Online Tutoring: 10 Practical Things You Need to Know

Due to technological advancement and increasing use of the internet, online tutoring jobs in the UK have never been so popular or so easy to get started with, so it’s no surprise that its popularity has surged in recent years.

The best part is that it is super flexible and easy to set up, so it’s a great way to make some extra money to supplement your current income on the side. 

On the other hand, it has proven to be a great new business venture for those looking to try something new, for students looking for part-time, flexible work, or for those who wish to use their expertise to teach others.

We believe that online tutoring is a great option if you are looking to make a bit of extra money, so in light of this, this article will go through 10 practical things that it is helpful to know if you are considering giving it a shot!

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1. Who can tutor online?

Becoming an online tutor is a great way to make money for many people, particularly those who have specific knowledge on a subject!  If you are a university student, a teacher or someone with specific subject knowledge in a given area, then you can certainly become an online tutor. 

The idea behind it is that you are well acquainted with the subject you are teaching on, to the point where you can easily teach the material to someone else. 

It is a good idea to first think of the subjects you are most familiar with and to go from there – what do you feel qualified to teach to other people?

2. What kinds of online tutoring jobs can I do?

It is important to keep in mind that you might need to have a qualification that will certify that you can teach in that subject to do certain types of online tutoring. 

Subjects such as maths or teaching a language are examples of subjects that require a qualification such as a degree to teach at a certain level; it is worth researching which subjects are like this, or thinking about your own qualifications and basing it on that.

When you have a qualification, it enables you to be a better teacher to your students, so it is a good idea to try and utilise the education you already have. 

If you are a university student, for example, it will be best to focus on GCSE or A-Level tutoring, and below.

3. Which platform should I choose?

If you are considering becoming an online tutor, it is important to think about the kind of online tutoring you wish to do and pick an online tutoring platform that matches.  First of all, ask yourself who your target audience is going to be, and find a platform that allows you to cater to that specific group.

Once you have considered this, it can still be daunting to try and choose an online tutoring platform when there are so many great ones out there.  A few things to keep in mind are:

• Choose a platform that is easy to use: it is important that you are able to navigate the platform easily, for the sake of the quality of your teaching.

• Make sure it allows for effective teaching: a good online tutoring platform should give you the freedom to use multimedia files freely and display your lessons clearly.

• Choose a platform that is interactive: interactive lessons are very helpful for effective teaching, look for online whiteboards, polls and multiple-choice features, and live chat options.

• Go where the reviews are: the best way to quickly determine which online tutoring platform is worth using is to check user satisfaction!

4. How do I get started?

Once you have chosen your topic, audience and platform, it’s time to get your online tutoring service started!  When considering how you would like to conduct your tutoring, there are a few things to consider that will help you to get going:

• How do you want to interact with your students?  Do you wish to use video call, or is voice call going to be enough?  When do you need to use the call function? 

• Do you wish to set up a file-sharing space for sharing work, such as Google Docs?

• Do you need to refresh on some of your skills or knowledge of the technology that you are using?

• How are you going to communicate with your students outside of the lesson times?

Platforms like Tutor Hunt are a great place to advertise and provide your services through.

5. Can you make money as an online tutor?

Presumably, one of the reasons why you are considering setting up an online tutoring service is to make some money from it, as well as wanting to teach people in your chosen subject area. 

Not only is it possible to make money from tutoring online, but you can earn a solid income from it too!  Begin by setting your rate, and take it from there!

If you prefer, platforms like Udemy and Skillshare allow you to pre-record classes online, and you are paid per minute of your class watched or a fixed price per class sold.

Pre-recorded online classes are a fantastic source of passive income as your record the class once and then benefit from royalty payments.

If you are looking for other ways to make money online, check out our post on 13 Genuine Ways To Make Money Online.

6. How do I set my rate?

It can be difficult to decide on an hourly rate when you are first starting out as an online tutor.  There are a few factors that can affect how much you could charge for your services, such as:

• Your level of experience in your subject area, or the level of qualification you have

• Your level of experience at teaching others

• The subject you are teaching

• The level at which you are teaching your subject 

• The demand for tutoring in your subject (English and Maths tends to be in highest demand)

Rates can range anywhere from £15 to £60 per hour depending on these factors.  It is important that you research beforehand to find out what your services should be worth; this ensures that you are going to be paid fairly for what you are providing.

7. How do online tutors get paid?

The great thing about using an online tutoring platform rather than setting up a business for yourself is that payments can go through the platform, meaning that you do not have to worry about sending invoices and receiving payment. 

8. Do you need specific qualifications to tutor online?

In the majority of cases, you do not need a specific teaching qualification in order to tutor online, but, of course, it is important that you have some kind of credentials that prove you are qualified to teach in this area. 

Having a degree is not essential, but it is the best way to showcase that you have the required knowledge of the subject.

Of course, students are also able to be tutors, which in many cases will mean that you do not already have a degree.  In this case, you are able to tutor those at a lower level of education (i.e. primary or secondary school), but may not be able to charge as much for your services.

9. Is online tutoring a sustainable way to earn?

Absolutely! Online tutors can be very successful, whether in supplementing their current income or in working full-time. 

It is important to remember that you will most likely not reach your full earning potential at your online tutoring job straight away, and it can take some time to build up students. 

However, if you are committed to providing an excellent tutoring service, it is completely possible to earn sustainable money from it. 

10. Can I do online tutoring part-time?

The majority of those who go into online tutoring do so part-time as a means of supplementing another job or another form of income. 

Online tutoring is very flexible, and it also works around the schedules of people who usually go to school or university, making it the perfect side-hustle if you are looking to make some additional money.

If you have any questions about online tutoring, please leave a comment in the section below. We would love to hear from you!