5 of the Best Online Proofreading Courses for Beginners

If you’re thinking of starting a career as a professional proofreader, you’re in the right place. With so many online proofreading courses available, it can be difficult to know which one will best suit your needs and give you the right skills to launch your new career.

In this guide, we’ll offer some key tips for choosing an online course and take a closer look at five popular proofreading courses on the market:

1. Knowadays: Becoming A Proofreader
2. Proofread Anywhere: General Proofreading (Theory and Practice)
3. CIEP: Proofreading 1 (Introduction)
4. The Publishing Training Centre: Essential Proofreading Skills (Editorial Skills One)
5. Udemy: (Proofreading Power Basics)

5 Tips for Choosing an Online Proofreading Course

With so many options on the market, it’s important to consider the following when deciding which online proofreading course is right for you.

1. Does the Course Cover All the Basics?

As a new proofreader, you’ll need to be familiar with how the English language works and when something might need correcting. To make sure you learn all the basics, you should check that your proofreading course covers:

• What proofreading is
• What the most common spelling mistakes are
• What the most common grammar and punctuation errors are
• How to proofread different types of writing
• How to find work as a proofreader

These are the essential building blocks for a successful proofreading career.

2. Does the Course Provide Practical Exercises?

Reading through large chunks of text isn’t always the most effective form of learning. Practical exercises, interactive elements (such as quizzes), and practice documents, can aid your learning in a number of ways:

• They allow you to test your skills.
• They help you keep track of your progress.
• They can improve your memory and knowledge retention.
• They help you stay motivated as you progress through the course.

Online courses that include these types of interactive exercises will likely provide you with a better overall learning experience.

3. Does the Course Include Access to Learning Support?

While online courses tend to have a more hands-off approach than in-person courses, you should still be able to access support for any questions or difficulties you may have. This support may come from a dedicated team of tutors, regular webinars, or a learner forum. Some courses provide this service at no additional cost, while others charge extra. Make sure you factor this in when deciding on a course.

4. Does the Course Provide Certification?

You don’t need any particular qualifications to become a proofreader. However, a certification will look good on your resume or online profile and appeal to employers and clients, thereby increasing your chances of finding work. Proof of continuing professional development (CPD) training looks particularly impressive, especially through courses that have been rigorously tested and approved by industry experts, such as the CPD Certification Service in the UK or the CPD Group in the US. Check to see whether the successful completion of a course comes with a certificate.

5. Does the Course Have Good Reviews?

Finally, make sure your course does what it says it will by checking out online reviews. You can find reviews for online courses in a variety of places, including:

• The official site of the course or provider
• Trustpilot
• Proofreading groups on social media
• Editing society forums

Don’t just pay attention to any number or rating, though. If possible, see how the reviewer’s needs match up with your own and whether their review is relevant to you. You should also see how the course providers respond to negative reviews. Do they ignore the reviews, or do they provide advice and support?

The Best Online Proofreading Courses for Beginners

Now that you know what to look for in a course, let’s explore five popular options and what they offer in terms of:

• Curriculum
• Key features
• Learning support
• Certification
• Pricing

We’ll summarize the key takeaways to help you decide which course is right for you.

1. Knowadays: Becoming A Proofreader

Our Becoming A Proofreader course includes modules covering common errors in spelling and grammar, punctuation rules, US and UK regional differences, how to approach more complex issues such as tone, and specific training in proofreading business, creative, and academic writing. 

The course comes with lifetime access, and any updates or additions made after your purchase are automatically applied, so you can use it as an ongoing resource. 

Tutor support is included with the course, and the team is available seven days a week to answer questions. After completing the final assignment, you will receive detailed written feedback and have the option to schedule a one-on-one video call with a tutor to discuss your work. Our courses are CPD accredited, and you receive a certificate of completion after taking the final assignment. Graduates are also invited to join a private Facebook group, where members share tips and have their questions answered by the Knowadays team.

