Teaching English online, instead of actually traveling overseas, is a great way for any native (or even non-native) speaker to earn extra money.
What makes English teaching jobs online more attractive is the fact that you can make money even in tough economic times.
English has become an international language.
Businesses around the world know that learning English has become a necessity for succeeding in the global economy.
There is a high demand for English speakers in a lot of developing countries. This especially holds true in Asian countries.
Historically, Asian countries hire native English teachers to go to the country where they are needed to teach in physical classrooms.
This, however, costs the companies a lot.
Recruiting instructors can also be challenging.
But the internet has made it easier and cheaper for these companies to get their employees “English Ready”.
Through what is known as “Virtual Classrooms,” companies can have teachers from anywhere in the world teach their employees English without having to spend thousands of dollars sending the employees to traditional schools or classrooms.
This also holds true for individuals who are trying to compete for jobs in a global economy. Knowing English is a great asset to have on your resume especially if you’re looking to be employed by global brands.
On the other hand, for teachers – or really anyone who knows English and can teach it – this creates an awesome opportunity to make extra money from home.
In most cases, you will be teaching through Skype.
What if I can’t speak any other language but English?
Just knowing English could be enough in most cases. English instructors, in many cases, do not need to speak a second language.
For most students in advanced levels, students will simply need a native speaker who can help them with the accent, cultural understanding, and correct word usage.
Advanced students already have the ability to understand English, but they still need a native speaker to help them further with their English by listening and explaining the complexities of the language.
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How to Teach English Online & Get Paid
There are different ways you can look for English teaching jobs that allow you to work online.
You can even use online tutoring sites that pay you to teach students anything from math and science to art and English.
But if you are looking for the easiest and quickest ways to get a few clients, the following 3 websites are some of the best places to look.
1. EF (Education First)
- Where to apply: EF (Education First)
This is one of the biggest private education organizations in the world.
On this platform, you get to teach adults and Chinese kids between 6 to 10 years old.
Their classes are broken down into 25-minute blocks. Your classes are usually held early weekday mornings and late weekend nights.
Of course, as long as you meet the qualifications, you can teach from anywhere in the world.
You can earn up to $20 per hour!
2. VIPKID
- Where to apply: VIPKID
This platform has been featured on some of the top sites, from Forbes and Huffington Post to Wall Street Journal and even Education Week.
VIPKID is basically a platform that connects freelance teachers with Chinese students.
You can set your own schedule. Although the company recommends you make yourself available for at least 7.5 hours of teaching per week.
I read a few reviews online and some of the teachers say they make upwards of $2000 a month teaching on VIPKID.
So if you’re looking to get started in getting paid as a freelance teacher, I would say start with this one.
Please note that you need a university degree to qualify as a teacher.
Make sure to submit the five-minute application so you can get in quickly.
Important:
The video interview is the biggest part of this whole process. So if you want to speed things up, as soon as you complete your application, schedule your video interview.
You have to set and confirm a time for the interview. Usually, the interview happens within a few days. A VIPKID teaching team member will do the live video interview with you.
One thing you want to keep in mind is that most of the support team (based on reviews, they have a very friendly staff) are based in China so because of the different time zones, during the interview process, you may sometimes receive emails early in the morning or late at night. Overall, they have a very friendly staff that is very helpful, so the whole thing should go smoothly.
This little reminder applies to most companies that require live video interviews. So make sure to get that underway no matter which of these companies you apply for.
3. TutorABC (Also known as iTutorGroup)
- Where to apply: TutorABC
TutorABC is a Taiwan-based company that is currently looking for English teachers.
You’ll be teaching beginners, intermediate, and advanced students.
You do not need to know Chinese since you’ll be an instructor to students who already know some English.
TutorABC has its own virtual classrooms which you can log into before the start of your session.
You need a university degree to teach.
4. 51 Talk
- Where to apply: 51talk
HAWO American Academy, the company behind 51 Talk, is the biggest online English education platform in the world. Its goal is to make high-quality education for Chinese kids accessible and affordable. They also began operating in the Philippines in 2012.
