Everything in TeachHero hangs off a term: classes, programs, enrollment, fees, and payment plans all belong to one. So the first real decision you make is how long a term should be. This guide helps you pick — and shows why you don't need short terms just to bill monthly.
The one rule that simplifies the decision
How often you get paid is separate from how long your term is. A year-long term can still collect tuition monthly — you just add a payment plan with ten monthly installment dates. So don't choose quarters because you want quarterly payments; choose your term length by how often your enrollment actually changes.
Compare the three structures
| Structure | Best for | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| One yearly term | Schools where students commit for the whole year | One registration, one set of fees, one enrollment push per year. Least admin work. Use a payment plan for monthly or quarterly tuition. |
| Two semesters | Schools where classes or rosters change at mid-year | Families re-enroll (and can be charged registration) each semester. You can open spring enrollment while fall is still running. |
| Quarters | Enrichment programs, co-ops, and rolling sessions | Maximum flexibility for families who join for a session at a time — at the cost of four setup-and-enroll cycles a year. |
Whichever you pick, later terms are cheap to create: Manage → Copy term duplicates a term with all of its classes, programs, and settings.
Set it up
- Go to Enrollment → Terms and click New term.
- Name it the way families will read it — "2026–2027 School Year", "Fall Semester", "Session 1".
- Set the start and end dates, total Seats, and Eligible student levels.
- Open the term, click Edit term, and decide on Require pre-registration — ON means families register for the term before picking classes; OFF means enrolling in a class registers them automatically.
Deep dive: Managing Terms
Note: New terms start Closed and unpublished, so you can build everything before families see it. When you're ready to launch, follow Opening enrollment for a new term.
Tips per structure
- Yearly term — put your registration fee and tuition on this one term (see Setting up registration fees, tuition, and payment plans), and add a payment plan like "10 Monthly Payments" so the long commitment doesn't mean one big bill.
- Semesters — create both semesters up front by copying the first, so returning families can be moved or enrolled ahead of time. If a student registered for the wrong semester, Move transfers their registration without re-entering anything.
- Quarters — lean on Copy term and the roster Copy students actions each cycle, and keep fees on classes rather than the term if families pay per class.
Recommended reading, in order
- Managing Terms — create the term and understand its settings.
- Enrollment Process — how registration and enrollment fit together.
- Managing Fees — decide which charges live on the term vs. the class.
- Payment Plans — decouple billing frequency from term length.