Online Tutoring (General Subjects)
Teach school subjects online to students worldwide
Requirements
- Strong knowledge in subjects you're teaching
- Good communication and explanation skills
- Patience working with different learning speeds
- Reliable internet and webcam setup
- Digital whiteboard or teaching tools
Pros
- Consistent demand year-round
- Flexible schedule, set your own hours
- Work from anywhere with internet
- Rewarding helping students succeed
- Can teach multiple subjects for more income
Cons
- Evening and weekend hours most in-demand
- Need different approach for virtual vs in-person
- Finding students initially takes effort
- Income seasonal with summer slowdowns
- Managing multiple student schedules
TL;DR
What it is: You teach academic subjects like math, science, English, and social studies online through video sessions. Students range from elementary through high school level. One-on-one tutoring helps struggling students catch up or helps high-achievers excel further.
What you'll do:
- Conduct one-on-one video sessions (typically 45-60 minutes each)
- Explain concepts using digital whiteboards and teaching tools
- Assign homework and practice problems
- Track student progress and communicate with parents
- Adapt teaching methods to different learning styles
- Prep for sessions by reviewing topics beforehand
Time to learn: If you already know your subjects well, you can start immediately. Learning effective online teaching techniques takes 1-2 months of practice with the assumption of teaching 5-10 hours per week.
What you need: Strong knowledge in subjects you teach, reliable internet connection, webcam, quiet teaching space with good lighting, digital whiteboard software (Zoom whiteboard, OneNote, or platform-provided tools).
What This Actually Is
You teach academic subjects online - math, science, English, social studies - to students from elementary through high school. Online tutoring exploded during pandemic and stayed popular because of convenience for both tutors and students.
Parents invest heavily in education. One-on-one tutoring helps struggling students catch up or helps high-achievers excel further. Consistent demand makes this reliable income.
The shift to online means you can teach students anywhere, not just your local area. Geographic limitations disappear.
What You'll Actually Do
You conduct one-on-one video sessions, typically 45-60 minutes. Sometimes 30 minutes for younger students with shorter attention spans.
You explain concepts the student struggles with. Often they're confused by how school teacher explained it - you find different angles.
You use digital whiteboard to work through problems visually. Zoom whiteboard, OneNote with stylus, or specialized platforms work well.
You assign homework and practice problems. Students improve through doing, not just watching you explain.
You track progress and communicate with parents. They're paying, they want to see improvement.
You adapt teaching methods to each student's learning style. Visual, auditory, kinesthetic - different students need different approaches.
You prep for sessions reviewing topics beforehand. Even subjects you know well need quick refresher for specific lessons.
Skills You Need
Strong knowledge in subjects you teach. You should be comfortable explaining concepts at level above what you're teaching.
Ability to explain clearly in multiple ways. If first explanation doesn't click, you need alternate approaches.
Patience with students who struggle. Frustration from you makes them shut down.
Tech comfort with video platforms and digital whiteboards. Technical issues eat into teaching time.
Time management keeping sessions on track. Easy to run over or get sidetracked.
Understanding of common misconceptions in your subjects. Knowing where students typically get confused helps you teach proactively.
Communication skills with parents. Managing expectations and showing value.
How to Get Started
Identify subjects you can teach confidently. Math, science, English, history - pick ones you know well.
Set up proper teaching environment. Good lighting, quiet space, camera angle showing you and any materials clearly.
Get digital whiteboard setup working. Test different options - Zoom whiteboard, Miro, OneNote, specialized tutoring platforms.
Join platforms like Vedantu, Chegg Tutors, or Tutor.com to connect with students.
Note: Platforms may charge fees or commissions. We don't track specific rates as they change frequently. Check each platform's current pricing before signing up.
Or market independently through social media, parent groups, or Superprof. This gives you more control over rates but requires finding students yourself.
Create sample teaching video showing your explanation style. Parents want to see how you teach before committing.
Set competitive initial rates to build reviews, then increase as demand grows.
Decide on teaching materials. Use school textbooks, create your own materials, or use online resources.
Offer first session free or heavily discounted. Gets you chance to demonstrate value.
Ask successful students for testimonials. Social proof attracts more clients.
Income Reality
Market rates vary significantly based on subject, level, experience, and location. Here's what different tutors commonly report:
Elementary level subjects: Some tutors charge ₹400-700/hour.
High school subjects: Rates typically range ₹600-1,200/hour depending on difficulty and your expertise.
Competitive exam prep (boards, entrance tests): Experienced tutors with proven results may charge ₹1,000-2,500/hour.
Platform teaching: Platforms like Vedantu and Chegg typically offer ₹300-700/hour to tutors.
Private students: Independent tutors commonly charge ₹500-1,500/hour depending on experience and subject.
Part-time tutors teaching 12-18 hours/week often report ₹25,000-60,000/month depending on rates and student volume.
Full-time tutors working 30-35 hours/week may see ₹70,000-1,50,000/month depending on rates, specialization, and consistency.
Group sessions with 3-5 students: Tutors typically charge ₹250-400 per student for group rates.
Income depends heavily on your subject expertise, teaching quality, reliability, reputation, student retention, and marketing efforts.
What Actually Works
Specialize in subjects and levels you're strongest in. Being known for high school physics beats being mediocre at everything.
Be extremely reliable. Show up on time, never cancel unless emergency. Parents remember reliability.
Make lessons engaging, not just lectures. Ask questions, have students work through problems, keep them active.
Provide clear progress tracking. Parents want to see their investment working.
Offer package deals. 8 sessions for price of 7 encourages commitment and secures income.
Create supplementary materials. Practice worksheets, study guides, helpful resources add value.
Communicate regularly with parents. Quick updates after sessions build trust.
Adapt to individual student needs. Slow down for strugglers, accelerate for quick learners.
Use real-world examples making abstract concepts concrete. "If you have 3 pizzas and 8 friends..." makes math relatable.
Stay patient and encouraging. Students are often already frustrated with subjects. Your calm helps.
Build relationships with students. They're more engaged when they like and trust you.
Network with schools and coaching centers. They sometimes refer students needing extra help.
Offer intensive exam prep packages before major tests. Parents pay premium for targeted help.
Common Challenges
Evening and weekend hours when students are available. Not ideal if you want free evenings.
Explaining virtually is harder than in-person. Can't always see when students are confused.
Finding steady students takes time initially. Income inconsistent first few months.
Summer slowdown when school's out. Income dips unless you pivot to summer enrichment.
Managing multiple student schedules across different time zones if teaching internationally.
Students who don't practice between sessions don't improve. Reflects poorly on you despite being their issue.
Parents sometimes have unrealistic expectations. "Why isn't my child getting A's after 3 sessions?"
Is It Worth It
If you enjoy teaching and have patience with students, this can be rewarding. Demand is strong and consistent.
Flexible schedule once you have students. You control your hours and rates.
Income is reliable with recurring students. Much better than project-based freelancing.
Genuinely rewarding seeing students improve and gain confidence. "I finally get it!" moments are satisfying.
You can potentially scale income by teaching group sessions or creating recorded courses.
But if you're impatient or easily frustrated by slow learners, teaching will drain you.
Start part-time to test if you enjoy it. Some people love teaching, others find it exhausting.
Best suited for people who genuinely care about student success, not just collecting hourly fees.