Want to Freelance as an Online English Teacher?


With the online English tutoring market experiencing continuous growth, there is no better time to leave or complement your current job by working as an English teacher. No, you don’t have to have a degree in English, and in some cases, you don’t even have to have a degree at all! In this article, we take a look at the basic requirements and tips to help set you up and increase your pay as an online English tutor.

Online English teacher requirements

There are a few firm requirements that any teacher will need to have. Among the most important necessities for handling any online job is to have a stable internet connection and a willingness to learn on the job. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be static in one place, but you should definitely consider that for the first few months.

Can I really do this anywhere?

Yes, it is true that working as an online English teacher will free much of your time and increase your mobility as you are able to work from anywhere. It also allows you to work across various countries and continents expanding your knowledge of the world and putting your teaching skills to better use to a wider audience. But you should save the plans for world travel until you have a bit of English teaching experience under your belt.

When in doubt, always use “thurr.”

Being a native speaker is pretty much a must unless you have Ph.D. level training. So many people in the world want to learn to speak English. You’re just lucky if you already know how to do so. But just being a native speaker is not enough. We all know those few friends who have even graduated college and still jack up their grammar in every other Facebook post. You don’t need to be a New York Times level editor, but if you honestly don’t know the difference between your and you’re and there, their, and they’re, you should probably think about doing something else. In fact, there are a few services that only require speaking conversationally. Those gigs may be more your speed.

Who’s hiring online English tutors?

To start your money-making journey, various options are available for employment. You can begin by creating and selling online courses on already established sites such as Udemy. Another option is to build your own online teaching platform which is doable if you have a strong social media presence and can market your services through various channels. The most popular option is registering your services on already available online schools. 

Some of the entry-level schools include TutorABC, Italki, VIPKids, and Verbling among others. Working on these sites will get you starting at about $8-$22 an hour after bonuses. This is according to the latest reviews on Glassdoor. Requirements vary from site to site with basic requirements being a Bachelor’s degree, ability to work during peak hours, and having a setup online payment such as PayPal. There are options if you don’t have a degree though.

How can I be a great English teacher?


Once you get started, you should know that the cornerstone of all online jobs is having positive reviews which can be achieved by going the extra mile with your students. Most students are online to complement their daily classroom studies and their tutoring sessions really help with their overall achievement.


Meeting and exceeding student goals can be achieved by always being positive in your classes. Knowing your students is also important as it sets you on a path to customization of your course for the student’s needs. Get some props to make the curriculum interesting. Joking and making lessons relatable in your session will help your students relax. That way, they can learn better and faster and possibly recommend you to their friends. A constant progress report is also necessary to gauge both student and teaching progress. Create your own teaching style by approaching the job more as an art than a skill.


With the benefits of setting your own hours and being able to work from online anywhere you can get a good connection makes teaching English a popular option. Plus, it’s easy to start out just a few hours each week to see if it will be a good fit for you. Go spread some English love and let us know how it goes!