Being a private tutor can be very lucrative. If you are a graduate, particularly with knowledge of maths or sciences, you can make a lot of money tutoring children for GCSEs or to get into university. Read on to find out how you could make as much as £80 an hour tutoring.

• How does it work?
• What qualifications do you need?
• How to advertise and get work

An Ipsos MORI survey found that nationwide 22 per cent of 11-16-year-olds have received private tuition, whilst in London the figure is as high as 43 per cent. And tutors can charge £80 plus an hour for their services, a figure which concerned parents are apparently prepared to pay.

How does it work?

Tutors are usually employed on a short term basis, to help kids make it through the weeks leading up to their exams and get them properly prepared. Often parents will want the tutor to come to their home to teach, or, as is becoming more popular recently, tutors can teach remotely online. So if you plan to teach in the child’s home, remember you’ll need to factor in travel costs.

What qualifications do you need?

Obviously you have to have some knowledge – but you don’t necessarily have to be a qualified teacher, if you have a degree your skills in that subject will still be sought after. University students who are still studying for their degree can make themselves some well-needed cash this way too.

You’ll need to be patient, a good, enthusiastic communicator, and good with teenagers (remember they are a difficult age group). Plus as well as helping with their learning, you’ll need to be able to inspire confidence in them.

This is a big part of being a private tutor – if children believe that they can work out that maths formula, and have confidence in their abilities they’ll be much less nervous about the exams. It’s important to remember that word-of-mouth is often the best way tutors get work, so to have a great reputation in your local area can be worth everything.

Don’t forget that if you don’t work through an agency, you may well need to have a CRB check. To find out about how to get one, see our article here.

How to advertise and get work

Exams are fast approaching, so you’ll need to get your advertising sorted as quickly as possible. You can do so in your local area, in the library, post office, supermarket or newsagents for instance. Alternatively you can go online.

Schoolstrader

Sites like Schoolstrader are a great option. It covers 30,000 independent primary and secondary schools across the UK and Ireland. Placing an ad here is completely free and it’ll stay up on the site for three months.

Alternatively, you could work for an agency – where you’re likely to earn more, but they often have strict requirements about your educational background. They are unlikely to employ those without teaching qualifications or a first class degree.

Have a look at the Good Schools Guide (which is pretty expensive, but your local library should have a copy in their reference section) to see which agencies they recommend.

Bright Young Things

Over the past 3 years Bright Young Things, Bright Young Things a tutoring business based in London. has been recruiting high flying students. This year they hope to recruit one hundred more to fill their ranks. They say that some of their Manchester graduates last year were earning over £100 for four hours teaching through their online one on one service. A Chemistry graduate tutor, who did not want to be named said, ‘Last year I earned enough money to spend throughout my last summer before I got a proper job. It even allowed me afford to get unpaid work experience at a news paper. I could not recommend it more.”

Online tutoring

Online tutoring is also becoming a popular option – it’ll save you travel costs getting to and from clients homes, plus it’s more convenient for families, particularly those in more remote areas.

Tutors can speak to children remotely using a Skype headset and work using a virtual whiteboard. Have a look at Home Tutoring Online to find out more. You will earn less this way, but of course you don’t have to consider travel costs or materials.

There is no limit to the possibilities when it comes to being a tutor. You can teach anything from music, to languages to maths – and things like language and music can be taught year round to adults as well as children, which means if you’re serious about it, you could make a career out of being a tutor. For loads of tips about starting your own business, have a look at our small business blog.