Would you like to make some extra income? If you teach English Online, you can do just that!
There are a variety of options and for many, you don’t even need to be a certified “English Teacher” to make this side hustle work.
If you’re interested, keep reading. We’ve researched opportunities for you teaching students in China and several other countries.
Thousands of people in the U.S. and Canada are teaching English from their computers. And they’re getting paid for it too!
Find Out Who You Could work For and How Much You Could Earn
There are several established companies online looking for people to teach English online. Parents and adults in these countries understand that learning English is a valuable skill.
Are you a teacher looking to supplement your current income? Perhaps you are a retired teacher, but you still love to teach and help students. You could be a newer teacher looking for more experience or a new challenge.
Maybe you aren’t even a teacher. But the idea of teaching English from home to foreign students is intriguing. And making some extra income without needing to travel is even better.
Programs are available with various levels of commitment. And there are a variety of requirements to also.
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We’ve researched 6 different opportunities for you to get paid for teaching English online. With each one, we’ve included the requirements, the potential earnings, and ratings from GlassDoor.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. VIPKID
VIPKID is one of the largest programs for teachers to make money teaching English to Chinese students. This company works with more than 200,000 Chinese students ages 4-12.They employ US education standards familiar to teachers. But classes are all taught one-on-one.
What is the sign-up process?
People interested in working with VIPKID need to apply to become a teacher. There is an in-depth evaluation and interview process. If you are selected, VIPKID provides initial and ongoing training. Their goal is to help teachers succeed in teaching English to their Chinese Students.
VIPKID provides the curriculum so there is very little time spent preparing lessons. Teachers enter their weekly availability a month in advance.
Teachers post their availability every Saturday. Students can book classes during the week, no less than 24 hours in advance. One-on-one classes last 30 minutes. They consist of 25 minutes of teaching time and 5 minutes for teachers to leave student feedback at the end.
How much does VIPKID Pay?
VIPKID teachers are paid $7-$9 per 30-minute class. There are incentives for showing up on time and teaching the lessons properly. There are also bonuses based on the number of classes you finish during the month. In the end, teachers can make between $14-$22 an hour. Payment is once each month through direct deposit between the 10th and 15th every month.
Teach English Online Requirements
VIPKID requires all teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree. In the evaluation process, there is a 30-minute interview that includes doing a demo lesson. They provide the plan, you need to present it. There is also a background check. You’ll need to meet VIPKID’s online safety and security standards.
Technology Requirements: Teachers must have have a good computer. Additionally, they’ll need a webcam, headset with microphone, and a reliable internet connection.
One other requirement for applicants is a 6-month contract. This contract can be renewed at the end of the 6-month period.
VIPKID is a great earning opportunity for teachers who help students learn English. There are more than 20,000 teachers working through VIPKid in the US, Canada and UK.
Referral Bonus
If a VIPKid teacher refers a friend who applies, passes an interview, and starts teaching, you will earn a $50 USD bonus after your friend teaches their first class.
Awards: VIPKID has created a strategic partnership and received an exclusive online license from National Geographic for their “Our World” textbook in mainland China.
Rating
Glassdoor has 2100 reviews on VIPKid and gives it 4.3 Stars and an 83% Referral Rating. Reported earnings are $18 per hour.
Want to earn extra money teaching English to Chinese students?
Click on this VIPKID link to fill out the application now!
In addition to VIPKID, there are other online companies that pay people to teach English to foreign students. Each program varies in its setup, pay rates, and requirements. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular programs.
2. Qkids
Qkids is another online English teaching opportunity that is based out of China. This company was founded in 2015 but has established itself as a leading company in the online teaching market. Qkids specializes in English training for Chinese children ages 5-12. With over 100,000 total students, there is a need for more teachers.
Requirements
Teachers must have earned a 4-year degree or are currently enrolled in a university program. You must be eligible to legally work in the United States or Canada. Also, Qkids requires prior teaching experience or the equivalent in a similar setting, like tutoring or mentoring.
