diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dc0d753..69b364d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ server {
 When a user upgrades their account level to `student` or `editor`:
 
 1. A doc in the `_users` db is created with their Firebase Authentication info, account level, and a password they can use for syncing their personal wordlistdb
-2. A user database is created (by the firebase functions - *not* by the couchdb_peruser) which they use to sync their personal wordlist.  
+2. A user database is created (automatically by `couchdb_peruser`) which they use to sync their personal wordlist.  
 
 There is also a `review-tasks` database which is used to store all the review tasks for editors and syncs with the review tasks in the app for the editor(s). 
 
diff --git a/account/src/lib/couch-db.ts b/account/src/lib/couch-db.ts
index 014e016..0c082a3 100644
--- a/account/src/lib/couch-db.ts
+++ b/account/src/lib/couch-db.ts
@@ -95,8 +95,10 @@ export async function updateLingdocsUser(uuid: T.UUID, toUpdate:
     level: "student",
     wordlistDbName: T.WordlistDbName,
     couchDbPassword: T.UserDbPassword,
+    requestedUpgradeToStudent: undefined,
   } |
-  { userTextOptionsRecord: T.UserTextOptionsRecord }
+  { userTextOptionsRecord: T.UserTextOptionsRecord } |
+  { requestedUpgradeToStudent: true }
 ): Promise<T.LingdocsUser> {
   const user = await getLingdocsUser("userId", uuid);
   if (!user) throw new Error("unable to update - user not found " + uuid);
diff --git a/account/src/lib/mail-utils.ts b/account/src/lib/mail-utils.ts
index 09711fc..8267eca 100644
--- a/account/src/lib/mail-utils.ts
+++ b/account/src/lib/mail-utils.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import * as T from "../../../website/src/lib/account-types";
 
 type Address = string | { name: string, address: string };
 
-const from: Address = {
+const adminAddress: Address = {
     name: "LingDocs Admin",
     address: "admin@lingdocs.com",
 };
@@ -31,31 +31,53 @@ const transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
 
 async function sendEmail(to: Address, subject: string, text: string) {
     await transporter.sendMail({
-        from,
+        from: adminAddress,
         to,
         subject,
         text,
     });
 }
 
-// TODO: MAKE THIS 
+// TODO: MAKE THIS A URL ACROSS PROJECT
 const baseURL = inProd ? "https://account.lingdocs.com" : "http://localhost:4000";
 
 export async function sendVerificationEmail(user: T.LingdocsUser, token: T.URLToken) {
+    const subject = "Please Verify Your E-mail";
     const content = `Hello ${user.name},
 
 Please verify your email by visiting this link: ${baseURL}/email-verification/${user.userId}/${token}
 
 LingDocs Admin`;
-    await sendEmail(getAddress(user), "Please Verify Your E-mail", content);
+    await sendEmail(getAddress(user), subject, content);
 }
 
 export async function sendPasswordResetEmail(user: T.LingdocsUser, token: T.URLToken) {
+    const subject = "Reset Your Password";
     const content = `Hello ${user.name},
 
 Please visit this link to reset your password: ${baseURL}/password-reset/${user.userId}/${token}
 
 LingDocs Admin`;
 
-    await sendEmail(getAddress(user), "Reset Your Password", content);
+    await sendEmail(getAddress(user), subject, content);
+}
+
+export async function sendAccountUpgradeMessage(user: T.LingdocsUser) {
+    const subject = "You've Upgraded to Student";
+    const content = `Hello ${user.name},
+    
+Congratulations on your upgrade to a LingDocs Student account! 👨‍🎓
+
+Now you can start using your wordlist in the dictionary. It will automatically sync across any devices you're signed in to.
+
+LingDocs Admin`;
+
+    await sendEmail(getAddress(user), subject, content);
+}
+
+export async function sendUpgradeRequestToAdmin(user: T.LingdocsUser) {
+    const subject = "Account Upgrade Request";
+    const content = `${user.name} - ${user.email} - ${user.userId} is requesting to upgrade to student.`;
+
+    await sendEmail(adminAddress, subject, content);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/account/src/routers/api-router.ts b/account/src/routers/api-router.ts
index fe68c3b..e3c38a2 100644
--- a/account/src/routers/api-router.ts
+++ b/account/src/routers/api-router.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ import {
     getEmailTokenAndHash,
 } from "../lib/password-utils";
 import {
+    sendAccountUpgradeMessage,
+    sendUpgradeRequestToAdmin,
     sendVerificationEmail,
 } from "../lib/mail-utils";
 import * as T from "../../../website/src/lib/account-types";
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ apiRouter.put("/user/userTextOptionsRecord", async (req, res, next) => {
     } catch (e) {
         next(e);
     }
-})
+});
 
 apiRouter.put("/user/upgrade", async (req, res, next) => {
     if (!req.user) throw new Error("user not found");
@@ -133,9 +135,14 @@ apiRouter.put("/user/upgrade", async (req, res, next) => {
         // add user to couchdb authentication db
         const { password, userDbName } = await addCouchDbAuthUser(userId);
         // // create user db
-        // const { name } = await createWordlistDatabase(userId, password);
         // update LingdocsUser
-        const u = await updateLingdocsUser(userId, { level: "student", wordlistDbName: userDbName, couchDbPassword: password });
+        const u = await updateLingdocsUser(userId, {
+            level: "student",
+            wordlistDbName: userDbName,
+            couchDbPassword: password,
+            requestedUpgradeToStudent: undefined,
+        });
+        sendAccountUpgradeMessage(u).catch(console.error);
         const upgraded: T.UpgradeUserResponse = {
             ok: true,
             message: "user upgraded to student",
@@ -147,6 +154,20 @@ apiRouter.put("/user/upgrade", async (req, res, next) => {
     }
 });
 
