diff --git a/app/controllers/auth/registrations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/auth/registrations_controller.rb
index 8f1909183..63632162e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/auth/registrations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/auth/registrations_controller.rb
@@ -145,7 +145,13 @@ class Auth::RegistrationsController < Devise::RegistrationsController
   end
 
   def determine_layout
-    %w(edit update).include?(action_name) ? 'admin' : 'auth'
+    if %w(edit update).include?(action_name)
+      'admin'
+    elsif action_name == 'new'
+      'academy-signup'
+    else
+      'auth'
+    end
   end
 
   def set_sessions
diff --git a/app/javascript/images/academy-mascot.webp b/app/javascript/images/academy-mascot.webp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..17d4e23ef
Binary files /dev/null and b/app/javascript/images/academy-mascot.webp differ
diff --git a/app/javascript/styles/application.scss b/app/javascript/styles/application.scss
index b65bb02d4..a0ba2c11e 100644
--- a/app/javascript/styles/application.scss
+++ b/app/javascript/styles/application.scss
@@ -23,5 +23,6 @@
 @import 'mastodon/dashboard';
 @import 'mastodon/rtl';
 @import 'mastodon/accessibility';
+@import 'mastodon/academy';
 
 @import 'activitypub-visualization';
diff --git a/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/academy.scss b/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/academy.scss
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a2991e3b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/javascript/styles/mastodon/academy.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+.academy-signup-container {
+  max-width: 1150px;
+  margin: 20px auto;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+
+  .title {
+    font-size: 50px;
+    font-weight: 700;
+    margin-bottom: 30px;
+  }
+
+  .subtitle {
+    font-size: 28px;
+    line-height: 32px;
+    color: #d9e1e8;
+    margin-bottom: 20px;
+  }
+
+  p {
+    font-size: 20px;
+    line-height: 26px;
+    color: #d9e1e8;
+    margin: 15px 0;
+  }
+
+  .mascot {
+    width: 500px;
+    max-width: 100%;
+    transform: scaleX(-1);
+  }
+
+  a {
+    color: #8c8dff;
+    text-decoration: underline;
+
+    &:hover {
+      text-decoration: none;
+    }
+  }
+
+  & > * {
+    padding: 15px;
+  }
+}
+
+@media screen and (max-width: 1150px) {
+  .academy-signup-container {
+    max-width: 800px;
+    flex-direction: column;
+
+    .title {
+      font-size: 40px;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+@media screen and (max-width: 450px) {
+  .academy-signup-container {
+    .title {
+      font-size: 30px;
+    }
+
+    .subtitle {
+      font-size: 24px;
+    }
+
+    p {
+      font-size: 18px;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/views/auth/registrations/new.html.haml b/app/views/auth/registrations/new.html.haml
index 02ebafd58..0e9a7684e 100644
--- a/app/views/auth/registrations/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/auth/registrations/new.html.haml
@@ -4,32 +4,32 @@
 - content_for :header_tags do
   = render partial: 'shared/og', locals: { description: description_for_sign_up }
 
-= simple_form_for(resource, as: resource_name, url: registration_path(resource_name), html: { novalidate: false }) do |f|
-  %h1.title= t('auth.sign_up.title', domain: site_hostname)
-  %p.lead= t('auth.sign_up.activity_log_preamble_html')
+.academy-introduction
+  %h1.title ActivityPub.Academy
+  %p.subtitle Explore the ActivityPub protocol interactively
 
-  = render 'shared/error_messages', object: resource
 
-  - if @invite.present? && @invite.autofollow?
-    .fields-group.invited-by
-      %p.hint= t('invites.invited_by')
-      = render 'application/card', account: @invite.user.account
+  %p ActivityPub.Academy is a learning resource for <a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/activitypub/">ActivityPub</a>. The protocol is brought to life by showing Activities sent between different instances in real time!
 
-  .fields-group
-    = f.input :confirm_password, as: :string, placeholder: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.password')), required: false, input_html: { 'aria-label' => t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.password')), :autocomplete => 'off' }, hint: false
-    = f.input :website, as: :url, wrapper: :with_label, label: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: 'Website'), required: false, input_html: { 'aria-label' => t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: 'Website'), :autocomplete => 'off' }
+  %p Sign up for a fully functioning Mastodon account (accounts are deleted after one day, but you can always create a new one). Follow other accounts, create posts, boost &amp; like, and see the effects on the protocol visualized.
+
+  %p Learn more on my <a href="//seb.jambor.dev">blog</a>.
+
+  = simple_form_for(resource, as: resource_name, url: registration_path(resource_name), html: { novalidate: false }) do |f|
+
+    = render 'shared/error_messages', object: resource
 
-  - if approved_registrations? && !@invite.present?
     .fields-group
-      = f.simple_fields_for :invite_request, resource.invite_request || resource.build_invite_request do |invite_request_fields|
-        = invite_request_fields.input :text, as: :text, wrapper: :with_block_label, required: Setting.require_invite_text
+      = f.input :confirm_password, as: :string, placeholder: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.password')), required: false, input_html: { 'aria-label' => t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.password')), :autocomplete => 'off' }, hint: false
+      = f.input :website, as: :url, wrapper: :with_label, label: t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: 'Website'), required: false, input_html: { 'aria-label' => t('simple_form.labels.defaults.honeypot', label: 'Website'), :autocomplete => 'off' }
 
+    = hidden_field_tag :accept, params[:accept]
+    = f.input :invite_code, as: :hidden
 
-  = hidden_field_tag :accept, params[:accept]
-  = f.input :invite_code, as: :hidden
+    .fields-group
+      = f.input :agreement, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label, label: t('auth.privacy_policy_agreement_html', rules_path: about_more_path, privacy_policy_path: privacy_policy_path), required: true
 
-  .fields-group
-    = f.input :agreement, as: :boolean, wrapper: :with_label, label: t('auth.privacy_policy_agreement_html', rules_path: about_more_path, privacy_policy_path: privacy_policy_path), required: true
+    .actions
+      = f.button :button, @invite.present? ? t('auth.register') : sign_up_message, type: :submit
 
-  .actions
-    = f.button :button, @invite.present? ? t('auth.register') : sign_up_message, type: :submit
+= image_tag asset_pack_path('media/images/academy-mascot.webp'), alt: 'The Mastodon mascot wearing a university gown', class: 'mascot'
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/academy-signup.html.haml b/app/views/layouts/academy-signup.html.haml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0df672eeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/layouts/academy-signup.html.haml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+- content_for :header_tags do
+  = javascript_pack_tag 'public', crossorigin: 'anonymous'
+
+- content_for :content do
+  .academy-signup-container
+    = render 'flashes'
+
+    = yield
+
+= render template: 'layouts/application'
diff --git a/config/webpacker.yml b/config/webpacker.yml
index 4ad78a190..08e920eb0 100644
--- a/config/webpacker.yml
+++ b/config/webpacker.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ default: &default
     - .jpg
     - .jpeg
     - .png
+    - .webp
     - .tiff
     - .ico
     - .svg