To become a teacher you will have to fill out their online application which includes providing your teaching certificate and qualifications.
As a teacher, you will teach 45-minute group classes to Chinese students.
As for pay, based on estimates by Indeed.com, the average English as a second language teacher earns between $18.93 to $22.00 per hour.
5. Say ABC – Update: Say ABC has shut down!
- Where to apply: Say ABC
Say ABC is a company headquartered in Beijing. They provide international learning experiences for China’s 5-12 year old children.
You can earn up to $21 per 40 minutes (the length of each class is 40 minutes).
They have classes throughout the day, so you can set your own hours and easily work something into your own schedule.
You do have to have a Bachelor’s degree or above (or be a final year student) as well as a computer with a fast internet connection and audio/video capability.
To get started, click the link above and fill out the online application. Then there will be a 30-minute interview followed by signing the contract. After that, you’ll be ready to start making money as an English teacher for Say ABC.
6. QKids
- Where to apply: QKids
Qkids is a little different in that it is focused on teaching English as a second language to kids between 5-12 years of age.
They are looking for college students, school teachers, stay-at-home moms, and anyone who likes to teach from home.
Requirements:
- You must be a native English speaker based in the United States or Canada.
- You must have a degree or be currently enrolled in a university program.
- You must be available to teach a minimum of 6 hours (12 classes) per week.
The good thing is that they offer paid training before orientation.
You can earn between $16 to $20 per hour.
7. VerbalPlanet
- Where to apply: VerbalPlanet
This is a website that allows you to create your own teaching profile.
VerbalPlanet, however, can be strict as they first need to approve your profile. The firm approves profiles based on a teacher’s experience and qualifications.
After your profile has been approved you can start setting your rates and proceed to find students who need your help.
It is recommended to start with a smaller fee, somewhere between $10 to $20 US dollars for every 45-minute lesson to attract students.
You can start building a good reputation after getting your first few initial students and charge more.
8. Cambly
- Where to apply: Cambly
If you like interacting with people from around the world and making money at the same time, this is an awesome place to start.
They are looking for tutors to chat with students from around the world helping them learn English in formal settings.
You can set your own schedule.
Work as little or as much as you like.
Best of all, you can work from anywhere in the world.
This is a great way to turn your free time into a money making side hustle.
You earn around $0.17 per minute.
You are paid through PayPal.
9. Italki
- Where to apply: Italki
An online marketplace for languages, Italki provides that virtual classroom capability for both students and freelance teachers.
Teaching English through Italki
Getting started with Italki is pretty easy and quick.
Here is what you need to do in order to get started:
- Register at the site which is free.
- Make a curriculum.
- Set your rate for teaching.
- Hang around and wait for students.
- Start teaching once you get clients.
- Collect your money!
Aside from putting together teachers and students, Italki also keeps a good number of online language resources for free that you can use.
These online resources also help obtain consumer traffic for its marketplace.
After looking at teaching prices available, I discovered that a handful charge about $15 for half an hour.
Definitely a reasonable price in exchange for talking to a student for 30 minutes.
This actually may make you want to never talk without getting paid!
10. Englishunt
- Where to apply: Englishunt
This is a service aimed at teaching English to Japanese and Korean students through virtual classes online.
They have different programs so based on their needs, they hire teachers for various positions.
For example, at this time (at the time of writing this post) they are hiring for their phone tutoring programs.
Different programs have different requirements. Generally, you’ll need an ESL certificate or teaching certification (in any subject).
The pay also depends on the program.
For their phone tutoring program, the pay is around $2 per 10 minutes. But for their virtual online classes, you can expect around $14.50 per hour.
This is a part-time position where you work up to 12 hours a week.
11. Gogokid – Update: Gogokid has shut down!
- Where to apply: Gogokid
This is a platform that “creates a connection between children in China and the world by providing a global learning experience.”
Basically, you’ll be teaching English to Chinese students on the internet.
To get started, you need to go through the application process.
