How to become a tutor

Launching a tutoring business is an exciting way to turn your knowledge into a profitable and flexible career. Whether you’re a math genius, a language expert, or a science enthusiast, there’s always someone out there who needs your help.

The best part? You get to be your own boss, set your own schedule, and watch your students thrive!

But before you dive in, you’ll need a solid plan to attract clients and build your reputation.

If you’re ready to take the leap and start a business that makes a real impact, this guide breaks down everything you need to know.

Should you start a tutoring business now?

Starting a tutoring business in 2025 could be a smart move. There’s currently a large audience waiting to be tapped into, with 41% of young people in London alone expected to receive some form of private tutoring during their academic career.

Parents and students alike are willing to invest in extra help, especially in high-demand subjects such as maths and science.

Hourly tutoring rates reach almost £40 in some areas of the UK, making tutoring a clever way to make money for those with knowledge to share.

Of course, every industry comes with its challenges – and tutoring is no different. Competition is fierce (it’s thought there are around 100,000 private tutors in the UK), and to stand out, you’ll need to offer the very best knowledge and lessons.

The demand is definitely there though, you just need to be willing to put in the time and effort to get your tutoring business off the ground.

How to start a tutoring business in 5 steps

Let’s take a look at the steps you need to start your own tutoring business.

1. Decide on your niche

First, you’ll need to decide what subjects and levels you’ll tutor. Specialising in a specific area makes it easier to market yourself and attract students. 

Don’t make the mistake of trying to tutor everything. Having a niche makes you stand out from the crowd, and often means you can charge more if you’re truly an expert in your field.

To decide on your niche, you’ll need to opt for something you have a genuine knowledge of. There’s no point tutoring students in a subject you don’t know inside out yourself, so make sure you pick something you’re already familiar with.

Some other niche ideas for your tutoring business include:

• Language lessons, for those wanting to learn a second language
• Test prep for specific exams, such as A-Levels and GCSEs
• Maths or English for adults returning to education
• Lessons for students who don’t thrive in traditional education setting

Of course, going broad is also an option. We recommend choosing high-demand subjects, such as Maths and English at GCSE or A-Level. These are two qualifications that most people need to apply for jobs, so they’ll give you the largest target market.

2. Write a business plan

Before starting any organisation, you need to make a business plan.

This is a strategic document that can keep you focused and help make informed decisions when you are starting and growing your tutoring business. A good business plan should include:

• A breakdown of your services
• An overview of your target audience
• Your pricing structure (per hour, package deals etc)
• Your marketing plan
• Market research and competitor analysis – who is your main competition?

Writing a business plan doesn’t need to be overcomplicated. In fact, we have a free business plan template you can use to help you put yours together.

3. Get the right qualifications and legal requirements

You don’t legally need formal teaching qualifications to become a tutor in the UK. But having relevant qualifications can help to boost your credibility.

Some of the recommended qualifications you should consider include:

• A degree in your chosen subject
• Teaching qualifications, such as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PCGE) or Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

It’s also a good idea to get a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check too, especially if you plan to work with children.

A DBS check examines your criminal history to ensure you are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults. This will help clients and parents to trust you, and costs around £21.50 for the basic option from the Government.

If you’re teaching in-person, you’ll also need to take out public liability insurance, which covers you in case a student has an accident during a lesson. This costs an average of £10 per month.

Don’t forget to register your business with HMRC too – you can operate either as a sole trader or a limited company.

4. Set up your lesson space

Next, you’ll need to decide whether to offer in-person or online lessons via a business website, and set up accordingly.

If you’re offering online lessons, you’ll need to invest in a good laptop, webcam, and microphone. You’ll also need to make sure your WiFi is fast and reliable.

For those offering in-person lessons, you can operate as a mobile tutor, which will involve visiting the student’s home or setting up your own tutor space.

Renting specific space can be costly, with rent for a small studio likely to set you back at least £600 per month, so it’s worth considering either offering mobile lessons or converting space in your home to get started to keep costs low.

If you’re setting up a physical teaching space, think about the type of environment that will encourage learning by adding warm and welcoming decor, and limiting distractions.

Can’t decide whether to offer online or in-person lessons? We’ve listed some of the pros and cons to each below:

5. Market your business

Having a solid marketing strategy to target clients is crucial to building your tutoring business.

Whether you’re tutoring for high school students, offering language lessons, or teaching niche subjects, below we’ve listed some of the best ways to market your tutoring business to build your student base.

1. Create a website

A website helps build credibility and offers a way for potential students to learn more about your services. You don’t need to hire an expensive web designer either. Website builders like Wix or Squarespace offer easy-to-use drag-and-drop interfaces for creating a professional site without coding knowledge.

Make sure to optimise your site for SEO by using keywords related to the subjects you tutor and your location, helping you to get discovered in local searches.

2. Promote yourself on social media

Social media platforms are a great place to promote your services. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are all great options. You can also join local Facebook groups to target local audiences.

Don’t just post advertisements for your services though, create fun content, and offer study tips and hacks to keep your audience engaged. Showcase all the specialised knowledge you have!

Some fun social media ideas for your tutoring business include:

• Study Tip Tuesdays
• Behind the scenes of setting up a session
• Student case studies
• Exam question walkthroughs

3. Offer discounts and deals

Offering an initial discount or a package deal can be a great way to attract new students – after all, everyone loves a bargain!

Why not offer a discounted or free first lesson, or set up packages for people who commit to multiple lessons?

Don’t be tempted to offer too many discounts, though. If you constantly have a sale on, you’ll end up devaluing your work and nobody will be willing to pay full price.

What do you need to set up a tutoring business?

Starting a tutoring business isn’t just about knowing your subject, you also need to have the right tools and systems to keep everything running smoothly.

Here’s some of the essential things you’ll need:

• A reliable laptop and internet. If you’re tutoring online, fast WiFi is non-negotiable
• Video conferencing software (platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams are all simple to use) to conduct online sessions
• Scheduling system, such as Calendy or TutorBird, to keep track of your lessons and students
• Payment system, such as Stripe or PayPal, to take payments online
• A whiteboard or note-taking tool to help you explain concepts to students
• Lesson materials, based on your service offering
• A dedicated room or location to conduct your sessions if you plan to offer them in-person

How much can you expect to pay?

The good news is that you can start a tutoring business without breaking the bank, in fact new tutors can expect to pay between £100 – £2,000 to get started.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you’ll need to budget for:

• Tech and equipment – You’ll need a laptop, webcam, and strong internet as a starting point. If you already have these, great! If not you might need to budget up to £1,000 to cover everything
• Learning materials – You’ll need to decide which tools and materials you want to use within your lessons. Sites like BBC Bitesize offer free resources to get started.
• Marketing and branding – Marketing and branding costs will depend on whether you decide to do it yourself or hire a professional. If you decide to do it yourself, the only investment will be your time. A professional web designer could cost anywhere from £500 to build you a simple website
• Business registration and insurance – You’ll need to budget for any registration fees, such as online registration for a limited company (£50). You’ll also need to take out insurance. Public liability insurance will cover you if a student has an accident in a session and usually starts at around £10 per month.

Final thoughts

Starting a tutoring business should be exciting. It lets you share your knowledge, be your own boss, and make a real impact on student’s lives.

Whether you’re teaching in person or online, a solid business plan and the patience to grow your client base are the key to success.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the first step today, plan your business, spread the word and start changing lives one lesson at a time!