Skillshare’s application process for first-time teachers helps ensure a high-quality learning experience for our member community. Anyone who is looking to teach their first class on Skillshare must apply and be approved by our team in order to publish their first class. This article will guide you through everything you need to know about how the process works and what we look for in applications. 

How the Application Process Works

Prospective teachers can access our application form at any time by heading to skillshare.com/teach. The form includes a series of 6 questions, several of which will ask you to share information about the first class you’d like to teach on Skillshare. If you’re new to Skillshare, be sure to check out our article, How Learning on Skillshare Works, for a high-level overview of how Skillshare classes are structured. 

Please note that while the application will require you to present your idea for your first class, it is not a requirement to carry out that exact class concept once you’ve been approved. For example, if a different class topic comes to mind after you’ve already been approved, you’re welcome to shift to that new topic as long as it adheres to our Class Guidelines. 

Our team carefully reviews submitted applications, and we’ll aim to get back to you over email within two weeks to let you know whether you have been approved. Once you’ve been approved, you’ll receive access to our class upload tool that will enable you to publish a class at any time. 

Applicants who are not approved to teach are welcome to apply again in the future. 

Tips for Submitting a Stellar Application 

Our application will ask you to share information about what you are interested in teaching in your first class. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind: 

• One of the key things we assess when reviewing your application is whether your class topic is permitted on Skillshare. Head to our article, What categories and topics can I teach on Skillshare?, to learn what we currently accept, and check out our list of Restricted Class Topics to see what is not permitted.
• We also want to see that your class topic idea has a clear value proposition for a potential student. Be sure to explain who your class would be geared towards, what impact the class would have on them, and why the topic is important or relevant.
• Head to our class planning article, Choose Your Class Topic, for more strategies for choosing a great class topic and making sure your class has a clear value proposition. 

Our Approach to Ensuring Fairness and Equity 

At Skillshare, we believe in building a diverse and inclusive community — this applies to our team, our partners, our teachers, and our community at large. Ensuring that teaching on Skillshare remains accessible to people from a wide variety of backgrounds — regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, and economic status  — is a top priority. 

Here are the steps we take to prevent selection bias and ensure fairness in the application review process: 

• We utilize a detailed, content-based scoring rubric so that all applications are assessed against a shared standard by our team.  
• We ensure that multiple team members are involved in the review of every submitted application that proposes a permitted class topic before a decision is made to deny the application.
• We maintain ongoing quality assurance processes to ensure applications are being scored appropriately.
• We provide our application review team with ongoing training and close support and supervision.