diff --git a/apps/api/src/db/courses/courses.py b/apps/api/src/db/courses/courses.py
index bbc97af6..122526df 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/db/courses/courses.py
+++ b/apps/api/src/db/courses/courses.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class CourseBase(SQLModel):
     tags: Optional[str]
     thumbnail_image: Optional[str]
     public: bool
+    open_to_contributors: bool
 
 
 class Course(CourseBase, table=True):
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ class CourseUpdate(CourseBase):
     learnings: Optional[str]
     tags: Optional[str]
     public: Optional[bool]
-
+    open_to_contributors: Optional[bool]
 
 class CourseRead(CourseBase):
     id: int
diff --git a/apps/api/src/db/resource_authors.py b/apps/api/src/db/resource_authors.py
index 3f938397..51dc3e8b 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/db/resource_authors.py
+++ b/apps/api/src/db/resource_authors.py
@@ -6,9 +6,15 @@ from sqlmodel import Field, SQLModel
 
 class ResourceAuthorshipEnum(str, Enum):
     CREATOR = "CREATOR"
+    CONTRIBUTOR = "CONTRIBUTOR"
     MAINTAINER = "MAINTAINER"
     REPORTER = "REPORTER"
 
+class ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum(str, Enum):
+    ACTIVE = "ACTIVE"
+    PENDING = "PENDING"
+    INACTIVE = "INACTIVE"
+
 
 class ResourceAuthor(SQLModel, table=True):
     id: Optional[int] = Field(default=None, primary_key=True)
@@ -17,5 +23,6 @@ class ResourceAuthor(SQLModel, table=True):
         sa_column=Column(Integer, ForeignKey("user.id", ondelete="CASCADE"))
     )
     authorship: ResourceAuthorshipEnum = ResourceAuthorshipEnum.CREATOR
+    authorship_status: ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum = ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum.ACTIVE
     creation_date: str = ""
     update_date: str = ""
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routers/courses/courses.py b/apps/api/src/routers/courses/courses.py
index 700ae7f6..6867b783 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/routers/courses/courses.py
+++ b/apps/api/src/routers/courses/courses.py
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ from src.services.courses.updates import (
     get_updates_by_course_uuid,
     update_update,
 )
+from src.services.courses.contributors import (
+    apply_course_contributor,
+    update_course_contributor,
+    get_course_contributors,
+)
+from src.db.resource_authors import ResourceAuthorshipEnum, ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum
 
 
 router = APIRouter()
@@ -63,6 +69,7 @@ async def api_create_course(
         about=about,
         learnings=learnings,
         tags=tags,
+        open_to_contributors=False,
     )
     return await create_course(
         request, org_id, course, current_user, db_session, thumbnail
@@ -195,6 +202,19 @@ async def api_delete_course(
     return await delete_course(request, course_uuid, current_user, db_session)
 
 
+@router.post("/{course_uuid}/apply-contributor")
+async def api_apply_course_contributor(
+    request: Request,
+    course_uuid: str,
+    db_session: Session = Depends(get_db_session),
+    current_user: PublicUser = Depends(get_current_user),
+):
+    """
+    Apply to be a contributor for a course
+    """
+    return await apply_course_contributor(request, course_uuid, current_user, db_session)
+
+
 @router.get("/{course_uuid}/updates")
 async def api_get_course_updates(
     request: Request,
@@ -259,3 +279,41 @@ async def api_delete_course_update(
     """
 
