Have you always wanted to teach? Do you dream about being your own boss? Are you in between jobs right now? Do you want to work from home? These dreams might at first appear contradictory. However, they perfectly fit the profile of someone who wants to start a tutoring business from home or online.

Well, how do you go about it? What are the things you need to know? How much would it cost? We’re so glad you asked.

Tutoring can dramatically improve a student’s academic result. Image courtesy of Pixabay

What Are the Qualifications to Become a Tutor?

Technically, none. After all, you are the emperor of your domain (or house). You just need to know more than your students to start teaching. But you have to be absolutely certain that you are able to deliver value to students. Otherwise, you will quickly lose business and the resulting word of mouth criticisms will cause your fledgling tutoring business to fail.

Most tutoring companies require their tutors to at least be in the second year of a degree program. It would be even better if you have working or teaching experience in that particular field. Working experience is especially valuable for subjects such as accounting and engineering.

Obviously, the required qualification will increase directly proportionate to the level of your prospective students. For instance, if you are tutoring university students, a Masters or PhD is typically compulsory.

The Necessary Aptitude

Teaching is mentally hard and requires strong communication skills.

Tutors, like teacher, must be articulate and able to break complex ideas into small, easy to digest pieces. They will have a ton of patience, since the simplest of explanations needs to be repeated ten times. And another five times tomorrow – and that’s just for one student! They must also be able to repeat lessons regularly and enthusiastically, without being consumed with boredom.

Tutors must also be able to handle students with problematic attitudes, which is practically all of them. If you are easily aggravated or provoked, tutoring might not be the best option for you.

Start-up Cost

The biggest capital investment is for a computer, printer and maybe, scanner. Chances are, you already have all of these at home. High-quality webcams, microphones and speakers might also be needed if you’re doing online tutoring.

For home tutoring, you might need to invest in a few desks and chairs, as well as a blackboard. If you want to be extra prepared, extra copies of textbooks and reference books, along with note pads and stationery might prove useful.

There are no licensing requirements or certifications to work as a private tutor in the United Kingdom. However, it would be advisable to make a self-check using Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). You can give parents peace of mind by displaying the certificate on your wall. An Enhanced DBS check, which includes checks for warnings, reprimands and convictions, as well as screening with the police, costs just £44 – a very worthwhile investment. Obviously, there are other factors to consider and challenges to overcome if you’re going to become a self-employed tutor, but the three items listed above are the biggest ones.