- Step 1: Complete an online application (Sign up + Basic Information)
- Step 2: Schedule an interview
- Step 3: Attend an orientation
- Step 4: Submit the paperwork
- Step 5: Sign the contract
You can expect between $14 to $25 an hour teaching English through Gogokid.
You receive the payment for the last month before the 15th of the current month. PayPal is the primary payment method.
Note
Because these positions are very popular, they fill quickly. So some of these sites frequently stop accepting new teachers for a short time here and there. If the link doesn’t work, check back with the site often so you can apply once they open up the application again.
Making Money as an Online English Teacher: Final Thoughts
Do you know of any other site good for finding online English teaching jobs?
Are you a teacher who makes money by teaching English to foreign students on the Internet?
Or do you perhaps work with one of the sites mentioned above? If so, what has your experience been like?
I want to inform you all that you people also check out the following link.
http://preply.com/en
They are now in leading position for providing online tuition. Recently they started tutor hunt, what are your thoughts?
Thanks, Diaa.
I am not familiar with the site so I don’t really have any thoughts.
How long have you been using it, and how has been your experience so far?
You are more than welcome SATRAP, My name is Diaa and I am an online English Recruiter in all over the world. I am entirely able to provide you with jobs where you can have good salary. If you are interested in this job please visit our website in order to get a better view for our services
Thanks Diaa. I am sure many of our readers will check out the site.
Diaa,
Could I email you privately? I’d like to become an online English tutor/teacher.
Many thanks.
Best,
James
Hello. My name is Patricia. I am interested & want to join your website to teach English. Tell me a little information on what to expect. I love network ing & I’m good @ it. How much. Hidden cost? I want to learn more on this job opportunity.
Patricia, we (MoneyPantry.com) do not offer this job. The sites mentioned in the post do. If you visit the sites you can find out all the details about the job.
i am interested in online teaching.can you send me email with details.(email removed by the editor)
Patricia, I removed your email address. You don’t want scammers and their bots to get your email address and spam you with thousands of spam emails.
As for details, everything I know is explained in this post. If you have any specific question, I’ll be happy to answer.
Hi I am an expert in English and Swahili. I wish to work with any institution that can hire me for my skills,thank you.
Where is this website , sorry ?
Hi there,
My name is Pearl and I work for TutorABC, I am a qualified esl tutor as I have 1 years esl teaching experience and I have a 150 Tefl certificate. I would like to find another company to work for as I intend to leave TutorABC, I get 4.9 usd for a 45min lesson which is really bad. Lately, I have been deprived classes so basically, I just sit the whole day and wait for nothing. Please help me.
Regards
Pearl
Hi pearl please email me on (Removed by editor. Editor’s Note: Please do not share your email address on a public site. You don’t want scammers to bombard you with tons of junk emails.) would highly appreciate it to discuss the tutor ABC. Thank you.
I work for 51 Talk and love it! Here is my referral link. Great support, great kids, excellent pay.
My Name is Sooraj Singh. I am an English Teacher in India. I would like to earn money with my skills.
This sounds really good.. is this something that is everyday? And 8 hours a day?
I would be interested in checking this out for sure! As a part time .. I’ll take a closer look at your website .
Hi Diaa, I am Masters in English and live in Kolkata, India and am interested in a tutoring job. I also know Hindi, Panjabi, Urdu and Bengali.
Hey Diaa,
How do I get in touch with you?
Thanks for the information; I am pastor the Constant Gardener. I am thinking of trying online English teaching online, since I have tried go overseas, but seem to have ran into age discrimination. I mean, I would LOVE to to able to teach English abroad, but I am 54 and that seems to be a problem.
Hello Diaa,
My name is JJ. Both my girlfriend and i would be interested in a tutoring job. We are both English speaking and are skilled in the English language. We are skilled in study technology, grammar, clearing words….ea.
hey !
can you help me with some jobs ? i seriously need to make money to fund my travels:)
Hi Diane,
My name is Mehak Puri and I am qualified English teacher from India. Am I eligible to teach online? If yes, could you help me with the application process?
hi
im Patricia Cevik
im looking for an online english teaching job
can you help me?
i live in Turkey.im an American with 120 hours TEFL,ELT and TYL im looking for part time work
you can chat to me on whatsapp
Hi,
I am currently an online English teacher looking for jobs with better pay & would like your assistance in this regard, please?
