How to Become an Outschool Teacher (No Degree Needed!)
Learn how to become an Outschool teacher and make money while doing something you love.
Outschool is hiring! Outschool offers flexible, online jobs for teachers. This Outschool review will explain step-by-step everything you need to know about becoming an online teacher with Outschool.
If you are looking for a work-from-home job that pays well and that you can enjoy, then teaching for Outschool may be the solution for you. Our Outschool review answers all your questions on how to get started.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through my links. This is at no extra cost to you. View our full disclosure here.
Do you have kids that may be interested in taking virtual classes with Outschool? Grab a free $20 credit towards their first class. (Make sure to check your e-mail after you enroll in order to claim the credit. You will receive the credit as a refund.)
What is Outschool?
Outschool is an online teaching platform for students ages 3-18. These classes are taught by independent teachers, who chose what they want to teach.
This job is perfect for stay-at-home parents, those that are retired, travelers who want a remote position, as well as anyone with a hobby that they have excelled at and can teach to others.
Outschool was founded by Amir Nathoo in 2015, and is based in San Francisco, CA. All Outschool classes take place online for students and teachers.
Although teachers must reside in specific English-speaking countries, students come from over 100 different countries.
How does Outschool work?
The classes are live and recorded, and taught through the use of Zoom. Students are able to access their own camera and microphone so they can communicate with the teacher and other students as if it were a real classroom.
If a student misses a class, they can also access the recorded lesson at their leisure.
What are the requirements to become an Outschool teacher?
Outschool teachers do not need to have formal teaching credentials or even a college degree. In order to become a teacher, they require:
- At least 18 years of age
- A criminal background check (this is done for free)
- Resident of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom
- Reliable internet connection
- Webcam
Related post: Online Classroom Setup
What does Outschool pay?
A teacher can list classes on the platform with a description, as well as the times available and schedule. The teacher also has the opportunity to choose the price they charge per student, as well as the number of students that they want in each class.
Outschool recommends pricing classes at $10-$15 per learner per hour spent in class, but it is up to your discretion.
Outschool does take a 30% service fee from enrollments, but the amount you get paid is dependent on what you charge and how many students you teach per class.
For example, say you are teaching a one hour class one day a week over the span of 8 weeks. You open it up to 10 students at $75/student. This amounts to $750. Outschool charges you 30%, which leaves you with $525, after they take their fee. That’s $525 for eight hours of work, which is roughly $65/hour.
Another example: Say you are teaching an one-time class for 1 hour and open it up to 8 students. You charge $10/student and 6 students end up enrolling in your class. Of that $60, Outschool takes their 30% fee of $18. You still end up with $42 for teaching for one hour. Not bad, at all.
That makes this one of the highest paying side hustles you can find online.
How do you get paid at Outschool?
Teachers will receive payment through Paypal 7-10 days after your class begins.
All teachers at Outschool are independent teachers and are considered independent contractors. This means that you will be responsible to report your earnings and pay taxes on what you earn. (Similar to many other teaching companies).
Of course, as a teacher that works at home, you will be able to include certain expenses as deductions on your taxes that will decrease the total amount of money you will owe during tax season. Please consult with a tax specialist to get more information on this.
How long are Outschool classes?
The teacher is able to decide how long each class runs. My kids have taken weekly 15 minute classes (guided meditation), as well as classes that were 30 minutes, 1 hour, 90 minutes, etc.
It depends on your lesson plans and what you think is appropriate given the subject of your class material.
Outschool teachers can offer one time classes, as well as an ongoing class (which will automatically renew each student on a subscription until the parent stops it), a class that runs for a semester, or even a class that only runs for a few weeks.
Classes can be during the week, weekends, morning, afternoon, evening, and even on summer, winter, and spring breaks.
Photo by Julia M Cameron from Pexels
What classes can I teach on Outschool?
My kids love taking classes at Outschool! Some of their favorite classes are the the ones that involve hands-on learning such as building circuits, etc.
