---
title: "Lesson 2: How to Set Up Course Registration"
source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/software/learndash/academy/lesson-2-how-to-set-up-course-registration/"
description: "Before creating and selling courses, it’s important to understand how learners can access your content. The Course Access Settings in LearnDash let you define w…"
vertical: "Software"
area: "Academy"
topics: ["Billing and Payments", "Courses", "LearnDash 101", "LearnDash Core", "Membership Levels", "Restricting Content", "Settings"]
date: "2023-02-16"
last_modified: "2023-02-16"
---

# Lesson 2: How to Set Up Course Registration

Before creating and selling courses, it’s important to understand how learners can access your content. The **Course Access Settings** in LearnDash let you define whether a course is free, paid, subscription-based, or restricted. You’ll also find options for prerequisites, points, and access expiration.

#### Locating Course Access Settings

From your WordPress dashboard:

1. Go to **LearnDash LMS > Courses**.
2. Select the course you want to edit.
3. Click the **Settings** tab at the top.

Here you’ll see the access modes and related options.

---

#### Access Modes

LearnDash provides **five course access modes**:

- **Open**
    - Free and open to anyone visiting your site.
    - No registration, login, or payment required.
    - Progress tracking is not available unless the user is registered.
    - Linear progression does not apply.
- **Free**
    - Users must be registered and logged in.
    - No payment required.
    - A **“Take This Course”** button appears, guiding users through the registration process.
    - Administrators can also manually enroll students.
- **Buy Now**
    - Requires login and a **one-time payment**.
    - Compatible with **PayPal, Stripe, Razorpay, and 2Checkout**.
    - Not for use with eCommerce or membership plugins (use Closed instead).
    - Requires entering a price in the **Course Price** field.
    - Optional: integrate with the Achievements add-on to let users purchase using points.
- **Recurring**
    - Similar to Buy Now but requires a **subscription payment**.
    - Choose a billing cycle in days, weeks, months, or years.
    - Supports PayPal, Stripe, Razorpay, and 2Checkout.
    - Optional fields: 
        - **Recurring Times** (limit or allow unlimited cycles).
        - **Trial Price & Duration** (offer a trial period before billing begins).
    - Includes an **Enrollment URL field** for redirecting users post-enrollment.
- **Closed**
    - Users must log in and be enrolled manually, via groups, or through an external plugin.
    - Designed for **membership or eCommerce integrations**.
    - Enables a **custom button URL**, redirecting users to an external checkout page.

---

#### Course Prerequisites

Require learners to complete specific courses before accessing another. Options include:

- **Any Selected**: Completing one of the chosen courses grants access.
- **All Selected**: All chosen courses must be completed first.

You can add as many prerequisites as needed by selecting them from the dropdown list.

---

#### Course Points

Use points to reward progress or as prerequisites for advanced courses.

- **Required for Access**: Learners must earn a minimum number of points before enrolling.
- **Awarded on Completion**: Points given when a course is completed.

Example: Award 50 points for each beginner course. Require 100 points to unlock an intermediate course.

---

#### Course Access Expiration

Limit how long learners can access a course after enrolling.

- Enter the **number of days** the course remains available.
- Optional: enable **data deletion** when access expires (note that deleted data cannot be recovered).

---

### Why This Matters

Course access settings give you flexibility in how you deliver learning—whether you want completely open content, one-time sales, subscription models, or gated learning paths with prerequisites and points.

> **Tip:** Choose your access mode carefully based on your business model—subscriptions for ongoing revenue, prerequisites for structured learning paths, or free/open for lead generation.