We're happy you're interested in becoming a Udemy instructor. At Udemy, you can teach what you know, or teach what you love, on a platform that millions of students use to learn.
This article answers the most frequently asked questions we receive regarding the teaching experience on Udemy, and becoming a Udemy instructor.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I become a Udemy instructor?
- How do I create a course on Udemy?
- How do I update my instructor account or profile?
- Can I teach a course on any topic?
- Can you tell me more about the existing demand for my course topic on Udemy?
- Do I have to pay any fees to become an instructor?
- What approval do I need to get started as an instructor?
- Are there any requirements that my course must meet?
- How do I become a Premium instructor?
- How will I get paid?
- When and how often will I get paid?
- What is the general structure of a Udemy course? What is the primary teaching method?
- How do I get my course materials on your site?
- Does Udemy retain exclusive rights to my course if I sell it on your platform?
- Will Udemy promote my course?
- What languages can courses be taught in?
- What is the Udemy Deals Program, and how do I opt in or out?
- Can I use a pen name, pseudonym, or business name for my instructor account?
- How do I submit a tax form to Udemy?
How do I become a Udemy instructor?
As a first step, please set up your instructor account on Udemy.com. (Learn how)
How do I create a course on Udemy?
This section in our Teaching Center includes extensive resources on how you can create a Udemy course and get started.
In addition, our free, How to Create an Online Course: The Official Udemy Course outlines best practices to plan, produce, and publish a well-designed, high-quality course.
How do I update my instructor account or profile?
Learn how to update your instructor account.
Can I teach a course on any topic?
You are free to choose the topic you wish to teach on Udemy and by using our Marketplace Insights tool, you can learn more about the demand for that topic (see below).
Please refer to our restricted topics list, however, for details on the topics that we do not accept.
Can you tell me more about the existing demand for my course topic on Udemy?
With our Marketplace Insights tool, we offer robust reporting on student demand, search volume, and revenue for a particular topic to help you decide what course to teach. If no data exists for a topic you’re searching for, it likely means that there’s an opportunity to fill this gap in the Udemy marketplace and you should get started right away.
While success as an instructor on Udemy is not guaranteed, this tool offers some powerful data to help you make your decision.
Note: currently the Marketplace Insights tool can only search for course topics that are entered in English. Please enter English words in the search box.
Do I have to pay any fees to become an instructor?
There is no fee to be an instructor on Udemy. Instructors are paid according to a revenue share model.
Learn more about Udemy’s instructor revenue share.
What approval do I need to get started as an instructor?
No approval is needed to get started. Just before an instructor publishes their first course on the Udemy marketplace, however, they need to complete the instructor identity verification process.
To create paid courses, instructors must register to become a Premium instructor (Learn more).
Are there any requirements that my course must meet?
Yes. Courses must have at least 30 minutes of video content, at least 5 lectures or learning modules, and follow our course materials guidelines.
- Learn about our course quality checklist to ensure you are ready to publish.
To ensure that content meets Udemy guidelines, we have a Quality Review Process (QRP) to advise instructors of policies they may have missed so they can make any necessary course updates (Learn more).
How do I become a Premium instructor?
Learn how to become a Premium Instructor.
How will I get paid?
Instructors can use PayPal, Payoneer, or direct deposit (U.S. only) to receive their payments.
When and how often will I get paid?
Learn about our payment schedule.
What is the general structure of a Udemy course? What is the primary teaching method?
A standard Udemy course is video-based. Additional teaching tools (like assignments, quizzes, coding exercises, etc) can be added to create a rich learning experience for students.
For courses regarding certification preparation, we also offer instructors the ability to create a Practice Test course.
How do I get my course materials on your site?
Since we function primarily as an on-demand, video-based platform, you’ll need to upload your video files directly to Udemy. In other words, students must be able to view course lectures on the Udemy platform.
In addition to our standard lecture uploader, we offer the ability to upload materials in bulk. Learn about our bulk file uploader.
Does Udemy retain exclusive rights to my course if I sell it on your platform?
No. Our marketplace model means that when you publish a course on our platform, you retain all the rights to your content. You simply grant us a license to host the course and make it available to our users, and to advertise your course on our platform and on third-party services.
These license terms are outlined in detail in Udemy’s instructor terms. You can also offer your course on other services, but please note that it cannot be offered for free on other platforms if it is paid on Udemy.
Note that if your course is included in the Udemy Business content collection, per the Promotions Policy, exclusivity is required.
Will Udemy promote my course?
As an instructor, you have the option to enroll in the Udemy Deals Program. Every year, millions of students enroll in courses that are selected for promotion and discounted through the Udemy Deals Program.
Learn more about the Udemy Deals Program.
In addition, we provide instructors with extensive articles, resources, and features at Udemy to help you effectively market your course(s). Review resources on how to market your course.
What languages can courses be taught in?
Most world languages are selectable as the home language for a Udemy course you teach, and you are welcome to create a course in any available one you wish. Learn how to select a language for your course.
What is the Udemy Deals Program, and how do I opt in or out?
Learn about the Udemy Deals Program.
Can I use a pen name, pseudonym, or business name for my instructor account?
Review our guidelines for using alternate names in our frequently asked questions for the instructor identity verification process.
How do I submit a tax form to Udemy?
View our frequently asked questions about submitting tax forms to Udemy.