How To’s

Online class registration forms can do more than gather information. They’re often your first direct communication with a student. You can use them as an opportunity to share information, better understand student needs, and tap into their insight. In short, well-designed class registration forms set the foundation for a positive student experience.

To achieve all that without overwhelming the student takes some smart decision making. You want to keep your forms focused and relevant, but still collect and share the information you need. Let’s look at the basic tasks every registration form must accomplish. Then we’ll share a simple course registration form template you can customize with class-specific questions. 

What Should a Class Registration Form Do?

It’s easy to forget that class registration forms are a two-way line of communication. Collecting information from the student is only half their job. The other half is to provide the essential information a student needs to feel excited and prepared.

Make sure that your class registration forms accomplish all five of the following vital tasks.

1. Gather information about the student

The first function of a student registration form is to gather all of the information you need to know about them. This may include their name, date of birth, and their email address or phone number. For some classes, you might also need information about the student’s gender, allergies, or disabilities that might need special accommodation.

Be thoughtful about which information you really need. Gender, disabilities, and even date of birth might not be relevant in all cases. Show students that you respect their privacy by only asking for essential information.

2. Share details about class requirements or expectations

You can write a beautiful class description outlining everything students need to know, and they may still miss some details. If something is essential, include it on your registration form. Then add a box they can check to indicate that they’ve read and understood each item. 

For example, the following paragraph packs in a lot of information: 

“Family Float is a kayaking class for families. That means, children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. This is an immersive class, so you will get wet! Each participant should wear a swimsuit and bring a towel. Goggles and swim caps are optional. For your safety, you must wear your instructor-provided life jacket at all times while in the marked boating area.” 

This might be a useful part of a class description, but it isn’t the best choice for your registration form. The friendly tone buries some of the details and students could easily miss important information if they’re reading quickly. They are more likely to come prepared if you list each requirement or expectation individually. 

Like this:

• I understand that an adult guardian must accompany my child at all times during this class. 
• Both my child and their adult will bring a swimsuit and towel to every class. 
• I agree that both myself and my child will wear our instructor-provided life jacket at all times while in the marked boating area. 

It’s easy to take this advice too far. Although you want to cover the essentials, you don’t have to include every detail of your course. For example, the part about goggles and swim caps probably isn’t vital to providing a safe and positive student experience.

If you do have supplemental information to share, you might want to include it as a linked PDF. Just keep in mind that students may not take the time to review everything. For the form itself, think about what information students will need to know in order to feel prepared for your course. Instructors can cover anything else during the class. 

3. Include pricing information and ways to pay

Clearly state the cost and method of payment on your registration form. Link any price-adjusting options so the total automatically updates. 

For example: If you’re hosting an Intro to Photoshop course you may offer a discounted license for the software. Some students may already have a copy and want to pay for just the class. In that case, you could include two pricing options. One for the class plus software and one for the class registration alone.

If you’re operating as a non-profit or providing free classes, you may also want to ask for a donation. Explain how your organization might use the donation. Wherever possible, include a suggested donation amount. A clear use and suggested donation amount can increase the likelihood that people will donate.

Here are some ways to put this into practice: 

• Your $3 donation helps cover administration costs for this class.
• Foster a child’s creativity by donating $35 to meet the cost of class enrollment for one student.
• $10 pays for your class materials, helping us offer this class to more students.

4. Record consent for legal information or terms of use

If you need any waivers, legal releases, or consent forms, ask for them on your registration form. This lets instructors spend less time on legalities, and gives students a chance to read and review material.

Decide whether you need any or all of the following: 

• Refund policy
• Photo release or recording permission
• Guardian consent for students under 18
• Statements about potential allergens or hazards
• COVID or other health policy statements
• Guidelines for using equipment or facilities

Even if you ask students to sign required documents when they arrive in class, include them with the registration form. This allows students to review them and ask questions ahead of time.

5. Offer opportunities to provide feedback

Feedback might be the most underutilized function of a class registration form. You don’t have to wait until a student has completed a class to start gathering their feedback. Opening a line of communication early shows students that you value their insight and are ready to listen. 

Try adding questions like: 

• How did you hear about this class?
• On a scale of 1 to 5, how easy was it to register for this course?
• What other classes would you like us to offer?

Limit yourself to one or two feedback questions that the student can answer quickly. Too many questions can make your form seem cluttered and overwhelming. Remember, this is just the beginning of the conversation.

