FAQs

We offer a range of proofreading courses to suit experienced proofreaders looking to continue their professional development, those looking to get the required skills to become a professional proofreader, and those who want to improve their proofreading in particular subject areas. Please see the full list of courses here.

We offer a range of proofreading courses, so please have a look at our course summaries here. Our flagship course, Becoming A Proofreader, includes a whole module on proofreading academic documents as this is one of the biggest markets for proofreaders. We also cover proofreading documents written by people who are not native speakers of English as, worldwide, there are more non-fluent than fluent English speakers writing in English, so this is an obvious area to include! We recommend gaining experience in all areas of proofreading before you decide to focus on a particular type of writing.

Our courses range from short summary courses that may take just a few hours to in-depth courses with 40+ hours of content. The prices reflect the different levels of content and tutor interaction. If you have any questions about our courses, please see the course summary page, where you can click to read detailed information about each course, or contact us.

Paying for your course is easy. Just click on the buy now button then you will be asked for your card details. Once payment is confirmed, the course will automatically be added to your profile. Please do not press the back button or refresh the page after you have entered your card details. If you experience any issues when paying for the course, or if your card is declined, please contact us so that we can help you.

The course platform features readable content, short tutorial videos, quizzes, and assignments. There is also the opportunity to join a group tutorial for some of the modules. You will need to be online to view the content.

The course is self-paced, and you can progress through the material at any time of day or night. You can learn at your own pace, in your own time.

All users receive lifetime access to any course purchased at Proofreading Academy. However, while courses and access do not expire, users that are inactive for 90 days may be deactivated.

If a user’s profile has been deactivated please contact us and we will reinstate access to the user’s purchased courses. Course content may be updated after purchase and the user will receive any updates to purchased courses entirely free of charge.

The price of each course includes access to all of our materials and any applicable tests. To complete your course, you will need a laptop or desktop computer, access to an internet connection, and Microsoft Word. (Please see the FAQ ‘What materials and computer tools do I need?’ for more detailed information about the version of Microsoft Word required.) We provide the rest, including real-world sample documents for you to download and practice proofreading.

Please take a look at our course summary page, which outlines the benefits of the different courses we offer. Please note that two of the short courses are taken from our Becoming A Proofreader course. If you’d like to have a chat about our courses in more detail, please contact us.

Proofreading Academy teaches a broad range of skills in our Becoming a Proofreader course to prepare you to work as a professional proofreader after completing the course. Instead of having to take numerous courses to learn about proofreading for business, creative, and academic purposes, you’ll find everything you need in one place. We also teach how to proofread and edit different English dialects and how to work with various academic referencing styles. However, if you want to learn specific skills, we also have short courses available, drawn from our full course, that focus on these. Please take a look at our course summary page, which outlines the benefits of the different courses we offer.

There is a significant need for proofreading and editing documents written by people who are not native English speakers. Globally, there are more non-fluent than fluent English speakers writing in English, which is why we include this in our course. Our Becoming A Proofreader course sets you up to proofread for any writer in any market and do well. Research writing makes up a huge amount of the global market for proofreading and editing, and a significant proportion of this research is written in English by people who are non-native speakers.

The Becoming A Proofreader course is accredited by Continuing Professional Development UK (CPD). Graduation from the course also qualifies you to work with Proofed, a respected international network of freelance proofreading businesses with branches in the UK, the US, and Australia. Once you have passed the course with a distinction grade (80% or above), you can join the team of freelance proofreaders at Proofed and have access to their internal jobs board, where you can see all the proofreading work available each day.

Yes – we teach the digital methods that proofreaders, businesses, and publishers really use.

At Proofreading Academy, we recognize that most proofreading clients work on a computer with internet access and require documents to be proofread immediately. Our courses have always been based on the need for editing and proofreading in a digital world. We do not teach the proofreading symbols as most proofreaders today are unlikely to use these in their day-to-day work. There may be some customers who prefer the traditional methods of proofreading (for instance, those who do not get on well with or have access to technology), but most of your work will be done in Microsoft Word.

You can read the course content on a smartphone, tablet (such as Apple’s iPad Air or iPad Pro, Amazon Fire, Microsoft Surface, or Samsung Galaxy), or Chromebook, but we do not recommend it as the functionality would be limited.

You will still need access to the full version of Microsoft Word to successfully complete the course. Although much of the capability may appear to be the same as the computer version, Microsoft Office lacks full functionality on a smartphone, tablet, or Chromebook. You would be at a significant disadvantage for the full spectrum of proofreading work. This would not only restrict your ability during the course, but also limit your future earning potential. Therefore, we do not recommend using a tablet for the course.

