About Profer
Restoring the master-student relationship through a free-market approach to higher education.
Our Mission
Profer's mission is to restore the direct master-student relationship that has always been the foundation of genuine education. We connect credentialed scholars directly with students as private-practice professors — removing from universities the sole power to bestow credentials and placing that power in the hands of the experts themselves.
Like the masters and doctors of old, our professors teach unencumbered by institutional bureaucracy. Students study under the experts of their choosing to achieve mastery and attain credentials, opening free-market possibilities that address the rising cost of higher education.
Our Vision
A world where any credentialed scholar can hang their shingle and offer accredited courses in their discipline — and any student can study under the experts of their choosing, regardless of geography, background, or institutional affiliation.
Profer envisions a free-market ecosystem for higher education that drives down costs, raises quality, and puts professors and students back at the center of the academic enterprise. Education as it was meant to be: a direct exchange between those who know and those who seek to learn.
How It Works
Apply & Get Vetted
Credentialed scholars submit their transcripts, CVs, and references. Every professor is rigorously vetted before teaching on Profer.
Build Your Course
Design a university-level course with a full syllabus, learning objectives, required readings, assignments, and transparent grading criteria.
Teach Live
Deliver live courses via Zoom with real-time discussion and interaction. Students enroll for credit or audit at accessible prices.
The Team
Dr. Nathan A. Jacobs
Founder & CEO
Ph.D., Historical Theology & Systematic Theology — Calvin University
Scholar in Residence in Philosophy and Religion at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Author of three books including works published by Cambridge University Press and University of Notre Dame Press. Dr. Jacobs specializes in modern philosophy, Eastern patristic thought, and philosophy of religion.
Driven by the conviction that the best education happens when qualified experts connect directly with motivated learners, Dr. Jacobs founded Profer to create a free-market platform where scholars can offer accredited courses as private-practice professors — restoring the direct master-student relationship at the heart of real learning.
Our Values
Academic Excellence
Every course meets university-level standards with rigorous syllabi, assessments, and learning objectives.
Scholar Freedom
Professors teach in their discipline unencumbered by institutional bureaucracy, free to focus on what they do best.
Student Access
Affordable credit and audit options make quality education accessible to students regardless of background.
Rigorous Standards
Every professor is vetted through transcripts, CVs, and references. No shortcuts, no compromises on quality.
Join the Movement
Whether you're a scholar ready to teach on your own terms or a student seeking to learn from the best, Profer is the platform for you.