Technical Requirements
In order to teach for Qkids, you will need a computer and webcam, a headset with microphone, and a reliable internet connection.
Pay
Qkids pays around $16-$22 USD an hour for 2 30-minute lessons. The base pay is $8 USD, but there are opportunities to earn bonuses for attendance and performance. Teachers are paid by direct deposit to U.S. or Canadian bank accounts. Qkids teachers are paid once monthly, on or around the 15th of the month.
Schedule
Qkids offers a flexible schedule for the most part. It is flexible because you can choose between many time slots weekly. You are required, though, to work 6 hours (12 lessons) weekly with a maximum of 19 hours per week.
Hiring Process
In order to get hired by Qkids as a teacher, you need to apply online and send them any required materials. Following the application process, Qkids will have an initial screening, followed up by 2 demo interviews and 2 trial classes.
Training
Qkids utilizes an innovative software program and curriculum to help you teach English to Chinese students. Training will be provided to help you succeed as a teacher.
Referral Bonus
Teachers receive a $100 bonus per successful referral. This means a teacher is hired and then teaches at least one class. The referral bonus is added to the teacher’s monthly payment.
Rating
Glassdoor has 414 reviews on QKids and gives it 4.2 Stars and an 82% Referral Rating. Reported earnings are $16 to $17 per hour.
Englishunt was founded in South Korea in 2000 offering different programs for teachers. They are currently hiring teachers for their phone tutoring programs. Teachers connect with adult students in Korea through use of a softphone installed on their computer (PC only – their system is not Mac compatible). No College Degree is necessary to teach with them.
Requirements
Most positions within Englishunt require at least 48 college credit hours or an ESL certificate. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply (you can live abroad).
Technical Requirements
You will need a computer, a headset with microphone, and a reliable internet connection for live phone classes. For teaching live video classes, you will also need a webcam as well.
Pay
Englishunt does not have a set base price for how much they pay teachers. Pay is done on a case by case basis, largely dependent on experience as well as where teachers are placed within the various programs. Teachers are paid once a month by check. Teachers need to invoice monthly in order to get paid. Englishunt mails out checks on the 25th of every month after they receive your invoice.
Schedule
Englishunt offers flexibility, with shifts varying from 1 hour to 6 hours, normally requesting teachers to commit to at least 2-hour blocks of availability. Many available teaching hours occur during early morning because of the time difference between teachers in the U.S. and students in Asia.
Hiring Process
To get hired by Englishunt, you will need to fill out an online form on their website. After that, you will be called for an interview as well as a test of your equipment to verify they are sufficient for their programs. Finally, you will have a second phone interview where you will teach a mock lesson.
Training
All training is done through Englishhunt’s virtual classroom. Teachers are trained on class procedures and curriculum. During training you will also conduct a mock lesson, using a sample lesson plan provided by Englishunt.
Rating
Glassdoor has 24 reviews on Englishunt and gives it 4.2 Stars and a 81% Referral Rating. Reported earnings are $13 to $16 per hour.
4. TutorABC (also known as iTutor Group)
Based out of Taiwan, the iTutor Group claims to be the largest online teaching company. One difference between TutorABC and other companies is that you teach a group of students instead of one-on-one. TutorABC’s student base is professionals ages 19-65. They also have a Junior program teaching students ages 6 through 18.
Requirements
Requirements to teach for TutorABC include, but are not limited to TESOL/TEFL Certification, a university degree or previous ESL teaching experience, communication and presentation skills, and the ability to commit to a weekly working schedule. Computer literacy is a must.
Technical Requirements
TutorABC has more strict equipment requirements than many other online teaching companies. They require an excellent wired internet connection (no wireless connection) and prefer the use of Microsoft’s Lifechat LX-3000 headset. They also require a high-quality webcam. One other requirement is the elimination of background noise from things like pets, other people, television and cell phones, and the use of a plain background when teaching.
Pay
Pay rates are based on experience and other qualifications and are negotiated ahead of time. Teachers are paid monthly by direct deposit to a bank account. TutorABC also offers opportunities to earn bonuses based on the number of students attending your classes as well as student feedback.
