Outschool Review: Everything You Need to Know About Teaching on Outschool

Outschool is an online marketplace and educational platform that connects teachers with students between the ages of 3 and 18 years old.

Originally, Outschool was founded in 2015 and was marketed as a tool for homeschooling. Parents could use it to provide their homeschooled children with a full education or to supplement their own teaching with online classes and activities. Today, it’s designed for any motivated learner from preschool to 12th grade.

Teachers can offer a variety of services on Outschool. Here are just a few examples:

• Full-semester curriculums
• One-off classes
• Weekly classes
• One-on-one tutoring
• After-school activities
• Neurodiversity-specific education

You can make your classes as long or as short as you like. The curriculum is 100% yours to design. You can also schedule it at times that are most convenient for you. There’s no need to commute anywhere—you’ll do all your Outschool tutoring remotely in Zoom live chat rooms.

Costs and fees

It’s free to sign up and create classes on Outschool. However, Outschool will take a 30% cut of your earnings on the platform.

Subjects you can teach

You can teach almost any subject you’d like. Popular Outschool teaching subjects fall into the following categories:

• Arts
• Coding and tech
• English
• Life skills
• Math
• Music
• Science and nature
• Social studies
• World languages

You can also offer tutoring, after-school enrichment classes, as well as neurodiversity-targeted subjects. Other subjects and activities of interest to children are also available, like chess, survival skills, debate, personal finance, and computer building.

Before choosing a subject to teach, make sure it conforms to Outschool’s class content policy. Subject material must be secular (i.e., nonreligious), objective, truth-based, age appropriate, and inclusive.

Eligibility requirements

To teach on Outschool, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be aged 18 years or older.
• Live in the United States or a qualifying country.
• Be proficient in English.
• Have expertise in the subject you aim to teach.
• Have reliable internet connection with a connection speed of at least 3 Mbps.
• Have a computer that is able to run Zoom video conferencing.
• Have a Social Security number or government-issued identification.
• Pass a criminal background check.
• Have a PayPal account.

Outschool’s signup process for teachers is a bit more involved than the registration process for some other online teaching platforms. You’ll have to demonstrate your expertise, undergo identity verification, and pass a background check before you can start teaching on Outschool.

Lastly, you must demonstrate that you’re an expert in the subject you plan to teach. While Outschool won’t go digging into your educational background for proof, they will ask you a series of questions during the application process to vet your knowledge and experience.

Locations

Because of the background check, English language, and PayPal account requirements, Outschool teachers need to live in one of the following areas:

• United States (any of the 50 states)
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• England
• Wales
• South Korea

How long does it take to start teaching on Outschool?

One of Outschool’s main drawbacks is its lengthy signup process. We spoke to one Outschool teacher, Ivana Winslow, who told us it took her “several weeks” to get approved and start working for Outschool when she first joined back in 2020.

The long wait time is primarily due to the number of steps involved in screening new teachers, as outlined in the table below.

Timeline to Start Teaching on Outschool

Since teachers have full control over their class prices, Outschool teacher pay rates vary widely. Salaries reported by Outschool teachers on Indeed hover around $20 per hour. 1 Estimates are higher on Glassdoor, with average teacher and tutor wages in the wide range of $21–$61 per hour. 2

In addition to how much you charge, your earnings will also depend on several other factors:

• The subjects you teach
• The grade levels you teach
• The number of classes you’re offering
• The demand for your classes
• How frequently you teach

From your earnings through Outschool, you’ll get to keep 70%. The other 30% will go to Outschool.

How you’ll get paid

Outschool pays teachers via PayPal. They claim payments should reach your account in 7 or 8 days after your last completed class for fixed-duration classes (i.e., 1-day, multi-day, or flex) or 7–13 days for ongoing classes and one-on-one tutoring.

This lines up with what Winslow’s experience. She said she normally gets paid every 1–2 weeks.

Becoming an Outschool teacher is a relatively straightforward process, but you’ll need to complete several steps to apply and get approved so you can start teaching. Below, we’ll break down exactly what you need to do to start earning money on Outschool.

1. Submit a teacher application

Go to the teacher page on Outschool.com and click the “Sign up to teach” button. You can sign up using Google, Facebook, Apple, or your email address.

Fill out the application. In addition to providing basic information about yourself, you’ll need to answer a series of questions to demonstrate your passion and expertise for the main subject you want to teach.

Here are the questions you can expect to be asked on the Outschool application for teachers:

• What topics are you passionate about teaching?
• Which ages of learners do you want to work with?
• What experience or expertise do you have in these subject areas?

You’ll also need to write a sample class description. This section tells prospective students and their families what you intend to teach, your teaching method, and what they’ll learn at the end of the class.

2. Upload a sample teaching video

Before you can submit your teacher application, you have to upload a 3–5 minute video of yourself teaching the class you described in the questionnaire. Outschool will use this video to evaluate your knowledge, teaching methods, “classroom” setting and backdrop, and student engagement style.

Once you’ve uploaded your video, you can submit your teacher application. You should hear back from Outschool within 3 business days about whether you’ve been approved.

3. Undergo screening

Once you’ve gotten application approval, the next step you need to take to become an Outschool teacher is undergo teacher candidate screening. This screening process consists of two stages: identity verification and a background check.

Identity verification

First, you’ll submit a valid ID for verification. Outschool accepts the following forms of ID for US applicants:

• Driver’s license
• State ID card
• Passport or passport card

Scan both the front and back of the card and submit it along with a selfie.

