Online tutor

Online tutors support students who are studying courses over the internet.

Also known as: E-tutor, e-learning tutor

What you'll do

You will:

• help students develop their subject knowledge and study skills
• create engaging courses and learning materials tailored to students' needs
• assess students' work and give constructive feedback
• keep parents up to date with their children's progress
• teach individual students or small groups

Working environment

You could work from home.

Skills and knowledge you'll need

You'll need:

• knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
• the ability to create the best conditions for learning or teaching new things
• knowledge of media production and communication
• the ability to use your initiative
• customer service skills
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• to be flexible and open to change
• the ability to work well with others
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

How to become a online tutor

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• working towards this role
• applying directly
• private training

University

You may need a degree in a specialist subject depending on the level of course you plan to teach online. For example, a degree in maths to teach A level maths.

You might also need to get qualified teacher status (QTS) if you're teaching academic qualifications. Some degrees include this.

If you have a degree in a subject without QTS, you can get it by completing one of the following:

• a postgraduate teacher training course at university
• a school-based training programme

You can search for teacher training courses on GOV UK .

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

College

You could do a college course like the Level 3 Award in Education and Training to get some of the skills needed for this job. This is suitable if you're not yet in a teaching role or have limited teaching hours.

Entry requirements

You may need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Work

You can usually take qualifications while you work. The exact qualification you do will depend on your job but could include the Level 4 Certificate or Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training.

Direct application

You can apply to companies directly if you've got the following:

• excellent IT skills
• teaching, training or tutoring experience
• in-depth knowledge of the subject you're going to teach

Other routes

You can do a course with a private training provider, and some of these can be done online. You should check courses carefully to make sure they meet your needs.

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

Career path and progression

You could work in other areas of online education with an education company, like:

• course development
• tutor management
• consultancy

You could also set up your own tutoring service.

With the right qualifications, you might move into schools teaching, further education or work-based training.

Career tips

Tutors often find work through agencies or online learning platforms. Teaching time varies from a few hours a week up to full-time.

Rates of pay also vary but can be between £15 to £40 an hour, depending on your experience, reputation, and the level and type of course you teach.

Guides for this industry

• Education & Teaching: pay, interviews and getting started →

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