Kind Regards,
Anele.
I am currently seeking online site for teaching conversational English. Please advise me how I could get started?
What are the requirement for working with this company as a native English speaker?
Most of these sites require you to have a computer or tablet device connected to the Internet, a headset and webcam, and Skype or other free VOIP programs.
DIAA
I work as a teacher of English at an innternational school. I would like to teach English language for beginners online. Can you please guide and support me.
Thanking you
Did you try using any of the sites mentioned in the post?
Greetings:
Thank you for the information. I am an expat living in the Balkans and I teach university part-time (English). I will check into your recommended sites – is there a minimum load per week that is typical? I was considering 10 hrs. Is that enough? Thanks.
WKM
It really depends on the site. Some may have a minimum requirement, some may not. Good luck with your relocation in the Balkans.
i would to teach english online thank you
Amineh, your best bet would be to use one of the sites mentioned in the post.
How to you get paid? Do you need to have paypal or something else is possible?
Some sites do pay by PayPal and some by check. For me, PayPal has been the easiest and fastest way to get paid and pay people online. All you do is link your bank account to it and you are set. Then people can send you money with your email address.
Which of the three sites listed above have you worked with? What were the pros/cons to it?
Like any other site/company they each have their own pros and cons. It just depends on what you are looking for. I personally think the best thing you can do is to get started. Work with one site for a while and if you don’t like it, you can always change to another.
Could you please forward me details of how to get started
Linda, you can find all the info on the 3 sites we mentioned in the post.
I’m an English teacher on italki and I charge $40 per hour for lessons — my schedule is full! I actually JUST wrote an article about how I did it last week in case anyone here is interested:
http://elenamutonono.com/2016/07/14/teaching-online
Interesting article, Chris. I am glad you are doing good on Italki. Any insider tip you can give our readers on how to get to the point where they can also make $40 an hour for teaching online?
Hi Chris,
Are these online teaching companies recruiting candidates from India? I am a qualified English teacher and wish to teach online.
I just want to stop by to advise not to apply for working at TutorABC group. I just did their interview and at most you can make is around U$$6 if you get perfect rating.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Mey. Just curious, did the person interviewing you told you that?
No. They don’t make any mention on the issue of money.
hi i am a teacher of english language i want to that this is a good website to earn money by well teaching to forein students I am very impressed and now I am ready l need a job thank you …..
Their is no problem as long as you are serious
Hi !l am a english teacher.ihave been teaching english in dpaul public school for the last 5 years.i have an acute desire to teach overseas students and accelerate my earnigs throuhg this ambit coz i think it will give me good future prospect.
Hello im third year college student i am a future educator i wanna to find a partime job so i just wanna to apply this opportunities without investment or fee.
how can i apply this?
Even im not teacher yet ?
Mary, no you don’t need investment. Just visit the sites mentioned and sign up.
TutorABC is a waste of time and effort. I went through their training and even did a lesson. They paid me $2.00 for 45 minutes of actual lesson time. I quit after that. They are way too cheap. It is impossible for me to recommend tutorABC.
Wow, that is way too low. Was that based on the project perhaps?
im teaching also few subjects and im using koocam.
you should add it in your list.
you define the time and the price for chatting with you, its great
Arava, I have never heard of Koocam. What’s their site URL?
I just want to mention my experience with TutorABC. I’ve also heard a majority of bad reviews but I have had a good experience so far. They pay individually based on if your native, accent and skills. A native speaker will get more paid than an educated non-native I’ve heard. They pay me 7-8USD PER 45 min. I get around 10 USD with bonus (based on rating from students). If you get low rating your pay may be cut in half or even dropped completely. The hours are flexible and you can always work extra. I’ve never had problems with the rating or getting payed. It’s an easy and fun way to make money overseas if you’re inexperienced.
