Proofreading Certification: How to Become a Certified Proofreader

As mentioned, the only proofreading certification that exists is the one offered by Editors Canada. To get certified by them, you have to take their exam and pass it.

You don’t need to be Canadian to do this. The Editors Canada website says that they welcome international candidates.

You can take their proofreading exam remotely. Editors Canada typically holds exams each November. You have to arrange to take the test at an exam facility with a proctor.

You can check the Editors Canada website for more information about their requirements for the exam and for updates on upcoming exam dates.

Price

The exam is fairly affordable; you have to pay $450 to take it if you’re a member of the association or $550 if you’re not.

Note that, unlike a lot of editorial organizations, Editors Canada doesn’t offer any courses or formal training. It only offers exams.

Is the Editors Canada proofreading exam worth it?

Getting certified by Editors Canada probably isn’t worth it if you’re based in the US.

It might provide a slight boost to your career, but it certainly isn’t necessary, especially if you’re based in the US. Most clients will care more about your past work and portfolio than whether you’re certified or not.

We spoke to several experienced editors in the US, including Suzelle Fiedler and Cassie Armstrong, who never obtained the certification and didn’t report ever having lost jobs or clients because of it. This was corroborated by one staff member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA), who told us she thought the certification would be helpful in Canada but was unlikely to be useful outside of it.

When considering the Editors Canada exam, it’s also important to consider whether or not you’ll actually pass it. If you’re an inexperienced proofreader looking to kickstart your new career, that might be difficult. The Editors Canada website says “Because Editors Canada’s professional certification tests for excellence (rather than proficiency), we recommend that you have at least five years of full-time experience as a working editor before taking one of the exams.”

Even for those with the necessary experience, the proofreading exam still probably won’t be easy. According to the Editors Canada website, the pass rate was just 27% in 2018.

Ultimately, it’s your choice whether to get certified or not. If you feel confident about passing and can afford the exam, it might be worth a shot, but many proofreaders have very successful careers without ever getting certified.

Are other proofreading courses with “certification” in the title legitimate?

If you see courses with the word “certification” in the title (e.g., the Certification in Editing and Proofreading course on the learning platform Udemy), it doesn’t mean that the course will give you any sort of “official” certification.

What sets the Editors Canada certification apart is that many employers recognize its legitimacy. That won’t necessarily be the case for other courses you take online.

Again, you don’t need to be certified to become a proofreader. There are many people who work as proofreaders without certification.

In theory, you don’t need any specific qualifications at all to become a proofreader. We spoke to one freelancer who has been doing proofreading work for 10 years, who told us, “You really don’t need any certifications or higher level degrees to proofread. In fact, you don’t really need a degree at all … Most people are more interested in the quality of your work.”

However, training is still very helpful for developing your professional skills, and getting additional qualifications may open certain doors for you.

That’s why you might still want to take a proofreading course. It could make you stand out from all the other freelancers vying for the same jobs as you, although not all clients will care.

Where can I get a proofreading certificate?

As mentioned, there are many online courses you can take to get a proofreading certificate. You can find a comprehensive list in the article we linked above.

We’ve also listed some of the better-known courses below:

• New York University (NYU): NYU has a qualification you can obtain online called the Certificate in Professional Copyediting, Proofreading, and Fact-Checking. Getting this certificate involves taking several courses, including one on editing and proofreading books. You can also do the proofreading course on its own if you don’t want to complete the full editing certificate. The editing and proofreading course costs $949 and the full certificate costs $6,192.
• The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP): This is a professional association based in the UK for editors and proofreaders. The CIEP has three proofreading courses and many more that teach other relevant skills. Each time you successfully complete one of their courses (which cost around $157–$469 each), you get a certificate. Their training is very well-regarded in the publishing industry, so these certificates are actually meaningful.
• The Publishing Training Centre (PTC): This is another UK-based professional association for editorial professionals. They have several proofreading courses that provide certificates on completion. Like the CIEP, the PTC is well-regarded in the publishing industry, so their certificates will be relatively useful.
• Knowadays: Formerly known as Proofreading Academy, this is a company that offers a proofreading course for $399. At the end of the course, you’ll get a digital certificate.
• Proofread Anywhere: This company offers online courses and workshops for people who want to become editors and proofreaders. If you take their proofreading course and pass their exam, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. It costs $497 to take the course with the exam and get the certificate.

Other places to get proofreading certificates

There are also lots of general-purpose writing and editing courses that include proofreading modules. You might not receive a certificate that says “proofreading” at the end, but these courses will still help you build the skills you’ll need as a proofreader.

Universities

Several universities offer certificates in editing and copyediting, such as:

• The University of Chicago’s Professional Development Editing Certificate
• UC San Diego’s Copyediting Certificate Program
• The University of Washington’s Certificate in Editing.

Digital learning platforms

Many educational websites—which include Coursera, Udemy, and EdX—feature both paid and unpaid courses on editing and writing that will provide you with a certificate.

For example, check out:

• Good With Words (Coursera)
• The Complete Proofreading Course (Udemy)
• Copy-editing (EdX)

Specialized professional organizations

If you want to specialize in a particular subject (such as journalism, law, or any of the sciences), there may be organizations that will certify you to proofread material in that field.

For example, the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS) certifies editors and proofreaders who want to work with academic articles about biology and other life sciences.

If you’re planning on specializing, your best bet is to look up your intended area of focus and check if there are any special qualifications that will help you find work.

Before you pick a proofreading qualification, make sure you do your homework.

We spoke to Josh David, a proofreader and editor with five years of experience. He said, “Before spending your time and money on courses and certificates … thoroughly investigate them.” He also suggested that prospective students should “Read reviews and comments from other professionals who have taken the course or earned the certification.”

When you’re choosing a proofreading qualification to go for, take into account:

• Price: Obviously, consider whether you can afford the course or exam before you commit.
• Relevance: You shouldn’t spend time and money on a course that’s targeted at a different type of proofreading than you usually do. For instance, if you mainly proofread business articles, it doesn’t make sense to take a course that focuses on proofreading fiction.
• Authority: Consider the standing of the course or exam and the institution that offers it. E.g., CIEP and PTC training suggests that you’re a serious professional, whereas a course on Udemy might not. Similarly, a digital certificate from a private company will likely be less valuable than a certificate from a respected university.
• Practicality: Some courses must be completed within a certain amount of time, or involve classes at specific times. Some exams also aren’t available online and will require you to travel. Make sure the course or exam fits around your other commitments.