For further information, please see the FAQ ‘What materials and computer tools do I need?’

To complete any of our courses, you need to have a laptop or desktop computer, and access to an internet connection. We also recommend that you have a full version of Microsoft Office 2016 (no longer available for purchase), Microsoft Office 2019 (a one-time purchase that includes Microsoft Word) or Microsoft 365 (a subscription-based service that includes Microsoft Word).

We provide the rest, including real-world sample documents for you to download and practice proofreading. The course is not optimised for completion on smartphones, tablets (such as Apple iPad/iPad Air, Amazon Fire, Microsoft Surface, or Samsung Galaxy), or Chromebooks as these use a limited version of Word. Also, the free version of Microsoft Word that comes with Microsoft Office Online is not suitable for the course.

You might be considering taking our course for your own development and not to seek work as a professional proofreader. In that case, you may be able to complete the course without the full version of Word, or an older version, although you may not be able to fully complete all the exercises. However, you may be hoping to pass the final assignment with a distinction grade of 80% or more and either seek to join our partner company, Proofed, as a freelance proofreader or market your skills elsewhere. If so, you will be expected to be working with one of the recent versions of Microsoft Word (i.e. Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Office 2019 or the subscription-based Microsoft Office 365). Although much of the functionality of the web-based versions of Word appears to be the same as the full version, many of the tools we use in the course are not available on the web-based or mobile versions. The full list of differences between Word on different platforms is here.

Our Becoming a Proofreader course includes assignments and quizzes as part of the course material. Only the final assignment, which you have three attempts at, counts towards your final grade. We give detailed feedback with your grade. If you need support earlier in the course then please contact us.

Check out some of our great reviews on Trustpilot! We also have some success stories of students who have taken the course.

No, you can participate in the course from any country in the world. All you need is an internet connection and the latest version of Microsoft Word!

At the end of each course, all participants will receive a digital certificate.

Currently it is not possible to earn credit for completing a Proofreading Academy course.

Everyone who has passed the course with distinction will be invited to join our LinkedIn group of professional proofreaders.

The Becoming A Proofreader course gives you three attempts at the final assignments, with fresh tests each time. Our tutors grade your assignments against specific criteria, which you will either meet or not meet, and award marks accordingly. In each attempt we will provide you with detailed feedback and point you to areas of the course to review. We are happy to discuss our marking with you. Additionally, it’s important to know that when working as a freelance proofreader with Proofed you will have to be able to take on board constructive feedback about your work.

That’s great to hear! Please click here to go to our course summary page and click on the course you’d like to purchase. If you’d rather do this over the telephone then contact us and we can set this up.

Of course. Please contact us and we’ll call you.

Please contact us and we will be happy to help.

The distinction between proofreading and editing can be quite blurred in modern freelance proofreading, though in the publishing industry it still exists. Many proofreaders now work on screen, rather than on paper, and this typically involves some degree of editing.
If you would like to learn more about proofreading and editing, then why not sign up for our free trial module. The free trial will give you a great idea of our course style and contents. We also have some articles on proofreading and editing on our website.

As everyone comes from a different starting point in terms of academic background and proofreading experience, it’s hard to give a pass rate since it varies from week to week depending on the abilities of people on the course. Our grades are split into pass (70-74%), merit (75-79%), and distinction (80% or above). A distinction grade is required if you wish to work with Proofed. The Becoming A Proofreader course offers three attempts at the final assignments and some applicants will reach a distinction grade on a second or third attempt. The ability to listen to and take on the feedback is a very important skill for proofreaders, whether during the course or working professionally. If you’d like to discuss your experience and suitability for the course, you are welcome to contact us for a chat.

Our courses are interactive and designed to be accessed online so that you can take part in quizzes and watch our videos. You can download individual slides or modules as a PDF for your personal use. Your course is valid for 12 months so you have plenty of time to become familiar with the course material and you may find it helpful to bookmark useful pages so that you have these easily accessible once you start proofreading.

That’s really up to you. You may feel great about your proofreading skills if you score a pass or merit grade and then go on to market your skills yourself. However, if you would like to work with Proofed as a proofreader you’ll need to get a distinction grade. If you do not reach a distinction grade on your third attempt at the Becoming A Proofreader course then we will give you detailed feedback and advice as to your next steps. We will give you an idea of what wider reading and other training might be suitable for you in order to become a professional proofreader.

