. The knowledge of Ayurveda came easily to Dr. Halpern. He says, “It was as if I already knew it. Ayurveda gave me a language to understand and articulate what I already knew in my heart.” Dr. Halpern went on to develop a successful Ayurvedic practice.
At the time Dr. Halpern was practicing, not many people knew what Ayurveda was. His efforts to spread the knowledge earned him a “waiting-list practice.” While successful, Dr. Halpern was frustrated that there were so few practitioners to take care of all the people who needed Ayurveda. He and his teachers were frustrated that no profession existed in the United States for Ayurveda.
One day in 1994, while meditating, Dr. Halpern received a vision. In that vision, he saw that it was his dharma (divine purpose) to do the work to build a profession for Ayurveda. That meant starting a school and eventually a national and state association to organize the profession. He shared his vision with his teachers, received their support, and set out to write the first curriculum for professional Ayurvedic practitioners outside of India. The California College of Ayurveda opened a year later becoming the first government approved College of Ayurveda after gaining State Approval.
The College grew rapidly as Dr. Halpern traveled around the State promoting Ayurveda and Ayurvedic education. Classes began in Dr. Halpern’s home and quickly moved into a physical location in 1996 and expanded in 1997 to accommodate the first clinical internship for his students. By 2010, the college had moved into a beautiful campus in Nevada City, California that had previously housed the community’s first hospital. The campus became home to the College. After extensive remodeling, the College added four classrooms, an outdoor amphitheater, herbal gardens, a meditation garden, a clinic and panchakarma center.
In 2024, the California College of Ayurveda became a part of the Hindu University of America (HUA) family. Hindu University of America is a world-class, not-for-profit educational institution that saw the value of the College and the work that Dr. Halpern had accomplished. They had a vision to bring together the best of the West (CCA) with the best of the East (HUA) and in doing so, bring the best to their students and their communities.
Today, California College of Ayurveda is a division of Hindu University of America. Together, they are working to expand Ayurvedic education, expand opportunities for their graduates, and bring healing communities across the globe.
California State Approval
The California College of Ayurveda (CCA) has been a California state-approved school since 1995.
As a California state-approved institution, CCA complies with all California state regulations assuring professional school operation and maximum student protection.
California students are protected by the Student Tuition Recovery Fund should the school close due to faulty management.
Any school that is not licensed to operate in the State of California is operating illegally and can be forced to close at any time. Students attending schools that operate illegally are not covered
by this insurance.
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