Hello, and Welcome to Judge Academy!

Here, we believe that games change the world. Games change lives. Games connect people. Games build friendships. And, most importantly, games build communities.

A community can grow and evolve into something very special for everyone who’s a part of it. But something so special doesn’t grow on its own –  it needs a leader; someone who cares; someone willing to create an environment that encourages safe, fun, and healthy competition; someone who’s adept at both event preparation and handling a tricky customer service situation, someone who understands the importance of gaming and the community they’re helping to foster around it.

It needs a Judge Academy Judge. 

Judge Academy is here to spread knowledge and get you involved in the communities of your favorite games!

If you’ve decided to start down the judging path in Magic: The Gathering, the next step is to decide if you wish to be a Rules Advisor or a Level 1 Judge. You won’t need to make that decision today as courses you take will count for both – and the best news is that all courses at Rules Advisor and Level 1 are absolutely free for anyone with a Judge Academy account. We invite you learn more about the game you love and how to help bolster your community through our extensive catalog of courses. But what makes these two starting roles different?

The Rules Advisor certification allows for a player to set themselves apart in their communities with a heightened understanding of Magic rules and interactions. This certification is perfect for individuals who wish to offer additional assistance in resolving complicated game situations, or answer rules-related questions from other players.

A Level 1 Judge has demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the Comprehensive Rules and Regular REL policies to fully run a small store-level event such as an FNM.  A Level 1 Judge will have a basic understanding of what needs to be done to make sure a Tournament runs smoothly and help the players feel welcomed and have fun.

All that said, let’s take a look at the different courses and how they work.

If you have any questions about how things work, you can always ping us on Discord or via email.