How do I become a Professor?
You can apply to become a Professor by completing a Professor application. Here are some additional resources to help you get started:
- Play! Pokémon Tournament Rules and Resources page
- Team Compendium’s Compilation of Official Rulings
- Get started on becoming a Pokémon Professor!
Why do I have to wait until I am 18 years old before I can be a Professor?
The Professor Program is designed to expand Play! Pokémon. Professors often act as Judges at Pokémon tournaments. They ensure that the rules of the game are followed during tournaments while answering questions competitors may have. Professors can also be Tournament Organizers, League Assistants, or may assist in the organization, execution, and marketing of Pokémon competitive events. Because of the responsibility involved with this role, Play! Pokémon feels that adults are best suited to assist in these matters.
Why have I been asked to submit to a background check?
The Pokémon Company International is committed to helping to create a safe environment for everyone who participates in tournaments affiliated with Pokémon, especially for our younger fans. In furthering that goal, The Pokémon Company International conducts both regular and random background checks on people involved in running Pokémon tournaments.
Please keep in mind that applicants will have a finite number of opportunities to complete the background check process. Taking some measure of care to ensure the accuracy and completeness of requested information may prevent a scenario where you are unable to hold a Professor role.
What steps do I need to take to become a Professor?
Get started by navigating to Become a Pokémon Professor. If you are looking for more details about how to apply for your store to become a Play! Pokémon Store, please see our onboarding articles.
Why are there so many requirements to apply to be a Professor?
The application process is the main way that we can gather information on whether someone is a good match for the Professor Program. Things like the way a person asks for information or assistance, past interactions with Play! Pokémon, the application itself, and the results of a required background check all give us some indication about a potential applicant. By looking at these interactions, we are able to get a fairly good idea of an applicant’s professionalism, ability to communicate with tact and clarity, and ability to follow instructions. Because these traits are all extremely important parts of being a good Professor and because we dedicate a lot of effort and resources to supporting these applicants once they have been approved, we have this system in place, which requires some effort and communication on your part.