Please read the FAQ above ‘What materials and computer tools do I need?’ for details.

Much of the content in our courses is interactive, and we use video demonstrations to explain many topics. As such, our courses are designed to be accessed online. You can download individual slides or modules as a PDF for your personal use. Your course is valid for 12 months though, so you have plenty of time to become familiar with the course material. You may find it helpful to bookmark useful pages so that you have these easily accessible once you start proofreading.

That’s a great question. Our advice page has a great article on why people use proofreaders.

We do offer a tutoring service in addition to our online course. Please contact us. We will then arrange a call to better gauge your needs.

You can, but the course content and final tests are designed for fluent English speakers. It’s important that you have native-level fluency, as there are certain parts of English that are difficult for speakers of other languages to always get right, such as idioms and the correct use of prepositions. It’s unlikely that you will pass the final tests with a high enough score (80%) to work for Proofed if your English level isn’t at the fluency of a native speaker.

Although we are based in the UK and the course is written in British English, we teach people to proofread in US, UK, and Australian dialects. We have noted the main differences in terms of spelling and grammar between all these dialects in our Becoming A Proofreader course. So yes, it would be suitable for you! The company we work with takes on proofreaders from all over the world and has proofreading work from British, American, and Australian clients.

The course is written in British English, so yes, it would be suitable for you! We also teach people to proofread in US and Australian dialects. We have noted the main differences in terms of spelling and grammar between all these dialects in our Becoming A Proofreader course. The company we work with takes on proofreaders from all over the world and has proofreading work from British, American, and Australian clients.

Although we are based in the UK and the course is written in British English, we teach people to proofread in US, UK, and Australian dialects. We have noted the main differences in terms of spelling and grammar between all these dialects in our Becoming A Proofreader course. So yes, it would be suitable for you! The company we work with takes on proofreaders from all over the world and has proofreading work from British, American, and Australian clients.

Yes, we can set up a payment plan for you to spread the cost of the course over two or three months. Contact us to find out more.

Yes, our Becoming A Proofreader course is eligible for funding under the LVP scheme. For more details, please contact your local Jobcentre Plus.

Great question! Perhaps you are looking to brush up your current skills and use our course as part of your professional development. Or perhaps you would like to join a respected international network of proofreading providers that regularly hire new freelance proofreaders. If you have completed the Becoming A Proofreader course and obtained a distinction grade of 80% or above then you are qualified to work for our proofreading partner, Proofed.

Absolutely! Our ‘Creative Writing And The Publishing Industry’ module includes all you need to know about proofreading creative writing.

Proofreading Academy partners with Proofed to give successful graduates of the Becoming A Proofreader course an opportunity to get started in the proofreading industry. Once graduates have been onboarded at Proofed, there is a live queue of documents, which proofreaders can take documents from to work on. This operates 24/7. If you maintain the standard required, you can stay with the Proofed team for years. Plenty of us have done it! See our editor profiles to learn more about some recent graduates.

Proofed is a US company and requires payments to its editors to be compliant with US regulations. In order to work with Proofed, you’ll need to prove that your country of residence has a dual-tax treaty with the US (check here). This list is not ours, it’s maintained by the IRS and is frequently updated. If your country is not listed then either check back or check with your own country’s tax department. Please contact us if you need any clarification on this.

We’ll help you – Proofreading Academy is part of a respected international network of proofreading providers that regularly takes on new freelancers. If you have completed our Becoming A Proofreader course and obtained a distinction grade of 80% or above then you are eligible to work with our proofreading partner, Proofed. For more details, please contact us.

If you have completed our Becoming A Proofreader course and obtained a distinction grade of 80% or above then you are qualified to work for Proofed as a freelance proofreader. If you don’t reach a distinction grade then Proofed won’t be able to offer you work. We will give you advice on how to improve your proofreading skills if you don’t reach a distinction grade on your third and final attempt. Please see our terms and conditions regarding our refund policy.

Once you receive your distinction grade, you will schedule a call with one of our tutors to talk you through the process of joining the Proofed team. This is typically within a week of you receiving your results, but can be longer at busy times. After this call we will send you a freelancer contract to return to the Proofed HR team. Once Proofed has confirmed receipt of your documents they will get you set up as a proofreader on their system and then schedule an onboarding call with you. Everything is done remotely. The process can take as little as two weeks, but it may be longer at busy times of year. If you would like to discuss working as a freelance proofreader with our team, you are welcome to contact us for a chat.