A Class Registration Form Template Worth Copying

When you’re ready to start building your own class registration form, aim for simplicity. In some cases you may only need the student’s name, phone number, mailing address, and payment information. Students will appreciate that you stuck to only the most essential questions.

Some course providers fall into the habit of using one form for everything. So if one course requires special details, like allergy information, they include it in every form. The problem is that your forms quickly become bloated and complicated, which adds friction for the student.

It’s smarter to have a basic form template that you adjust for each class. When you customize forms to collect and share the right information, you offer a better student experience.

The checklist below will help you customize your forms. Use the optional fields only if you absolutely need that information to offer a quality class.

Make Your Class Registration Forms Easy to Use

Most importantly, your online registration forms should be accessible and easy to use. Make it mobile-friendly and use modern formats.

When forms are relevant, easy to read, and full of useful information, online class registration is easier for students. And that’s the beginning of a positive student experience.

That’s why CourseStorm offers built-in student registration forms and a range of customization options. We help you keep forms simple, while getting and sharing all the information you need to make a class successful. Contact us to learn more, or start your free trial and test the forms out yourself.

No class provider wants to issue a refund to students. You want your classes to happen as scheduled and for students to be satisfied with the experience. But when weather, illness, or other circumstances disrupt the best-laid plans, it’s smart to have a clear refund policy. It lets both students and staff know what to expect. 

We’ll show you how to write a clear policy that improves the student experience and makes life easier for your staff at the same time. We’ve even created an example refund policy that you can copy and customize to fit your needs.

Why You Need a Clear Refund Policy

Well-written refund policies are vital for any business providing services to the public, that includes course providers. A refund policy establishes expectations for both your business and customers and can protect you from potential financial losses and liability. 

A clear refund policy lets students know what to expect if they need to cancel a registration and can protect you from financial losses and liability.

Your policy lets registrants know what to expect if they need to cancel a registration. Having a signed or virtually acknowledged refund policy can also help you win a credit card dispute known as a chargeback. When your policy is clear, students and registrants can work with you directly without getting credit card companies involved.

Example of a Clear Refund Policy

Let’s start with a solid example of a clear refund policy. This example covers the common reasons you might cancel classes, as well as reasons students might need to cancel. It explains common situations and how you’ll handle refund requests. 

Note that we are registration software providers, not lawyers, so this isn’t legal advice. It’s just an example of a clear policy you might use as a starting point.

Example Refund Policy

This refund policy covers class cancellations and refunds for registered students. By registering for classes, you indicate that you have read and understand this policy. 

1. Weather-Related Cancellations:

We may sometimes choose to cancel classes if severe weather makes attendance unsafe for students or instructors. If this happens, we will notify you by phone or email. You will receive a full refund or credit toward an upcoming class if we cancel due to weather. 

2. Illness and Health-Related Cancellations:

If an instructor is ill and unable to teach as scheduled, we may bring in a substitute or cancel the class. If a class is canceled due to instructor illness, we will notify you by phone or email. You may choose to receive a refund or credit toward an upcoming class if we cancel due to instructor illness.  

3. Insufficient Enrollment:

If a class does not meet the minimum enrollment required to run effectively, we may have to cancel or reschedule it. Participants will have the option to transfer to another class, receive a credit, or request a full refund.

4. Personal Cancellations:

If you cannot attend a class, you must notify us 7 days before the class start date to request a refund. An administrative fee of 10% will be deducted from the refund amount.  If you cancel fewer than 7 days in advance, you will not be eligible for a refund. 

5. No-Shows or Missed Classes:

Refunds will not be provided for no-shows or missed classes without prior notification.

6. Refunds Requests and Processing:

You must submit refund requests by email to refunds@myprogram.com. Refunds will be processed within 14 business days after we receive the request. If you paid by credit card or online payment system, the refund will be issued back to the original payment method. If you paid by cash or check, refunds will be provided by check. 

We strive to be fair to our students while ensuring the smooth functioning of our programs. Please contact refunds@myprogram.com for any questions or concerns related to our refund policy.

You can adjust this policy to meet your needs. You might want to add or remove items depending on the kind of classes you teach. 

How to Write a Clear Refund Policy

The example above can help you write a clear refund policy for your program. Whether you use our language or write your own, keep these best practices in mind. 