     return await delete_update(request, courseupdate_uuid, current_user, db_session)
+
+
+@router.get("/{course_uuid}/contributors")
+async def api_get_course_contributors(
+    request: Request,
+    course_uuid: str,
+    db_session: Session = Depends(get_db_session),
+    current_user: PublicUser = Depends(get_current_user),
+):
+    """
+    Get all contributors for a course
+    """
+    return await get_course_contributors(request, course_uuid, current_user, db_session)
+
+
+@router.put("/{course_uuid}/contributors/{contributor_id}")
+async def api_update_course_contributor(
+    request: Request,
+    course_uuid: str,
+    contributor_user_id: int,
+    authorship: ResourceAuthorshipEnum,
+    authorship_status: ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum,
+    db_session: Session = Depends(get_db_session),
+    current_user: PublicUser = Depends(get_current_user),
+):
+    """
+    Update a course contributor's role and status
+    Only administrators can perform this action
+    """
+    return await update_course_contributor(
+        request,
+        course_uuid,
+        contributor_user_id,
+        authorship,
+        authorship_status,
+        current_user,
+        db_session
+    )
diff --git a/apps/api/src/security/rbac/rbac.py b/apps/api/src/security/rbac/rbac.py
index 66a2dc89..1e74fe75 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/security/rbac/rbac.py
+++ b/apps/api/src/security/rbac/rbac.py
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ async def authorization_verify_if_user_is_author(
             if resource_author.user_id == int(user_id):
                 if (resource_author.authorship == ResourceAuthorshipEnum.CREATOR) or (
                     resource_author.authorship == ResourceAuthorshipEnum.MAINTAINER
+                ) or (
+                    resource_author.authorship == ResourceAuthorshipEnum.CONTRIBUTOR
                 ):
                     return True
                 else:
diff --git a/apps/api/src/services/courses/contributors.py b/apps/api/src/services/courses/contributors.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..750c2fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/api/src/services/courses/contributors.py
@@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+from fastapi import HTTPException, Request, status
+from sqlmodel import Session, select, and_
+from src.db.users import PublicUser, AnonymousUser, User, UserRead
+from src.db.courses.courses import Course
+from src.db.resource_authors import ResourceAuthor, ResourceAuthorshipEnum, ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum
+from src.security.rbac.rbac import authorization_verify_if_user_is_anon, authorization_verify_based_on_roles_and_authorship
+from typing import List
+
+
+async def apply_course_contributor(
+    request: Request,
+    course_uuid: str,
+    current_user: PublicUser | AnonymousUser,
+    db_session: Session,
+):
+    # Verify user is not anonymous
+    await authorization_verify_if_user_is_anon(current_user.id)
+
+    # Check if course exists
+    statement = select(Course).where(Course.course_uuid == course_uuid)
+    course = db_session.exec(statement).first()
+
+    if not course:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=404,
+            detail="Course not found",
+        )
+
+    # Check if user already has any authorship role for this course
+    existing_authorship = db_session.exec(
+        select(ResourceAuthor).where(
+            and_(
+                ResourceAuthor.resource_uuid == course_uuid,
+                ResourceAuthor.user_id == current_user.id
+            )
+        )
+    ).first()
+
+    if existing_authorship:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=400,
+            detail="You already have an authorship role for this course",
+        )
+
+    # Create pending contributor application
+    resource_author = ResourceAuthor(
+        resource_uuid=course_uuid,
+        user_id=current_user.id,
+        authorship=ResourceAuthorshipEnum.CONTRIBUTOR,
+        authorship_status=ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum.PENDING,
+        creation_date=str(datetime.now()),
+        update_date=str(datetime.now()),
+    )
+
+    db_session.add(resource_author)
+    db_session.commit()
+    db_session.refresh(resource_author)
+
+    return {
+        "detail": "Contributor application submitted successfully",
+        "status": "pending"
+    }
+
+async def update_course_contributor(
+    request: Request,
+    course_uuid: str,
+    contributor_user_id: int,
+    authorship: ResourceAuthorshipEnum,
+    authorship_status: ResourceAuthorshipStatusEnum,
+    current_user: PublicUser | AnonymousUser,
+    db_session: Session,
+):
+    """
+    Update a course contributor's role and status
+    Only administrators can perform this action
+    """
+    # Verify user is not anonymous
+    await authorization_verify_if_user_is_anon(current_user.id)
+
+    # RBAC check - verify if user has admin rights
+    authorized = await authorization_verify_based_on_roles_and_authorship(
+        request, current_user.id, "update", course_uuid, db_session
+    )
+
+    if not authorized:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN,
+            detail="You are not authorized to update course contributors",
+        )
+
+    # Check if course exists
+    statement = select(Course).where(Course.course_uuid == course_uuid)
+    course = db_session.exec(statement).first()
+
+    if not course:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=404,
+            detail="Course not found",
+        )
+
+    # Check if the contributor exists for this course
+    existing_authorship = db_session.exec(
+        select(ResourceAuthor).where(
+            and_(
+                ResourceAuthor.resource_uuid == course_uuid,
+                ResourceAuthor.user_id == contributor_user_id
+            )
+        )
+    ).first()
+
+    if not existing_authorship:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=404,
+            detail="Contributor not found for this course",
+        )
+
+    # Don't allow changing the role of the creator
+    if existing_authorship.authorship == ResourceAuthorshipEnum.CREATOR:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=400,
+            detail="Cannot modify the role of the course creator",
+        )
+
+    # Update the contributor's role and status
+    existing_authorship.authorship = authorship
+    existing_authorship.authorship_status = authorship_status
+    existing_authorship.update_date = str(datetime.now())
+
+    db_session.add(existing_authorship)
+    db_session.commit()
+    db_session.refresh(existing_authorship)
+
+    return {
+        "detail": "Contributor updated successfully",
+        "status": "success"
+    }
+
+async def get_course_contributors(
+    request: Request,
+    course_uuid: str,
+    current_user: PublicUser | AnonymousUser,
+    db_session: Session,
+) -> List[dict]:
+    """
+    Get all contributors for a course with their user information
+    """
+    # Check if course exists
+    statement = select(Course).where(Course.course_uuid == course_uuid)
+    course = db_session.exec(statement).first()
+
+    if not course:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=404,
+            detail="Course not found",
+        )
+
+    # Get all contributors for this course with user information
+    statement = (
+        select(ResourceAuthor, User)
+        .join(User)  # SQLModel will automatically join on foreign key
+        .where(ResourceAuthor.resource_uuid == course_uuid)
+    )
+    results = db_session.exec(statement).all()
+
+    return [
+        {
+            "user_id": contributor.user_id,
+            "authorship": contributor.authorship,
+            "authorship_status": contributor.authorship_status,
+            "creation_date": contributor.creation_date,
+            "update_date": contributor.update_date,
+            "user": UserRead.model_validate(user).model_dump()
+        }
+        for contributor, user in results
+    ] 
\ No newline at end of file