If you complete both our Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses and achieve a score of more than 80% in both, you will qualify for a paid work trial with our partner company, Proofed, so you can start earning immediately. The courses can be bought separately, but if you purchase the courses as a bundle, you get 15% off the total. Becoming A Proofreader costs $499 (for those in the UK and Australia, prices are shown in your local currency).

2. Proofread Anywhere: General Proofreading (Theory and Practice)

The General Proofreading (Theory and Practice) course that Proofread Anywhere offers explains the basics of proofreading, including spotting and fixing common errors, then provides in-depth, practical information on how to develop and market a freelance proofreading business.

Proofread Anywhere offers access to dozens of ebooks and workshops for learners, and those who successfully complete the final assignment gain the opportunity to network with professional proofreaders and editors. 

General Proofreading (Theory and Practice) costs $697 or $797 if learners opt for the Ignite Plus version of the course. The Ignite Plus option provides the opportunity to take the final test and receive a certificate of completion. You can access tutor support at $50 for a 30-minute session. Learners also get free lifetime access to a support group of peers and other graduates.

3. CIEP: Proofreading 1 (Introduction)

The Proofreading 1 (Introduction) course offered by the UK-based Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) covers a variety of proofreading techniques, including how to proofread PDFs, how to work in Microsoft Word, and how to edit on paper using proofreading marks. The course is designed to provide an introduction to proofreading and covers topics such as the difference between proofreading and copy editing, the nature of the proofreading process, common proofreading conventions, and approaches to working with clients.

You can take the class either as a self-assessed online course or as a single-day, in-person workshop. Either form provides learners with three CIEP upgrade points, which can be put toward upgrading your CIEP membership. CIEP courses are not accredited, but CIEP does provide certificates for successful completion that are widely respected in the industry.

Tutors provide all learners with one hour of email-based support, and further time is available for an additional cost.

As an online course, Proofreading 1 (Introduction) costs £144 for CIEP members and £234 for non-members.

4. The Publishing Training Centre: Essential Proofreading Skills (Editorial Skills One)

The Publishing Training Centre’s Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One course covers paper and on-screen proofreading, with a particular focus on using Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word. The course also addresses how proofreaders can work with publishers and provides an overview of where proofreading fits into the publishing industry.

The course has multiple self-assessed exercises, with four longer assignments that tutors check and grade. Each learner is paired with a personal tutor for the duration of the course and receives access to tutor support for up to three months after completing the course.

Learners who successfully pass the course receive a recognized qualification from the Publishing Qualifications Board (PQB) as well as 10 to 20 CIEP membership points.

Essential Proofreading costs £396, with the option to split the cost into three installments. You can also receive the Publishing Training Centre’s Essential Grammar course for half the price if you buy it alongside Essential Proofreading.

5. Udemy: Proofreading Power Basics

The Proofreading Power Basics course on Udemy’s online platform covers common proofreading errors and ways to fix them. There are also in-depth sections on how to work with style guides, how to use proofreading marks, and how to proofread numbers. Also included are proofreading checklists and a practice proofreading test.

In contrast to other proofreading courses, Udemy’s is delivered primarily through video, with accompanying exercises and resources available for learners to download and try themselves.

The course does not come with tutor support, but learners have lifetime access to the course and all available resources, which include self-assessed aptitude tests. Upon completing the course, learners receive discount codes for proofreading books and guides.

Proofreading Power Basics costs $89.99 at full price. However, Udemy often has sales on its courses for new users, so keep an eye out for a discount.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Which Proofreading Course Is Best for You?

Ultimately, the proofreading course you choose should be the one that’s right for you. Before making your decision, consider:

• How much time you can dedicate to a course
• What your budget will cover
• When (and how) you want to start proofreading

If you’re still struggling to pick one, you can always try two lessons for free. And if you change your mind after purchasing the full course, we’ve got a 14-day money-back guarantee ready for you.

Any questions? Get in touch with our customer support team, and we’ll be happy to help.

Updated on March 27, 2025

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Knowadays vs Proofread Anywhere: What’s the Difference? Why Should You Take an Online Proofreading Course? 5 Study Tips from Becoming A Proofreader Graduates 5 of the Best Free Proofreading Courses