Overview
A Study Hall is a focused learning space where you connect with other campus members, share insights, collaborate on projects, and engage in meaningful discussions. Think of it as a dedicated room in your campus where transformation happens through peer accountability and collaboration.
This guide shows you how to create your first Study Hall and configure it for maximum engagement and learning outcomes.
Why This Matters for Your Learning
Study Halls are where real transformation happens. Members who actively participate in Study Halls complete 3x more learning paths and achieve better outcomes than those who just consume content passively. Your Study Hall becomes a micro-community that drives peer accountability, live interaction, and real results.
Setting up your first Study Hall is your first step from passive learner to active community builder.
Creating Your Study Hall
Step 1: Navigate to Your Campus Dashboard
Log into your campus and locate the Campus Dashboard. In the left sidebar, you’ll see Study Halls under the main navigation.
Click Study Halls to open the Study Hall management panel.
New to campus platforms? Bookmark this dashboard page now–you’ll use it regularly. Click the star in your browser to save this location.
Step 2: Launch the Study Hall Creator
In the Study Hall panel, you’ll see any existing Study Halls (if you’ve created any before). To create a new one, click the New Study Hall button at the top right.
A popup will appear asking what you want to create: Study Hall, Learning Path, or Link. Select Study Hall.
[Screenshot: Study Hall panel showing “New Study Hall” button]
Pro Tip: Start with ONE Study Hall focused on your biggest learning goal. Multiple Study Halls spread your attention thin and reduce your completion rate. Build one thriving Study Hall before expanding to a second.
Step 3: Complete Study Hall Details
A new window appears where you’ll provide the foundation for your Study Hall:
Study Hall Title
Choose a clear, outcome-focused name that tells people exactly what this Study Hall is about.
Good Examples:
- “Master Email Marketing in 90 Days”
- “Build Your First Online Course”
- “WordPress for Beginners: Get Your Site Live”
Avoid Generic Names:
- “Marketing” (too vague)
- “WordPress” (no outcome)
- “Learning Group” (meaningless)
Why This Matters: Specific names help the right people find your Study Hall and stay committed. “Master Email Marketing” attracts members ready to take action, not just browsers.
Study Hall Slug
The slug is the URL identifier for this Study Hall (e.g., yoursite.com/campus/master-email-marketing).
Keep it:
- Short and readable
- Use hyphens between words (not underscores)
- Match the title when possible
Example: If title is “Master Email Marketing in 90 Days,” slug could be master-email-marketing
Study Hall Description
Write 2-3 sentences explaining what this Study Hall is about and who it’s for.
Cover:
- What specific outcome this Study Hall delivers
- Who this is for (skill level, goals)
- What members will do together
Example:
“This Study Hall helps course creators master email marketing for launches and evergreen sales. We work through campaign strategies, automation setups, and copywriting together. Perfect for beginners to intermediate marketers ready to grow their lists and revenue.”
Privacy Settings
Choose who can see and join your Study Hall:
Public – Anyone can see and join this Study Hall
Use when: Building broad community, want discovery and growth, comfortable with open participation
Private – Only invited members can see and join
Use when: Curated groups, paid access, or working with sensitive topics
Recommended for beginners: Start here to reduce anxiety about “getting it perfect”
Secret – Study Hall doesn’t appear in searches, invite-only
Use when: Executive groups, beta testing, or highly selective communities
Feeling nervous about launching? Choose Private. You can always change to Public later once you’re comfortable. This removes the pressure and increases your follow-through.
Lock Screen Type
This controls who can see Study Hall content.
Select based on your goals:
- Members Only – Only enrolled campus members can view
- Any Logged-in User – Anyone with an account can peek in
- Anyone – Public preview available
Recommendation: Members Only (builds exclusivity and value)
Main Group
If your campus has multiple groups or departments, you can categorize your Study Hall here. For most campus members, leaving this as “General” or “Main Campus” works fine.
Who Can View Study Hall Members
Controls visibility of the member list:
- Member Only – Only Study Hall participants see who else is enrolled
- Campus Owner/Guide Only – Only campus leadership sees the list
- Any Logged-in User – Anyone on campus can see the roster
- Anyone – Public member list
Privacy Consideration: For safe, contained spaces, choose “Member Only”.
Once all details are complete, click Continue to proceed to customization.
[Screenshot: Study Hall Details form filled out with example data]
Step 4: Configure Study Hall Settings
This screen lets you fine-tune how your Study Hall operates:
Post Permissions
“Only Campus Owner or Campus Guide can create posts”
Enable this if you want tight content control (like in a course-based Study Hall where facilitators deliver structured content).
When to use:
- Structured learning paths where a facilitator guides the journey
- Preventing spam or off-topic discussions
- Building authority-based teaching spaces
When to avoid:
- Peer-learning communities where everyone shares
- Collaborative project spaces
- Member-led discussion groups
Default for Beginners: Leave disabled to encourage participation–you can always enable later if needed.
Right Sidebar
“Show Right Sidebar in the Study Hall”
The sidebar displays member lists, related resources, and navigation.
Recommendation: Enable this–it increases navigation clarity and helps you connect with other active members.
Member Count Visibility
“Hide Member Count From Study Halls Page”
Some Study Hall creators prefer privacy around their Study Hall size.