Outschool offers the following subject choices:
- Arts
- Coding & Technology
- English
- Health & Wellness
- Life Skills
- Math
- Music
- Science & Nature
- Social Studies
- World Languages
Some examples of popular class titles that are offered by other teachers are:
Electricity – Building Circuits (Hands-On)
Lego Engineering Club
Mastering the Five Paragraph Essay
Video Game Design (Beginner Coding 1)
Forensic Science
Beginning Greek
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone
Introduction to Economics
ASL for Beginners
Modding with Minecraft (Level 2 Coding)
Manual DSLR Photography
Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief Novel Study
The Mysterious Benedict Society Book Club
Mastering Pre-Algebra and Algebra Essentials
Introduction to Veterinary/Vet Medicine
Biology: Complete Set of Labs and Activities for High School
Fortnite Club
Music & Move: Dinosaurs
Guided Meditation
Beginner’s Yoga
C++ Background and Intro
Tween Talk
Spanish PreK Circle Time
Guess the Feelings with Daniel Tiger
Let’s Get Moving! Fun Fitness for Friends
Responsible Fun on Social Media
and so many more.
If you are an expert in a specific subject, or have mastered an interest or hobby of yours, and if you can make it into a fun and exciting way for kids to learn about it, too, then you can teach for Outschool! The possibilities are endless.
So if you are interested in making great money from teaching something you love from the comfort of your own house, then this is one of the best jobs you can find online.
Remember, you do not need to have a degree in order to teach for Outschool. You just need a passion and expertise in the subject you decide to teach.
Is Outschool only for homeschoolers?
Many of the students on Outschool use the platform to supplement their homeschool curriculum. I learned about Outschool because we are a homeschool family that uses their classes to not only supplement our curriculum, but to also learn more about our interests, and make more friends.
But Outschool classes are not just limited to homeschool children. Many students who attend school in a traditional setting also use Outschool to dive deeper into their interests, for further learning extensions, or to just have fun outside of the conventional classroom.
Outschool enrollment has increased tenfold with the pandemic causing many families to turn to virtual school and homeschool while they stay at home. This makes it a great time to get started as an Outschool teacher as the demand for instructors has increased greatly.
Outschool vs. VIPKid or other ESL companies: Outschool review
I have taught for ESL companies in the past and have found it to be a great way to earn an income from home. There are many benefits to working for these companies and they can provide a great remote opportunity for stay-at-home parents, travelers, or those looking to supplement their income.
There are a few differences between teaching ESL online and teaching for Outschool which I have outlined below.
Pros of Outschool vs. VIPKid, Qkids, GogoKid, etc.
- Outschool has a higher earning potential. This is because you are able to choose what you charge and how many students you teach per class.
- Outschool has more flexible working hours, with most students being in the US. This allows you to teach classes during the day instead of early morning or late evenings to match the Beijing time zone, as with ESL companies.
- No degree is required to become an online teacher with Outschool.
- You choose what you want to teach – it can be academics, or it can be an interest of yours that you want to share with kids who are also interested in the subject.
- You create your own curriculum and lesson plans based on your interests.
Pros of teaching ESL vs. jobs at Outschool:
- Building a connection with your students if you become their regular English teacher
- Lesson planning is done for you
- Work in the early morning or late evenings (When your children are asleep or outside hours of your normal 9-5 job).
Working for Outschool and VIPKid at the same time is also a great way to earn even more money, especially because the working hours don’t tend to overlap.
Outschool vs. Vipkid vs. Qkids Chart
Apply to VIPKid.
Apply to Qkids.
Read more about Qkids here.
Read more about teaching ESL online.
How do I become an online teacher with Outschool?
When you apply, they will ask you for the following information:
Your general information
Your experience teaching or working with kids (this can be from a job, volunteering, or just your everyday life; teaching experience is not required)
What topics you have experience or expertise in and are interested in teaching
Any certifications, degrees, and credentials you may have (A degree is not required, though)
A brief video (30-90 seconds) to show off your teaching space as well as your personality.
