Becoming A Proofreader

No qualifications or previous experience are needed – we teach you everything you need to know to work as a professional proofreader.

You’ll need a laptop or desktop computer, a full version of Microsoft Word, and an internet connection to complete the course successfully.

You can use Microsoft Word 2016, 2019, 2021, or 365, but not free or partial versions of the program (for example Microsoft Office Online or Open Office). As smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks don’t support the full version of Microsoft Word, you wouldn’t be able to complete the course, or professional proofreading assignments, using them. Clients will require you to have the right professional tools for the job and Becoming A Proofreader ensures you can use these tools with confidence.

If you score 80% or higher (distinction) in your Becoming A Proofreader final assessment, you’ll have the opportunity to work with our partner company, Proofed, on a trial basis. Within around two weeks of receiving your results, we’ll send you the information you need to start your trial period. After that, you’ll be guided through your first assignments on your way to becoming a professional proofreader. You should note that Proofed is a US company, so payments to its freelance team must comply with US tax law. That means you can only work with Proofed if your country of residence has what’s known as a ‘dual-tax treaty’ with the US. You can check the Internal Revenue Service’s list of countries to find out if you qualify. For more details about the trial period with Proofed, visit our Guaranteed Work page.

As you get started, the Proofed team will support you with your initial assignments. These will be short documents that let you test your skills and build your confidence. Over time – as you gain experience, build speed, and receive positive feedback – the volume of work can increase. You can build up to working on longer and more complex documents, and you can get regular work with some of Proofed’s business clients.

There’s no fixed amount of work you’ll receive – that will depend on your availability and interests, as well as on your skill level and the opportunities Proofed has at any given time. Head over to our Guaranteed Work page for more details on working with Proofed.

As a successful Knowadays Learner of Becoming A Proofreader, you’ll be set to take on professional proofreading assignments. That might mean working independently as a freelancer and building a portfolio of clients. Or you could be permanently employed by one business. With your Knowadays qualification, you have the flexibility to choose which approach suits you.

When you sign up for a Knowadays course, you gain access for life. Users who are inactive for more than 90 days may have access to their account suspended. If this happens, just get in touch and we’ll reactivate your account immediately. Where course content is updated after purchase, you’ll receive these updates free of charge.

As long as you have a PC, Mac, or laptop with the latest version of Microsoft Word and an internet connection, you can take the course and proofread anywhere. If you pass your course with a distinction of 80% or over and want to pursue our guaranteed work offer with Proofed, where you’re based will matter. You’ll need to reside in a country that has a dual-tax treaty with the US and is on the Internal Revenue Service’s list. This is important, as Proofed is US-based and must comply with US tax laws when working with freelancers.

Aside from a laptop or desktop computer, access to an internet connection, and Microsoft Word 2016 or later, you won’t need to buy extra resources to complete the course. We provide all course materials, including real-world sample documents for you to download and practice proofreading.

We offer our Becoming A Proofreader and Becoming An Editor courses in UK and US English. You will have the option to select your course language after purchase.

Don’t worry, Becoming A Proofreader still covers all the essential regional spelling, punctuation and grammar differences you need to proofread in American, British and Australian English. If you would like us to add the UK version of the course to your account, let us know by emailing us at hello@knowadays.com.

We’ve got answers! Email us at hello@knowadays.com or click here to make an appointment to have a chat. Our friendly team is always happy to help!