Configurations
How to Configure Custom Subdomains and Custom Domains
Connect your own domain to your Koursely academy, with automatic SSL provisioning.
Every Koursely academy starts on a subdomain (yourname.koursely.com). Connecting your own custom domain (academy.yourbrand.com or a bare domain) makes your academy look and feel fully independent — this article covers both.
Using Your Default Subdomain
Your subdomain works immediately with no setup — it's active from the moment your account is verified. This is a completely reasonable place to launch from if you don't have a domain yet or don't want to deal with DNS before your first sale.
Connecting a Custom Domain
- Go to Settings → Domains in your admin dashboard.
- Enter the domain or subdomain you want to use (for example,
academy.yourbrand.com). - Koursely gives you a DNS record to add — typically a CNAME record pointing your domain at Koursely's infrastructure. Copy this exactly.
- Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and add the record under your domain's DNS settings.
- Return to Koursely and trigger verification. DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to propagate globally, so if verification fails immediately, wait and retry rather than assuming something is broken.
- Once verified, SSL is provisioned automatically — you don't need to upload or manage a certificate yourself.
Domain Status Reference
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | DNS record added but not yet verified — normal during propagation |
| Active | Domain verified and SSL issued — your academy is live on this domain |
| Failed | Verification could not find the expected DNS record — double-check the record was added to the correct domain/subdomain |
Using an apex/root domain (no subdomain) can be more complex than a subdomain like academy.yourbrand.com, since some DNS providers don't support CNAME records at the root level and require a different record type. If you have a choice, a subdomain is the simpler path.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does SSL provisioning take after verification?
SSL is typically issued automatically within minutes of successful domain verification — no manual certificate upload or renewal is required.
Can I switch from a custom domain back to my subdomain?
Yes, your original subdomain remains available even after connecting a custom domain, and you can disconnect the custom domain from Settings → Domains at any time.
Why is my domain stuck on "Pending" after 24 hours?
See Why Isn't My Custom Domain Verifying? for a full troubleshooting checklist.
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