Academic proofreading service and editing for students

In short: FLN Tutors gives academic proofreading and editing from editors with degrees in your field. Editors correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, consistency and referencing format in Microsoft Word with Track Changes, and flag unclear sentences with comments. They do not rewrite your arguments, add content or change your ideas, in line with typical UK university proofreading policies.

Academic proofreading is a final, careful check of your writing for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, consistency and formatting before you submit it. Academic editing goes further, improving clarity, flow and structure. At FLN Tutors, academic editors with degrees in your field do both, using Track Changes so you approve every correction.

• Essays, reports, dissertations, theses and journal articles
• UK or US English, applied consistently
• Referencing checked against your style guide

Ready to polish your work? Get a free proofreading quote: upload your document and see the price for your word count and deadline.

Choose proofreading if your argument and structure are final and you need a clean, error-free document. Choose editing if you also want help making your writing clearer, tighter and more academic. Neither service rewrites your ideas or adds new content.

At most UK universities, yes. Third-party proofreading is allowed within limits that the university sets out in its proofreading policy. Proofreaders may usually correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and formatting, but must not rewrite arguments, add content or change your ideas. Share your university's policy and your editor will follow it.

The table below is general guidance based on typical UK university proofreading policies. Policies vary between universities and sometimes between departments, so always check yours.

See our academic integrity policy for more.

Every change is made in Microsoft Word with Track Changes, so you see exactly what was altered and can accept or reject each edit. Comments explain anything you need to decide. For example, a long sentence might be split in two for clarity, a tense corrected for consistency, a citation fixed to match your reference list, or a comment added asking you to support a claim with a source.

These examples are illustrative. The editor fixes the language and flags content questions; the decisions about your argument stay with you.

A thorough proofread follows a checklist so nothing is missed. Editors work through every line, then check the document as a whole for consistency.

1. Spelling, including UK or US variants used consistently
2. Grammar, tense consistency and subject–verb agreement
3. Punctuation, including commas, apostrophes and hyphens
4. Word choice, repetition and academic tone
5. Numbers, abbreviations and terminology used consistently
6. In-text citations matched to the reference list (Harvard, APA 7, MLA, Chicago, OSCOLA)
7. Headings, numbering, tables, figures and captions
8. Your handbook's formatting rules, such as margins, spacing and fonts

Choose UK or US English to match your university or journal, then apply it consistently. Editors check spelling, punctuation conventions and date formats throughout the document. Many UK universities accept either, as long as you are consistent.

For style rules, editors follow your referencing guide, such as APA Style or OSCOLA.

Long documents need extra care because inconsistencies build up across chapters. Editors check terminology, abbreviations, figure and table numbering, cross-references and the reference list across the whole dissertation or thesis. For PhD theses and journal articles you can request an editor with a postgraduate degree in your field.

• Undergraduate and master's dissertations
• PhD theses, including the abstract and acknowledgements
• Journal articles formatted to the journal's author guidelines
• Research proposals and grant applications

Need help with content as well? See dissertation help.

Editors work on most academic and application documents. Each type has its own priorities, from consistency across chapters in a thesis to tone and character limits in a personal statement.

Most academic documents share the same handful of errors, and fixing them noticeably improves clarity and marks. Editors look for these first.

• Long sentences that hide the main point
• Inconsistent tense, spelling (UK vs US) or terminology
• Comma splices and missing apostrophes
• Vague words such as 'things' or 'very' instead of precise terms
• In-text citations missing from the reference list, or vice versa
• Inconsistent heading styles, figure numbers and captions

Self-proofreading works best when you separate it from writing and check one thing at a time. Professional editing then catches what you miss.

1. Take a break before proofreading, ideally a day.
2. Read aloud or use text-to-speech to hear awkward sentences.
3. Check one issue per pass: spelling, then punctuation, then references.
4. Print it or change the font to see it with fresh eyes.
5. Check every citation against the reference list.
6. Run a spell-check last, not first.

Proofreading needs are similar worldwide, but spelling conventions, referencing styles and university rules on editing differ. FLN editors work with students in many countries and follow your institution's guidance.

Academic proofreading is priced by word count, the level of service (proofreading or editing) and turnaround, and you see a fixed quote before you pay. Shorter documents can often be returned within 24 hours; dissertations and theses usually take a few days.

Ready to polish your work? Get a free proofreading quote: upload your document and see the price for your word count and deadline.

Our editors have degrees in the subject areas they edit and strong academic English, and they're experienced with both native and non-native English writers. Your document is seen only by your editor and is never shared or reused.

• Free revisions within the original brief
• Full refund if work isn't delivered by the agreed deadline or has major inaccuracies that can't be fixed (refund policy)

Also useful: essay help and research paper help.

This fictional dissertation paragraph shows the difference between the two levels of service. In both cases, the ideas and evidence stay the student's own.

Every change is tracked in Word, so the student accepts or rejects each one.