<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-03-05</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2004-03-05</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001069502</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VARSITY GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VSTY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001041602</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAYFIELD IX</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001041586</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAYFIELD IX MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001058335</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAYFIELD ASSOCIATES FUND IV L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001008455</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HEIDRICH A GRANT III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001008446</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>UNGER WILLIAM D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197110</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AUKEN WENDELL G VAN III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001008453</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FONG KEVIN A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001197106</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MYERS FRANK G JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001008459</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DALAL YOGEN K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2800 SAND HILL ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Explaination of Responses</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-03-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>19950</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.34</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1834789</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-03-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1050</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.34</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>96568</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by MFAIV</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>245537</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Book Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The individual Reporting Persons are Managing Directors of Mayfield IX Management, LLC (MFIX Mgmt), the General Partner of Mayfield IX and Mayfield Associates Fund IV.  The individual Reporting Persons may be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power over the shares which are or may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Mayfield IX and Mayfield Associates Fund IV, but disclaim such beneficial ownership.  The individual Reporting Persons, other than F. Gibson Myers, Jr. and A. Grant Heidrich, III, are also Trustees of The Book Trust (Book Trust), of which those individual Reporting Persons or their family trusts are the trustors and beneficiaries.  The Trustees may be deemed to have shared voting and dispositive power over the shares held in Book Trust, but disclaim such beneficial ownership.  The Reporting Persons disclaim beneficial ownership of these securities, except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The filing of this statement shall not be deemed an admission that, for the purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise, the Reporting Persons are the beneficial owners of all of such equity securities covered by this statement.  Each of the Reporting Persons included in this filing hereby designates Mayfield IX as its designated filer of Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This amended Form 4 is being filed to reflect the actual number of shares disposed on 3/05/2004.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James T. Beck, Attorney-In-Fact for the Reporting Persons</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