Thanks for taking time to share your experience, Andres. I appreciate it.
Hi My name is Chantale Francis I would really like an opportunity to teach online English please can your assist me.
we are currently recruiting teachers – native only. British/American. Pay will be between 15-22 USD/hour. If you are interested you can reply to my comment or email at contact@speechify.in
Hi
I am South African and would like to teach English online. Could you please recommend a company that recruits South Africans to teach online.Thank you
Hi, Thanks a lot for Sharing such Valuable Information with us. I am a Native but my Degree is in Social Work, my questions are:
1.) Do I need Degree to work for iTalki?
2.) Where do I obtain my daily curriculum.
Thank you
You are welcome, Gwen.
I don’t think you need a degree. And from what I understand, teachers create their own curriculum based on the individual student’s needs.
They actually have an excellent resource page for teachers that answers a lot of question. See http://support.italki.com/hc/en-us/categories/200405038-Teaching-on-italki
I’m not trying to be rude but as I read these reviews I can’t help but ask myself the following question.
“How can these people be teaching English overseas when they can not correctly write a simple English sentence with proper grammar and spelling?”
I was looking into this opportunity but am losing faith in the legitimacy of the programs if the teachers who are teaching English don’t even have a proper grasp of the language.
You are not being rude at all, Jenny. That said, we don’t actually teach English, we just share the money making/saving opportunities we find with our readers.
Hi Satrap!
Thank you for this post. Teaching anything online is becoming more in demand these days, and with a variety of platforms growing and promoting online learning, it\’s only going to grow.
This means people who wish to teach online long-term should think about some lasting and more viable practices other than 1:1 teaching which ceases to make money the moment a person stops teaching.
Last year I tried to implement such a system where I focused on growing revenue but teaching less. I wanted to stop depending on 1:1 lessons and develop more passive income streams.
Here\’s my 90-day report: https://elenamutonono.com/2016/07/21/teach-online-no-skype-lessons/ for those who\’re interested.
I\’d love to contribute something to this blog where I could share more actionable tips on making passively through teaching online. I wonder if you have a similar post already. Thanks!
That is awesome. Just checked out your blog and it looks amazing. Great work.
I would love to have you share your experience with our readers. Please feel free to send in a guest post through our Contribute page about how you started this whole thing.
Hello all-
My wife has been working through tutor ABC for about a month and a half now. She averages about $14/class (45 minutes). I have been on both preply.com and italki.com for about 1 month and have found 1 student on each site. Preply takes about 38% of your earnings while italki only takes about 15% a big difference. Also, I have been able to charge $18/lesson on italki and only about $15/lesson on Preply. I have been checking out the school at proenglishschool.com does anyone have any opinions on that English school?
-Thanks and good luck to all!
This is my first time hearing about that site, Dave.
I don’t have a degree but love teaching the children through online from my home especially Chinese children. is it possible that I can teach grammar and basic English to them??
Yes, many of these sites don’t require a degree. And even if they did, you can always use sites like Udemy.
What’s Udemy, could you explain?
Udemy is a site where you can make money by teaching people. You create courses (it can be about anything) and people pay to enroll. Check out this post for details:
How to Make Money with Udemy
Hello,
I’m Brazilian,
I learned English by myself, and a really like this topic, but I want to ask
if is it possible that someone without a degree and who is not a native could became a teacher on italki or any other web site?
PS: Great article, congratulations!
Hello i am from South Africa . I am interested in teaching from home but don’t know exactly where to go to find reliable work as i have read many review. I have been teaching for a Chinese Based Company for over a year and would really like to change companies. If anyone can help me ,it would be much appreciate.Thanks you
Honesty I am a college student from Africa,Nigeria precisely.I am very good in english.Can I be opportuned to be considered for this job as an online teacher.If granted I will be very grateful thank you.
Hi Victor,
Just to clarify, we (as in MoneyPantry) don’t offer these jobs. We’re sharing companies that do. You can use the links in the post to visit each site and apply directly for online teaching opportunities. Wishing you the best of luck!