Schedule
TutorABC offers classes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so they are very flexible with teacher schedules. There is a requirement of 15 tutoring sessions per week. All sessions last at least 45 minutes.
Hiring Process
TutorABC’s hiring process includes a preliminary test of computer equipment and internet connection. To apply, simply fill out the online application, take a proficient test, and record a short intro video. If you make it past this part of the process, you will be contacted by a company representative for an interview.
Training
Following hiring, teachers must complete 2 hours of training. Teachers are provided with lesson plans and materials through their online learning system.
Rating
Glassdoor has 927 reviews on VIPKid and gives it 2.8 Stars and a 41% Referral Rating. Reported earnings are $7 to $12 per hour.
5. Verbalplanet
Verbalplanet is an online tutoring marketplace where teachers can sell tutoring services for all of the world’s major languages, not just English.
Requirements
Verbalplanet requires previous language teaching experience and relevant qualifications.
Technical Requirements
Verbalplanet doesn’t require a broadband internet connection, although it does recommend it. You will need a decent computer, a webcam, Skype, and a Skype-compatible headset.
Pay
Teachers set their own pay rates. Verbalplanet charges a booking fee every time a tutoring session is scheduled so you will need to factor that into pricing. Teachers invoice students and are paid by students exclusively through PayPal.
Schedule
Teachers set their own schedule and can teach as much or as little as they want. Teaching sessions are 45 minutes long. Teachers use Verbalplanet’s online work planner to post available hours.
Hiring Process
Potential teachers register online through Verbalplanet’s website and fill out a profile. Your profile must be approved before it will be listed. Any bookings made outside of Verbalplanet will result in the deletion of your profile.
Training
Because Verbalplanet is just an online marketplace for language teachers, they do not offer any training.
Ratings
VerbalPlanet is not yet ranked on Glassdoor.com.
6. italki
italki is another online marketplace for language teachers. Students search through teacher listings and book online lessons. Italki handles most aspects for teachers outside of teaching, including marketing, scheduling, payment, and student management.
Requirements
Italki offers 2 types of accounts, as a community tutor or as a professional teacher. Community tutors don’t have strict requirements other that they must speak their native language fluently.
Professional teachers are required to provide scanned documents showing they qualify as a teacher. This documentation includes a college degree, language teaching certificates, and a teaching license or proof of employment at a language teaching company.
Technical Requirements
Italki’s required equipment includes a computer, a headset with a microphone, a webcam, a reliable internet connection, and Skype.
Pay
Teachers set their own pay rates. Italki charges a 15% fee on any transactions between teachers and students. Teachers are only charged for completed lessons. Teachers are paid through various payment partners, including PayPal, Payoneer, Skrill, and Alipay. Italki operates on a credit system (1 credit = 1 US Dollar). Teachers can withdraw credits for cash twice per month.
Schedule
Teachers set their own schedules and list their availability on their online profiles.
Hiring Process
Potential tutors and teachers sign up on italki’s website, fill out an online profile, and provide required proof of experience (for professional teachers). You must be approved before accessing italki’s online portal.
Training
Because italki is an online language teaching marketplace, there is no training.
Rating
Glassdoor has 45 reviews on VIPKid and gives it 4.1 Stars and an 85% Referral Rating. Reported earnings are $16 to $21 per hour.
Teach English Online Wrap Up
Teaching English online can be a satisfying career or side hustle for those looking to make extra money online. There are hundreds of thousands of students, young and old, around the world interested in learning English.
There are incredible opportunities out there for those with experience teaching English, whether a current teacher looking to make some extra cash or a retired teacher wanting to continue to teach.
I started earning small money first when a neighbour asked me to babysit their toddler. Then one day they came to me saying that my babysitting had had a double effect because apparently the kid was now speaking English despite their first language being Spanish. I was surprised when they asked me if I would babysit AND teach him conversational English. Got paid a measly $200 per month but it was totally worth it and a start to a side hustle. I now earn abou $500 a month teaching different kids unofficially.