• Be concise. People tend to breeze over terms and agreements when registering. Keeping your policy brief will increase the chances that your registrants will read it. Your refund policy shouldn’t be longer than one page.

• Use plain language. Legal jargon might make your refund policy sound official, but it won’t make it clear. Try to write in plain language an 8th grader could easily understand.
   
• Write one policy for all classes. Your refund policy should be standard across all of your classes. Consistent rules make it easier for students to remember and apply your policies. 

The Best Refund Policies Include These 4 Items:

Your refund policy should clearly outline what students or registrants can expect. That means it should cover all common situations as well as the procedure for requesting and processing refunds. Check that your refund policy includes these 4 items:

1. Time limit for refunds. Be clear about your refund timeframes. For example, “no refunds after the first day of class” or “refunds must be requested 48 hours before a class begins.”

2. Policies for class cancellation. There are multiple reasons why a class may be canceled. Cover the most common ones (weather, illness, low enrollment) so students know what to expect.

3. Specific exemption information. Tell students which fees you will refund in each situation. For example, some programs offer a special exception if the student gets sick. Others may refund a materials fee but not the class fees.

4. Clear refund request procedures. Describe the procedure that a registrant must follow in order to request a refund. Link to necessary paperwork and tell them exactly where to send it or whom to contact. 

It’s also good practice to review and update your policy yearly. If you make changes, email existing students and let them know. 

How to Share a Refund Policy

A clear refund policy is only useful if your students know about it. To make sure your registrants see your refund policy, share it in at least one of the following places: 

• Your main website menu
• As a link in the footer of your main website
• As a link at the bottom of each course description

CourseStorm customers can share their refund policy in two useful ways: as a link on their CourseStorm site or as a waiver on their class registration form.

If you’re a CourseStorm customer, you can share your refund policy in two other useful ways. Adding it as a link in the intro text of your CourseStorm site can make it more visible. You can add it as a waiver on your class registration form. The waiver should include a checkbox indicating that the student has read and agreed to the policy.

Share Your Policy Internally

Your staff should also get a copy of your policy so they are ready to answer questions from students. Sharing the policy internally ensures that everyone is following the same rules. If you decide that certain staff members should have the power to make exceptions, tell them where to document those exceptions. 

Clarity Makes Registrations Simple

Nobody wants to issue a refund, but it’s good to know you have a clear policy in place when needed. Your straightforward approach will help students feel more confident in their purchase. Staff members will save time by having a clear policy to reference. Your program might even save money by avoiding chargebacks and other headaches. 

Simplifying the class registration process is something we know a lot about here at CourseStorm. Our online class registration and payment software simplifies everything from policy sharing to group registrations, so your students get a seamless registration experience every time. Try a free trial for yourself, or contact us to learn more.

Most people don’t get into the education industry because they love selling things. Yet, selling your courses to students is an important part of your job. Think of it this way: students need to register for your courses before they can benefit from them. Because you care about students and want to help them, value-based selling may be a great fit for your organization. 

Value-based marketing and selling puts the student and their needs at the core of your sales efforts. It encourages you to work with students to help them find the right learning experience for them. Along the way, a value-based selling methodology can help you register more students. Let’s explore how you can put this strategy to work for your program.

What Is Value-Based Selling?

Value-based selling is an approach to marketing and sales that focuses on creating value to the customer. For programs that provide learning opportunities, this starts with adopting a student focus. You should understand what students gain by taking your classes and find ways to offer value before, during, and after registration. 

Value refers to the worth or usefulness of something. A class can offer quantitative value (earning a credential), or qualitative value (improving quality of life).

Value can be a slippery term, but basically, it refers to the worth or usefulness of something. Some products and services have quantitative value — they can help customers save or earn money. Unless you’re teaching workforce development classes, quantitative value might be hard to prove for your courses.

Most enrichment and personal development classes offer qualitative value — they improve quality of life for the student. 

Examples of Qualitative Value Offered by Enrichment Classes:

• Increased confidence
• Improved wellbeing
• Stronger social ties and sense of community
• Greater cultural awareness
• Better physical or mental health
• Deeper self-awareness through self-discovery
• Higher emotional intelligence
• Fun and entertainment
• More resilience and grit

Use the qualitative value of your classes to find your unique value proposition.

