How to run a cohort-based course: a practical guide for creators

This guide is for creators who have taught a topic before (or sold a self-paced course) and want to run it live. Full disclosure: we make Eden, which has cohorts built in. The steps work on any platform.

Cohort vs. self-paced: which should you run?

	Self-paced course	Cohort-based course
Start date	Any time	Set dates
Your time	Build once	Live every week of the run
Price	Usually lower	Usually higher, because you're there
Completion	Often low	Usually much higher
Best for	Skills people learn alone	Skills that need feedback and deadlines

Completion is the big difference. Across MIT and Harvard's free, self-paced online courses, only about 3% of learners finished in 2017-18 (MIT Teaching Systems Lab). Cohort platforms report far higher numbers: Andreessen Horowitz, investing in the cohort platform Maven, cited completion above 75% for cohort-based courses. That's an investor's figure, not a study, but the reason is easy to see. Dates, a group, and a live call every week create the deadlines self-paced courses lack.

Many creators run both: a cohort a few times a year, and the recorded version as a self-paced course in between.

Step 1: Set the shape

Decide these before you sell anything:

• Length. Four to six weeks is common. Long enough to get a result, short enough to finish.
• Live sessions. One a week, 60 to 90 minutes. Teach a little, then work on students' real problems.
• Seats. A cap keeps calls useful and creates real scarcity. 20 to 50 is a good first run.
• Lesson schedule. Open one section a week so the group moves together, or everything at the start.
• Where the group talks. A Discord, Skool, WhatsApp, or Slack group.

Step 2: Price it

A cohort includes your live time, so it's worth more than the recording alone. Price by the outcome and by how much of you students get. Offer an early price for the first run, and raise it once you have results and testimonials. For later runs, offer past students a discount to join again, or sell the recording as a cheaper self-paced option.

Step 3: Sell the first run

• Announce a date. "Doors close Friday, we start Monday" sells better than "join any time."
• Show seats left. Real scarcity is honest urgency.
• Open a waitlist when full. Every name on it is a buyer for the next run.
• Answer the time question. State exactly how many hours a week students need.

Step 4: Run the sessions

• Collect questions before each call. Let students post them in advance and vote for the ones they want answered. You'll prepare better, and quiet students still get heard.
• Teach less, coach more. A short lesson, then hot seats on real student work.
• Record everything. Post the recording the same day for anyone who missed it.
• Send reminders. A day before and an hour before, with the join link.
• Give homework. Something small to do before the next call, and look at it.

Step 5: Keep people from falling behind

• Check who's stuck after week one and message them directly.
• Pair students up so they hold each other accountable.
• Give them help between calls. A week is a long time to wait for an answer. An AI tutor trained on your lessons can answer questions, explain, and review work any time. On Eden, cohorts come with one by default.

Step 6: Plan the next run

Ask for testimonials in the last session, while results are fresh. Fix the lessons students struggled with. Open the next cohort's waitlist before this one ends, and invite this group's graduates to refer friends.

How to run a cohort on Eden

1. Go to Your store → Products → New product → Cohort.
2. Set the name and price, then add lessons in sections. Sections are what open week by week.
3. On the Schedule step, click New cohort. Set the start and end dates, time zone, seats, waitlist, and whether late joins are allowed.
4. Choose how lessons open: All at the start, One section a week, or On dates I pick.
5. Add live sessions with join links. For a weekly call, set up the first one and fill in the rest in one click.
6. Paste your group chat link. Only students in that cohort see it.
7. Publish.

Students see the next cohort's dates and seats left on your page. Once in, they get a list of live sessions in their own time zone, Join from 15 minutes before each call, a question thread for each session, Add to calendar buttons, and reminder emails a day and an hour before. When you add a recording, they get an email with the link. When a cohort fills and the waitlist is on, the buy button becomes Join the waitlist, and waitlist signups can go to your email list.

A cohort comes with an AI chat that knows your lessons. Locked sections stay locked for the AI too, so it can't spoil next week. Selling needs the $29 Starter plan, and Eden takes 5% per sale. Full steps: run a cohort.

Other platforms for cohorts

• Maven is built for cohorts and has a marketplace of learners. It keeps 10% of each sale, with no monthly fee.
• Kajabi includes cohort courses, with plans from $179 a month.
• Circle supports courses on fixed dates inside a community, from $89 a month billed yearly.
• Thinkific includes live cohorts from its Start plan at $109 a month.

More in the best online course platforms.

Frequently asked questions

What is a cohort-based course?

An online course where a group of students starts on the same date and goes through it together, usually with weekly live sessions, a group chat, and deadlines.

How long should a cohort run?

Four to six weeks is common. Long enough to get a real result, short enough that people finish.

How many students should be in a cohort?

20 to 50 is a good first run. Small enough that everyone gets attention on live calls.

Can I sell a cohort and a self-paced course at the same time?

Yes. Run the cohort a few times a year and sell the recordings as a self-paced course, or as a cheaper tier, in between.

Ready to run your first cohort? Start Eden free, build the lessons, and set your dates.