When to hide: Small Study Halls where low numbers might discourage joining
When to show: Growing Study Halls where numbers build social proof
Pro Tip: In the first 30 days, hide member count while you’re building momentum. Once you hit 10-15 active members, show the count to leverage social proof.
File and Document Library
“Enable File and Document Library for this Study Hall”
This allows members to upload resources, worksheets, templates, and shared files.
Recommendation: Enable this for:
- Project-based Study Halls
- Resource-sharing communities
- Collaborative learning spaces
Note: Organize files in folders (Week 1, Week 2, Templates, etc.) to prevent chaos.
Default Layout Style
Choose how Study Hall content displays:
Grid View – Visual, card-based layout (good for image-heavy content)
List View – Text-focused, chronological feed (better for discussions)
Recommendation: List View for discussion-based Study Halls, Grid View for showcase/portfolio spaces
Group Chat
“Enable Group Chat for this Study Hall”
Creates a live chat channel for Study Hall members.
When to enable:
- Active, engaged communities ready for real-time discussion
- Time-sensitive collaborations
- Accountability check-ins
When to avoid:
- Brand new Study Halls (build async engagement first)
- Study Halls with international members across time zones
Recommended Progression: Start without chat, enable after 2-3 weeks of active async engagement.
Images
Thumbnail Image – Small square image that represents the Study Hall in lists and navigation (recommended size: 400x400px)
Featured Image – Larger banner image at the top of the Study Hall page (recommended size: 1200x400px)
Quick Tip: Free tools like Canva make creating these images simple. Search “Study Hall banner template” in Canva for ready-made designs. Choose images that reflect the Study Hall’s outcome (e.g., laptop for tech Study Halls, people collaborating for peer learning).
Once all settings are configured, click Create to finalize your Study Hall.
[Screenshot: Customization settings panel with recommended options selected]
Common Questions
“Should I create multiple Study Halls at once?”
No. Start with ONE focused Study Hall. Creating 3-5 Study Halls on day one spreads your facilitation energy thin and reduces completion rates. Build one thriving Study Hall (15+ active members, regular discussions) before expanding to a second.
“What if nobody joins my Study Hall?”
This is completely normal in the first week. Here’s what to do:
- Personally invite 3-5 peers who share the learning goal
- Post 1-2 valuable insights immediately (seed content)
- Ask a question to spark the first discussion
Momentum builds from early champions, not passive discovery. Private invitations work much better than public announcements.
“How much time should I spend facilitating each week?”
Start with 15 minutes daily: review new posts, respond to questions, encourage participation with supportive comments. As other active members step up, this can drop to 30 minutes 2-3x weekly.
“Can I change privacy settings later?”
Yes! Study Halls can evolve. Many people start with Private to build confidence, then shift to Public after 4-6 weeks once the Study Hall has momentum and proven value.
“What’s the ideal size for a Study Hall?”
Sweet spot: 15-40 active members. Below 15 can feel empty; above 40 makes facilitation challenging. If your Study Hall grows beyond 50 members, consider splitting into two focused Study Halls (e.g., “Email Marketing Beginners” and “Email Marketing Advanced”).
What to Do Next
You just created your first Study Hall–congratulations! Here’s your immediate action path:
Within 24 Hours:
- Post the First Campus Update – Share an insight, ask a question, or introduce the Study Hall purpose. This “breaks the seal” and models participation.
- Invite 3-5 Founding Members – Personal invitations to peers who share this learning goal. These early champions set the engagement tone.
- Set a Weekly Facilitation Schedule – Block 15 minutes daily or 30 minutes 3x weekly for Study Hall check-ins.
This Week:
- Respond to every member comment within 24 hours (builds momentum)
- Post 2-3 discussion prompts or insights
- Welcome each new member personally
This Month:
- Identify 1-2 active members who could help facilitate discussions
- Run your first live session (30-minute Q&A or working session)
- Review your engagement: active members, discussion frequency, completion tracking
Timeline: Complete these steps in the first 7 days to maintain activation energy and member commitment.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Issue: Can’t Find the “New Study Hall” Button
Why This Happens: Permissions might be restricted to Campus Owners only.
How to Fix: Contact your Campus Owner and ask them to enable “Members can create Study Halls” in the campus settings.
Workaround: Ask your Campus Owner to create the Study Hall for you, then transfer ownership.
Issue: Study Hall Doesn’t Appear After Creation
Why This Happens: Might be set to Secret privacy or pending approval if moderation is enabled.
How to Fix:
- Check your privacy setting (Secret Study Halls won’t show in directories)
- Verify the Study Hall appears in your personal dashboard
- Contact your Campus Owner if it’s still missing
Related Articles
Get Started:
- Inviting Your First Members to a Study Hall
- Understanding Study Hall Privacy Settings
Go Deeper:
- Creating Your First Campus Update
- How to Facilitate Engaging Discussions
- Building Peer Accountability in Your Study Hall
Master the System:
- From Study Hall to Transformation: Tracking Your Progress
- Growing Your Study Hall from 5 to 50 Members
- Advanced Study Hall Strategies for Campus Leaders
Need help? Join our TrainingSites Campus Community for live support and Study Hall examples.
Video Walkthrough: Watch the 8-minute Study Hall setup tutorial on YouTube