How to Identify Your Unique Value Proposition

Students have more types of learning opportunities to choose from than ever before. They can take classes in-person, online or both. They can choose a college, school, organization or private instructor. Free resources like YouTube and public libraries make self-study an attractive option.

Your unique value proposition is what makes your classes different from your competitors’.

Your unique value proposition makes the case for why a student should choose the classes you offer. It’s an essential part of your program or organizational branding. 

Here are a few places to start looking for your unique value proposition: 

• Small class size
• Personalized approach
• Unique focus or specialty
• Award-winning instructors
• Partnership with a local organization or employer
• Ongoing support
• Robust student community
• Expertise in a particular student population

Maybe yours is the only program that offers in-person classes on this subject in your town. Perhaps you have special expertise in working with teens, or have a certification in trauma-informed instruction. Anything that sets you apart can form part of your unique value proposition. 

Just keep in mind that something only adds value if students need or can use it. If you primarily teach adults, having a staff member with a Ph.D. in child psychology may not add value. Unless, of course, you decide to add parenting classes to your course catalog.

Sometimes what looks like a drawback can actually add value if framed in the right way for the right audience. Being the only dance studio in town without mirrors on the wall might not add value. Unless your program embraces body positivity and believes that dance is about how you feel, not what you look like. 

Build a Value Selling Framework Around the Student

The trick is to identify your ideal student and research the needs that student is likely to have. Then you can create marketing materials, courses, and support systems that provide value for that student. 

The danger in this approach is that you’ll fall back on stereotypes. Instead of guessing at what your students want, research what they actually need. Listen to their complaints and concerns and ask them about their goals. 

Here’s an example: You may know that your average student is a 30-55 year old woman. She is likely either married or divorced and has 2-3 children. She has a full-time job and a family income of around $80,000 per year. She lives in town and has her own vehicle.

With this information, you can make some guesses or assumptions about what this student might value:

• Price may not be a major concern for her. So you might choose not to focus on cost savings.
• You might assume she would prefer evening classes she can attend after work.
• With her busy lifestyle and many commitments, she might not have much time for building social connections. Maybe she would value opportunities for relationship building and community connection. 

The best way to check these assumptions is to ask. You can use student feedback forms or course evaluations to ask questions like: 

• What do you value most about this class?
• How will you use what you learned here in your everyday life? 
• To whom would you be most likely to recommend this class? 
• How could we improve this class? 

How to Apply a Value-Based Selling Approach

Most of the articles you’ll read about value-based selling focus on how sales teams can use it in conversations with customers. However, many of your students will register online without ever speaking to a member of your team. In that case, a completely personalized sales strategy may not be realistic. You have to rely on value-based marketing, instead.

Value-based selling relies on conversations with customers; if students are registering online on their own, you’ll need to focus on value-based marketing.

Here are a few ways to apply a value selling methodology across your marketing and sales platforms.

Value-Based Marketing on Your Website

When creating your website, look for opportunities to communicate your unique value proposition. Make sure your homepage and about us page explain the unique value you offer students.

• Instead of: We teach painting, photography, and drawing to students of all ages. 
• Say: We help students of all ages develop their artistic skills and realize their creative vision through painting, photography, and drawing classes. 

If you have a blog, offer useful advice and lessons, rather than focusing on your courses and program. Sharing this type of information helps build trust with students. 

Including Value in Course Catalogs

Write class descriptions that highlight the value of each class or offering in your course catalog. Paint a picture of the results a student can expect from the course. Here’s an example from a sailing class: 

Deepen your knowledge of sailing and build fundamental skills, while developing appreciation for the sea and its mysteries. Join a community of like-minded adult sailors, ready to embark on new voyages and share tales of the open water. Together we’ll explore essential sailing terminology, equipment, and safety, as well as boat handling and reading nautical charts. Whether you dream of leisurely cruises or competitive regattas, this course will help you launch an unforgettable sailing adventure.  

This example tells the student what they will learn, but also highlights the qualitative value of the course. It promises community and skills, and implies that students will come away with stories worth sharing. 

Value-Based Messaging on Social Media

Your social media posts should also focus on value, but they need to get to the point more quickly. You can use them to announce a class, but also to share valuable content that students might be interested in. 

Consider mixing up your social media feed with: 

• Industry news
• How-to content
• Polls and open-ended questions
• Creative prompts
• Fun facts

All of these types of content offer value to students. They can also increase engagement, which helps more people see your posts.