The Becoming A Proofreader course covers a wide range of skills that you will need to become a proofreader across most types of work, including academic proofreading. Proofreading work can be extremely varied, so you may want to consider if you have a specialist area of interest or if you are open to all subject areas and types of documents before you start marketing yourself as a proofreader.

No! If you are competent in Microsoft Word, have an eye for detail, and are a stickler for grammar and punctuation, then the Becoming A Proofreader course could be a great way for you to begin your professional proofreading career.

No! If you are competent in Microsoft Word, have an eye for detail, and are a stickler for grammar and punctuation, then the Becoming A Proofreader course could be a great way for you to begin your professional proofreading career. You don’t need a degree to work as a proofreader.

The Proofreading Academy courses are designed for people who are over 18 and have a minimum high school education. There is no upper age limit!

We would expect experienced proofreaders to be able to proofread 1,500 to 3,000 words per hour depending on the difficulty of the document and what kind of day they’re having. When you first start out you may be nearer to 500 to 1,000 words per hour depending on your confidence and the difficulty of the document.

If you chose to work as an online proofreader then you can expect documents to have reasonably short deadlines. This may be within a day, or within a matter of hours. Don’t commit to proofreading something that needs to be returned quickly if you can’t commit to working on it immediately.

If you are competent in Microsoft Word, have an eye for detail, and are a stickler for grammar and punctuation then being a proofreader could be a great and natural option for you. Proofreading work can be extremely varied, so you may want to consider if you have a specialist area of interest or if you are open to all subject areas and types of documents before you start marketing yourself as a proofreader. You will need to be able to work alone, often to quite tight deadlines, and be able to maintain focus and attention to detail at a consistently professional level.

A freelance proofreader is someone who proofreads documents for a living and may work for multiple clients or companies. Being freelance is the same as being a contractor or being self-employed, so rather than being on a payroll and being employed, you are responsible for declaring your income and doing your own tax returns. If you’d like to talk to us about life as a freelance proofreader then you are welcome to contact us for a chat.

The tests in our courses cannot be used in your portfolio of professional proofreading work. You will, however, receive a certificate after completing the course and could be eligible for our work guarantee if you pass the Becoming A Proofreader course with 80% or greater.

If you are a company and would like some of your staff to take the course, please contact us to discuss your needs. We can offer great discounts for groups and even create tailor-made courses for your team. Contact us to find out more.

Absolutely. We offer payment plans of three monthly payments to cover the cost of the course. Please contact us and we will call you to set this up.

Our courses range from short summary courses that may take just a few hours to in-depth courses with 40 hours of content. The prices reflect the different levels of content and tutor interaction. If you have any questions about our courses please see the course summary page, where you can click to read detailed information about each course, or contact us.

Paying for your course is easy. Just click on the buy now button then you will be asked for your card details. Once payment is confirmed, the course will automatically be added to your profile. Please do not press the back button or refresh the page after you have entered your card details. If you experience any issues when paying for the course, or if your card is declined please contact us so that we can help you.

We maintain a fair and simple refund policy. The first step in any refund request would be to email us at refunds@proofreadingacademy.com. From there, we will assess your request and will respond accordingly. Please see our terms and conditions here for the full details of our refund policy.

You may be able to offset the cost of the course against your income in your business or sole-trader accounts. Contact your tax office or accountant to check this, as rules vary across countries.

Yes. You can change your password after logging in to the Proofreading Academy learning management system, or alternatively click on the link to reset your password on the login page.

Yes, please email us and we will update your user profile.

Please see our Privacy Policy to understand more about the data that we store on users.

Proofreading Academy is a trading name of Interactive Learning, a company registered in the United Kingdom. Our team have worked with Proofed to develop the Proofreading Academy courses. Proofed has operated a proofreading and editing service since 2010 and wanted to establish a benchmark for proofreading standards for its own business, as there were no qualifications out there that sufficiently demonstrated a proofreader’s skills to the standards that Proofed required. After years of real-life experience and research into what support experienced proofreaders need, as well as determining what skills people interested in proofreading need to gain, the concept of a complete course in proofreading was born. The Proofreading Academy complete course was launched in August 2017, and since then Proofed has used the 80% standard as the benchmark for its professional proofreaders. All existing freelance proofreaders on the Proofed team have now completed this course, as well as hundreds of new applicants who, after successfully completing the Becoming A Proofreader course with a grade of 80% or more, are now working as professional proofreaders. Read about some of our success stories to get inspired. Proofreading Academy now offers short courses and bespoke proofreading courses for those who do not require such a comprehensive course.

You can read about our tutors’ qualifications and experience here.