diff --git a/docs/Makefile b/docs/Makefile
index 9ca1fcaa..421d4f7d 100644
--- a/docs/Makefile
+++ b/docs/Makefile
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ help:
 	@echo "  linkcheck  to check all external links for integrity"
 	@echo "  doctest    to run all doctests embedded in the documentation (if enabled)"
 	@echo "  coverage   to run coverage check of the documentation (if enabled)"
+	@echo "  spelling   to run spell check on documentation"
 
 clean:
 	rm -rf $(BUILDDIR)/*
@@ -179,6 +180,11 @@ linkcheck:
 	@echo "Link check complete; look for any errors in the above output " \
 	      "or in $(BUILDDIR)/linkcheck/output.txt."
 
+spelling:
+	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b spelling $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/spelling
+	@echo
+	@echo "Spell check complete; look for any errors in the above output " \
+	      "or in $(BUILDDIR)/spelling/output.txt."
 doctest:
 	$(SPHINXBUILD) -b doctest $(ALLSPHINXOPTS) $(BUILDDIR)/doctest
 	@echo "Testing of doctests in the sources finished, look at the " \
diff --git a/docs/environment.yml b/docs/environment.yml
index 82aaee5d..35077c30 100644
--- a/docs/environment.yml
+++ b/docs/environment.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ dependencies:
 - sqlalchemy>=1
 - tornado>=4.1
 - traitlets>=4.1
-- sphinx
-- sphinx_rtd_theme
 - pip:
-    - recommonmark
+    - sphinx>=1.3.6
+    - recommonmark==0.4.0
+    - sphinx_rtd_theme
+    - pyenchant
+    - sphinxcontrib-spelling
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 0eb45dd9..3782ea67 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ extensions = [
     'sphinx.ext.napoleon',
 ]
 
+# Spelling
+try:
+    import sphinxcontrib.spelling
+except ImportError:
+    pass
+else:
+    extensions.append("sphinxcontrib.spelling")
+
 # Add any paths that contain templates here, relative to this directory.
 templates_path = ['_templates']
 
@@ -391,3 +399,6 @@ else:
     from subprocess import check_call as sh
     sh(['make', 'rest-api'], cwd=docs)
 # otherwise, readthedocs.org uses their theme by default, so no need to specify it
+
+# Spell checking using sphinxcontrib-spelling
+spelling_word_list_filename='spelling_wordlist.txt'
diff --git a/docs/source/spelling_wordlist.txt b/docs/source/spelling_wordlist.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f4310d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/source/spelling_wordlist.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+admin
+Afterwards
+alchemyst
+alope
+api
+API
+apps
+args
+asctime
+auth
+authenticator
+Authenticator
+authenticators
+Authenticators
+Autograde
+autograde
+autogradeapp
+autograded
+Autograded
+autograder
+Autograder
+autograding
+backends
+Bitdiddle
+bugfix
+Bugfixes
+bugtracker
+Carreau
+Changelog
+changelog
+checksum
+checksums
+cmd
+cogsci
+conda
+config
+coroutine
+coroutines
+crt
+customizable
+datefmt
+decrypted
+dev
+DockerSpawner
+dockerspawner
+dropdown
+duedate
+Duedate
+ellachao
+ellisonbg
+entrypoint
+env
+Filenames
+filesystem
+formatters
+formdata
+formgrade
+formgrader
+gif
+GitHub
+Gradebook
+gradebook
+Granger
+hardcoded
+hOlle
+Homebrew
+html
+http
+https
+hubapi
+Indices
+IFramed
+inline
+iopub
+ip
+ipynb
+IPython
+ischurov
+ivanslapnicar
+jdfreder
+jhamrick
+jklymak
+jonathanmorgan
+joschu
+JUPYTER
+Jupyter
+jupyter
+jupyterhub
+Kerberos
+kerberos
+letsencrypt
+lgpage
+linkcheck
+linux
+localhost
+logfile
+login
+logins
+logout
+lookup
+lphk
+mandli
+Marr
+mathjax
+matplotlib
+metadata
+mikebolt
+minrk
+Mitigations
+mixin
+Mixin
+multi
+multiuser
+namespace
+nbconvert
+nbgrader
+neuroscience
+nginx
+np
+npm
+oauth
+OAuth
+oauthenticator
+ok
+olgabot
+osx
+PAM
+phantomjs
+Phantomjs
+plugin
+plugins
+Popen
+positionally
+postgres
+pregenerated
+prepend
+prepopulate
+preprocessor
+Preprocessor
+prev
+Programmatically
+programmatically
+ps
+py
+Qualys
+quickstart
+readonly
+redSlug
+reinstall
+resize
+rst
+runtime
+rw
+sandboxed
+sansary
+singleuser
+smeylan
+spawner
+Spawner
+spawners
+Spawners
+spellcheck
+SQL
+sqlite
+startup
+statsd
+stdin
+stdout
+stoppped
+subclasses
+subcommand
+subdomain
+subdomains
+Subdomains
+suchow
+suprocesses
+svurens
+sys
+SystemUserSpawner
+systemwide
+tasilb
+teardown
+threadsafe
+timestamp
+timestamps
+TLD
+todo
+toolbar
+traitlets
+travis
+tuples
+undeletable
+unicode
+uninstall
+UNIX
+unix
+untracked
+untrusted
+url
+username
+usernames
+utcnow
+utils
+vinaykola
+virtualenv
+whitelist
+whitespace
+wildcard
+Wildcards
+willingc
+wordlist
+Workflow
+workflow
\ No newline at end of file