Targeted Email Marketing

Email marketing allows you to provide value by offering the exact classes a particular student may be looking for. You can predict that a student who has finished the beginner’s class might be interested in the intermediate one. A student who took a class in post-Impressionist painting styles might also be interested in a class on Expressionism. 

With CourseStorm, you can automate marketing emails. Our automated email system offers recommendations based on the classes students have taken before. Our streamlined platform simplifies the class registration and payment process, which saves your students time. With no monthly fees, you only pay when you actually register a student.

Start your free trial of CourseStorm today or contact us for more information!

There’s a reason you see more advertisements for florists in the weeks before Valentine’s Day. It’s the same reason gyms capitalize on the “new year, new you” weight loss trend in January. These businesses use seasonal marketing to make their promotions and campaigns feel more timely and relevant. Your organization can do the same for its courses.

Seasonal marketing taps into the collective emotions, experiences, memories, and traditions associated with each season to create compelling marketing. These campaigns provide a sense of urgency by making courses feel timely. They also drive engagement because they align with what students are likely to be thinking and feeling at any given time of year. 

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All educators benefit from professional development. Teachers in the arts are no exception. In fact, art teacher professional development serves a double purpose. It helps professionals hone their teaching abilities while also improving their artistic skills. 

Making art and teaching it are two separate but related skills. The best artist-educators find time for their own creative pursuits and also take opportunities for teacher professional development. 

Fortunately, there are organizations that offer specialized workshops and classes for art teachers and other arts educators. We’ve rounded up some resources and suggestions for where to find these opportunities so art teachers can continue to work on their craft while supporting their students. 

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Course evaluations can help make your classes better. They collect meaningful data about students’ experiences, what they learned, and how they felt about the class. You can use that information to improve your courses and make them even more attractive to future students. But getting useful and honest feedback from students takes some finesse.

Good course evaluation questions invite students to share their real opinions. They offer insight into the student’s experience so you can make changes based on data, not guesswork. Each question must be carefully written and designed with a specific aim in mind. Here is some actionable advice you can use on your next class feedback survey.

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Welcome to the first post in our blog series reflecting CourseStorm’s core values: Simplicity, Growth, and Helpfulness. Our mission is to streamline access to education to empower personal growth through our impossibly simple course registration software. In this post, we’ll be discussing the value of simplicity. 

If you don’t think of yourself as a marketer, and sometimes even if you do, course marketing can feel like a complex task with too many moving parts. You might find yourself wishing for marketing made simple—a way to do less, but still get great results. That is the very theme of the book Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less by Leidy Klotz. 

Through research and anecdotes, Klotz explores how subtraction can help us address everything from climate change and racism to city planning and play. If subtraction could help in all those areas, couldn’t it also apply to course marketing? Let’s find out. 

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Whether you teach painting, drama, music, creative writing, or anything else in the arts, it’s sometimes difficult to find time for your own artistic pursuits. Art teachers spend so much time and energy teaching art to their students that there may not be much left over for their own work. But your work as an artist is valuable to both you and your students. It keeps your creativity sharp and fuels your passion for the subject. 

Fortunately, there are ways for artist-educators to carve out time for their art. From crafting a well-structured schedule to harnessing inspiration in the classroom, we explore five ways you can integrate teaching art and your own personal practice of making art. 

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As an instructor, your main goal is to help students learn. That may sound simple, but meeting the needs of a class takes planning. Building courses around a clear structure can make a big difference to the student experience. Bloom’s Taxonomy is one way to do that.

But what is Bloom’s Taxonomy and how can it help you offer a better student experience? Think of it as a framework that helps you structure your classes. Although it’s not the only option out there, it is widely recognized as a useful tool for instructors. Learning more about it can help you provide a better learning experience for students.

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The pandemic triggered a boom in online classes. More programs added online learning, and for many, virtual classes are here to stay. This offers convenience and accessibility for learners, but some—including seniors—may feel left behind by newer technology. Figuring out how to teach technology to seniors now seems more important than ever.

Programs don’t want seniors to miss out on learning opportunities, but sometimes computer-based learning really is the best choice. To help find a solution, we turned to former CourseStormer Chris Suggs. Chris taught basic computing to older adults as an AmeriCorps volunteer. He shared six thoughtful tips on how to teach technology to seniors.

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