Tutoring is one of the most natural ways to make use of what you already know. Students do it alongside their studies, teachers alongside their jobs, and people with a good command of a language or a technical background do it on free evenings. Parents look for it when something stops going well for their child or an important exam is coming up.
At the start, two questions almost always come up: how much to charge per lesson and where to find the first students. This guide offers a process for both – and at the end also a look from the other side, if you are looking for a tutor for your child.
What makes up the price of a lesson
There is no official price for tutoring, and prices vary by location, subject and who is teaching. Instead of searching for the "right number", build your price from several things:
- Subject and level. Helping a young child with reading is different work from preparing for a demanding final maths exam. The higher the level and the fewer people who can teach it, the higher the price.
- Experience and results. Teaching experience, a teaching qualification, experience with children with learning difficulties or verifiable student results increase the value of a lesson.
- Lesson length. Some teach for 45 minutes, others for 60 or 90. Always state the price together with the length, otherwise offers cannot be compared.
- Travel. For lessons at the student's home, include travel time and costs. For addresses further away, an extra charge or longer sessions are fair.
- Preparation. Your own worksheets, practice tests or marking homework between lessons are also working time.
- One-to-one or in pairs. Two siblings or friends together pay less per person, and it still works out well for you.
- Extra appointments. A last-minute lesson the day before a test or an intensive week before an exam can reasonably cost more.
How to find out the usual prices nearby
- Look at ten to fifteen current tutoring offers in your area – ads, notice boards, parent groups on social networks.
- Pick the ones similar to yours: same subject, similar level, similar experience.
- Ask people you know with school-age children how much they last paid and what they got for it.
- Place yourself in the middle, not at the bottom. A very low price is more likely to make parents uneasy, and nobody likes a price increase in the middle of the school year.
Price list to fill in
| Item | Your price |
|---|---|
| individual lesson (state the length) | [price] |
| lesson at the student's home | [price] + travel charge |
| online lesson | [price] |
| pair or small group | [price] per person |
| package of several lessons paid in advance | [price] per package |
| last-minute lesson or intensive preparation | [price] |
A package of lessons gives the family a small discount and gives you predictable appointments. But do not sell packages many months ahead. Long advance payments cause problems for both sides if the arrangement does not work out.
Online or in person?
| In person | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantages | better contact, easier to keep younger children's attention | no travel, students from further away too |
| Disadvantages | travel time, fewer students within reach | children get distracted more easily, a stable internet connection and camera are needed |
| Suits | younger children and students who need supervision | older students, university students and adults |
At the start, in-person tutoring nearby often works best. Parents prefer to entrust their child to someone they can meet. Online lessons can be added later.
When demand for tutoring is highest
School calendars differ everywhere, but demand for tutoring usually rises:
- at the start of the school year, when parents find out their child is missing something,
- before the end of a term or semester, when grades are coming up,
- before major exams – final, entrance or language exams,
- before resit exams, often during the school holidays.
Publish your offer a few weeks before these periods. Anyone who gets in touch just before an exam has only a few hours to prepare.
Where to find your first students
- Friends and family. The first student is often the child of a colleague, a neighbor or a friend. Send a specific message, not a general "I tutor".
- Parent groups. Groups of local parents on social networks or in chat apps (Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram and similar). Read the group rules first, and rather than just posting ads, give useful answers to specific questions.
- Notice boards. Library, shop, community center, building entrance. A flyer with tear-off strips still works. Ask in advance whether putting it up is allowed.
- Schools and teachers. Teachers sometimes know which students would benefit from help. Ask politely and respect the school's rules. If you work at a school, first check whether tutoring your own students is allowed at all.
- Recommendations. Happy parents are the best advertising. After a few weeks, do not be shy about asking whether they would recommend you.
Sample message to people you know:
"Hi, I am now tutoring maths for secondary school students and also preparing them for final exams. I teach in the afternoons, in person around our area or online. If you know someone who could use help, feel free to give them my number."
Sample reply to a parent:
"Hello [name], thank you for your message. I tutor [subject] for [level], in person nearby or online. Please let me know what your child is struggling with at the moment and whether a test or exam is coming up. I have free slots on [days and times], and a lesson ([length]) costs [price]. If you like, we can start with a shorter trial lesson to see whether we get on well."
The first lesson
The first lesson decides whether the family stays. A proven structure:
- A short conversation. What does the student find difficult, and when is the next test or exam?
- Exercise books and recent tests. They quickly show where the mistakes are.
- A short assessment. A few tasks from easy to harder. The problem often lies a chapter or two earlier than everyone thinks.
- One quick win. Solve one specific thing together so the student leaves with more confidence.
- A plan for the parent. Two or three sentences: what you see, what the goal is and how often lessons make sense.
A free or cheaper trial lesson is not an obligation. Whatever you decide, say so in advance.
Agreements that save nerves
- Cancellation. For example "a lesson must be canceled at least 24 hours in advance, otherwise it is paid". Put it in a message too.
- Payment. After each lesson or for a short package in advance.
- Homework. Tutoring is not doing homework for the student. Say so right at the start.
- Contact person. With students who are minors, appointments and payments are arranged with a parent.
- Feedback. Two sentences after a lesson or a short message once a month build trust and remind the family what they are paying for.
- Honesty. If a child needs a professional assessment more than further practice, say so openly.
The parent's view: how to choose a tutor
If you are looking for tutoring for your child, write a specific request: age or level, subject, what is not going well, when it is possible and whether you want lessons at home, elsewhere or online. The replies are then easy to compare.
Before agreeing, it is worth asking:
- How long have you been teaching this subject and this level?
- What do you do when a child falls behind?
- How and how often will you report on progress?
- What are the cancellation and payment terms? Is there anything to buy?
First agree on one trial lesson, then ask your child whether they understood the material and felt comfortable. Someone can be excellent in their subject and still have a style that does not suit your child. If possible, ask for the contact of a family that already has experience with the tutor.
Safety for both sides
- With students who are minors, communication goes through a parent or through a group chat that includes a parent, not through a private chat with the child.
- For lessons at the student's home, it is good if an adult is at home too, at least for the first lessons. Work in a shared space, for example at the living room table.
- For online lessons, the parent knows when they take place and which app is used.
- Children are not photographed or filmed without their parents' consent.
- Before your first visit to an unfamiliar household, tell someone close to you where you are going and when. The first meeting with a parent can also take place in a library or café.
- Parents do not have to pay for long courses in advance to someone they have only known for a short time. Paying after lessons have been taught is safer.
Tutoring and taxes
The rules for income from tutoring vary by country and depend on whether you are studying, employed or already self-employed. If you tutor regularly, check with the tax office or an accountant whether you need to declare the income, have a license or have insurance.
Students and tutors close to each other
The best tutoring can often be found just a few streets from home – parents and tutors simply do not know about each other. At QuickCashSpace we are preparing a service that we think you will like, whether you teach or are looking for help. Sign up for news using the form right below this article and we will let you know when it launches.