After applying, you will then have to complete their training modules that teach you about their policies and procedures for being a teacher on their platform.
Once you complete these, you will be able to start planning your schedule and choose your classes, and complete your teaching profile for the parents to view.
Tips for applying to Outschool
Don’t let the video requirement intimidate you and stop you from applying to Outschool. It’s fairly simple; in the 30 second – 90 second video just explain why you would love to teach and what classes you think you would be a good fit for.
Make sure to show off your personality in the video. I would also make sure your video has good lighting; you can accomplish this by using a lamp or filming in a room with natural lighting.
You also want to make sure your background looks professional; with no clutter behind you in the video. It is also important to make sure you have no background noise in your video.
Apply to become a teacher for Outschool here.
Some of our other posts that may be helpful for getting started:
How to Set Up your Online Classroom
Props for your Online Classroom
Things to know before teaching your first Outschool class
One of the main things to know to do before getting started teaching on Outschool, is how to use the platform Zoom. The below video explains many features of using Zoom as a teacher so you know how to get started.
You will also want to be aware that Zoom will record you from the moment you open your classroom, and that the recording of the lesson will be available for parents to view after class.
If you log into your classroom before starting, make sure to cover your camera with a sticky note and mute your microphone. Find noise canceling headphones with a mute button here.
You also may want to make notes for each student; such as jotting down their names before class and noting any issues they may have had in class (technical problems, behavioral problems, absences, etc.)
How do I increase my enrollment on Outschool?
As a parent, one of the number one things I look at before signing up for a class are the parent reviews of the teacher. Each class will have its own reviews, and they are an useful tool for parents who want to see the potential of the teacher.
Because Outschool offers classes using a marketplace, you will want to stand out from other teachers. You can choose unique classes to teach that are interesting and not offered by other teachers. You can also view the most recent parent requests of classes for ideas of what is in demand.
If you are teaching a competitive subject such as art or pre-school classes, you may want to use props in your class to increase engagement. These tools can help the younger students have more fun and remember you as a teacher. You may want to bring your cat or dog to class.
You can also promote your classes on social media and by word of mouth.
As a parent of students, I have tried one-time classes by teachers to see how my kids liked them before committing to a longer class by that teacher.
For example; my son tried out an electricity one time class by instructor David Salch, Electricity – What Really IS Electricity? We paid $17 for this class. My son loved the class, as well as the teacher.
After seeing that the teacher worked well, we ended up signing up for the three different sets of classes he offered on the subject: Electricity – Building Circuits (Hands-On): Beginner’s, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each set offered 3 classes, once a week for one hour.
Because we tried the “intro” course with the teacher, I knew I wanted to invest the money for my son to attend his longer class.
So you may want to offer smaller “demo” or “intro” one-time courses so that parents and students can see your teaching abilities, and will be encouraged to sign up for your longer classes.
How do I sign up my kids for Outschool classes?
If you are interested in having your kids take a class with Outschool, you can sign up here. –> By signing up through my link, you will receive a $20 credit towards your first class. (Make sure to check your e-mail after you enroll in order to claim the credit. You will receive the credit as a refund.)
Here are some of the classes my kids have taken over the past few months. (I highly recommend classes by David Salch for older kids.)
Outschool review: Final thoughts
Outschool is a legit way to earn an income from home. I hope that our Outschool review helped you answer any questions you may have about getting started teaching for Outschool.
Apply to become a teacher for Outschool here.
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Related Posts about making money and saving money:
40 Proven Ways to Make an Extra $1000 a Month
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22 Flexible Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms
Teach English Online with Qkids (Earn up to $20/hr)
18 Amateur Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
How to Start a Blog on WordPress and Make Money
I hope our Outschool review answered all of your questions about becoming an online teacher. If you have any further questions, leave a comment below!