+apiRouter.post("/user/upgradeToStudentRequest", async (req, res, next) => {
+    if (!req.user) throw new Error("user not found");
+    try {
+        if (req.user.level === "student" || req.user.level === "editor") {
+           res.send({ ok: true, message: "user already upgraded "});
+           return;
+        }
+        sendUpgradeRequestToAdmin(req.user).catch(console.error);
+        await updateLingdocsUser(req.user.userId, { requestedUpgradeToStudent: true });
+    } catch (e) {
+        next(e);
+    }
+});
+
 /**
  * deletes a users own account
  */
diff --git a/website/src/lib/account-types.ts b/website/src/lib/account-types.ts
index 90a5854..2c599c8 100644
--- a/website/src/lib/account-types.ts
+++ b/website/src/lib/account-types.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ export type LingdocsUser = {
         tokenHash: Hash,
         requestedOn: TimeStamp,
     },
+    requestedUpgradeToStudent?: boolean,
     tests: [],
     lastLogin: TimeStamp,
     lastActive: TimeStamp,
diff --git a/website/src/lib/backend-calls.ts b/website/src/lib/backend-calls.ts
index e2cc46b..e9fdf5a 100644
--- a/website/src/lib/backend-calls.ts
+++ b/website/src/lib/backend-calls.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ export async function upgradeAccount(password: string): Promise<AT.UpgradeUserRe
     return response as AT.UpgradeUserResponse;
 }
 
+export async function upgradeToStudentRequest(): Promise<AT.APIResponse> {
+    return await myFetch("account", "upgradeToStudentRequest", "POST") as AT.APIResponse;
+}
+
 export async function updateUserTextOptionsRecord(userTextOptionsRecord: AT.UserTextOptionsRecord): Promise<AT.UpdateUserTextOptionsRecordResponse> {
     const response = await myFetch("account", "user/userTextOptionsRecord", "PUT", { userTextOptionsRecord }) as AT.UpdateUserTextOptionsRecordResponse;
     return response;
diff --git a/website/src/screens/Account.tsx b/website/src/screens/Account.tsx
index 127c451..99a58bd 100644
--- a/website/src/screens/Account.tsx
+++ b/website/src/screens/Account.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
     upgradeAccount,
     signOut,
     publishDictionary,
+    upgradeToStudentRequest,
 } from "../lib/backend-calls";
 import LoadingElipses from "../components/LoadingElipses";
 import { Helmet } from "react-helmet";
@@ -51,6 +52,22 @@ const Account = ({ user, loadUser }: { user: AT.LingdocsUser | undefined, loadUs
         setUpgradePassword("");
         setUpgradeError("");
     }
+    async function handleUpgradeRequest() {
+        setUpgradeError("");
+        setWaiting(true);
+        upgradeToStudentRequest().then((res) => {
+            setWaiting(false);
+            if (res.ok) {
+                loadUser();
+                closeUpgrade();
+            } else {
+                setUpgradeError("Error requesting upgrade");
+            }
+        }).catch((err) => {
+            setWaiting(false);
+            setUpgradeError(err.message);
+        });
+    }
     async function handleUpgrade() {
         setUpgradeError("");
         setWaiting(true);
@@ -136,7 +153,7 @@ const Account = ({ user, loadUser }: { user: AT.LingdocsUser | undefined, loadUs
                                 </div>
                             </div>
                         </li>}
-                        <li className="list-group-item">Account Level: {capitalize(user.level)}</li>
+                        <li className="list-group-item">Account Level: {capitalize(user.level)} {user.requestedUpgradeToStudent ? "(Upgrade Requested)" : ""}</li>
                     </ul>
                 </div>
             </div>
@@ -167,7 +184,7 @@ const Account = ({ user, loadUser }: { user: AT.LingdocsUser | undefined, loadUs
                 <Modal.Header closeButton>
                     <Modal.Title>Upgrade Account</Modal.Title>
                 </Modal.Header>
-                <Modal.Body>Enter the secret upgrade password to upgrade your account.</Modal.Body>
+                <Modal.Body>Enter the secret upgrade password to upgrade your account or <a href="javascript:;" onClick={handleUpgradeRequest}>request an upgrade</a>.</Modal.Body>
                 <div className="form-group px-3">
                     <label htmlFor="upgradePasswordForm">Upgrade password:</label>
                     <input