Background check

Next, you’ll need to complete a free and secure criminal background check. Outschool runs background checks on US users through Checkr, a third-party screening company. The background screening process checks for violent offenses and trust and safety offenses, including fraud, internet crimes, and statutory crimes.

In addition to undergoing a background check when you first register as an Outschool teacher, you also need to have your background check updated once every year.

4. Watch the required videos

The final part of the approval process is watching two policy videos, which you’ll find on your teacher dashboard.

The first video covers Class Content Policies, and the second covers Safety and Privacy. By watching these videos, you agree to the terms of teaching on the Outschool online platform.

5. Build your teacher profile

Once you’re an approved Outschool teacher, it’s time to build your teacher profile. Your teacher profile page is what students and their families will see, and it’ll allow them to learn about you as an educator.

While you might not have control over what student reviews say about you and your experience, you can control the information on this page. It’s important to take your time in filling it out.

List your name, write out an eye-catching and descriptive headline, and fill in the “About Me” section. You should also upload a headshot along with an intro video that welcomes students to your page and lessons. Outschool will ask you for additional information related to your location, contact info, and PayPal account on this page.

6. Offer your first class

Choose one class to start teaching. You won’t be able to submit any others until Outschool has reviewed and approved this first one.

Outschool recommends creating a one-time class the first time around since it’ll be easier to edit and get approved than an entire curriculum. One-time classes also get the best ratings, so it’s a good way to help you build credibility on the platform early on.

When setting up your class, be as detailed as possible. Here’s what your listing should include:

• Class name: Choose a simple and clear name that explains what you’re teaching and who the lessons are for.
• Class summary: Write a paragraph summarizing the class structure and desired learning outcomes.
• Target students: Select the class’s target grade levels and specify whether it’s designed for beginners, intermediate, or advanced students.
• Required materials: Specify any books or materials that students will need.
• Syllabus: Include information about the topics covered in each lesson.
• Assessment structure: Detail what homework, assessments, and/or grading are offered.
• Your expertise: Explain your experience and/or qualifications in the subject.
• Your policies: Mention your refund and/or cancellation policy.

When you’re done, create a schedule for the class. If you can, offer alternative dates/times for students to choose from. Outschool recommends keeping class sizes small so you can provide more personalized instruction.

Before you submit your class for review, set a price. Just bear in mind that classes can’t be free, and they can’t be more than $3,000.

On average, classes appear to cost between $10 and $25. At this rate, if you’re able to fill a 1-hour class of 12, you could make anywhere from $170 to $210 after Outschool deducts their 30% commission fee.

7. Find students

You can’t start earning money on Outschool without getting students. Unfortunately, this isn’t something the platform does for you. Instead, you’ll need to do a bit of marketing and advertising to attract the attention of potential students and parents.

One simple trick that can really help you out when you’re first getting started on Outschool is using a bit of search engine optimization (SEO) to make sure that you’re appearing in the search results of parents and students who might be interested in your class.

It’s also worth advertising your class on online platforms, such as your social media pages and LinkedIn. If you have your own website, then this is a great place to advertise your Outschool page.

When we spoke to Winslow about her experience teaching on Outschool, she let us in on some lesser-known facts about the platform, including what types of lessons are most in demand and what students and parents are looking for in their teachers.

Demand is growing for private lessons

Since Winslow first started teaching on Outschool in 2020, she’s noticed some changes in what parents and students are looking for from teachers. “The biggest shift in demand has been from group classes to private tutoring, where more parents are currently seeking 1:1 or 1:2 (usually siblings) lessons or tutoring,” she said.

You can easily take advantage of this growing demand by including private or small-group lessons in your service offerings. If you plan to strictly teach larger classes, beware that it may be a little harder to secure a full class of students.

You need a strong profile to beat the competition

There’s been a rise in the popularity of online teaching in recent years, particularly since the pandemic. While there’s certainly more demand for online teachers now than there was before, there are also more teachers to compete with.

This market saturation is something you’ll notice when teaching on Outschool. “Over the years, more teachers have been hired and there is more competition in terms of the number of classes offered,” Winslow said.

However, not all hope is lost. You just need to put in a bit of work to make yourself stand out when you first start teaching. “I believe a new teacher can still stand out through an engaging profile picture and video, strong course offerings, excellent customer service, and patience,” Winslow told us.

There’s potential to grow a larger business

According to Winslow, you have the “opportunity to create an organization within Outschool and hire teachers to teach your classes.” This is one point that makes Outschool stand out from platforms that cater only to individual teachers.

If you’re an experienced educator with big dreams that span beyond just teaching, then you might like the idea of starting up your own organization and managing other teachers. In this case, Outschool can offer you the resources you need to get started.

Once you have an individual teacher account, you can get it converted to an organization account and start hiring other teachers. All you need to do is fill out an online application to become an organization on Outschool.

You can also find jobs with educational organizations

Outschool isn’t just a place to find students and host your own classes. You can also use the platform to find teaching jobs with existing schools. One of the benefits of going this route is that you won’t need to develop your own curriculum or lesson materials.

Winslow recommends applying for positions at teacher-run organizations in your area of interest when you first join Outschool. “They will provide you with their lessons and you may have a better chance of getting booked sooner,” she added.

When Winslow first started working on Outschool, she was earning only $10–$20 per hour. Now, she’s earning $45–$50 per hour. When we asked what the secret was to her growth in earnings, she shared a few tips for making the most money possible as an Outschool teacher.

Offer one-on-one lessons

When Winslow first joined Outschool, she tried offering small group classes, but she soon realized that if only one or two students enrolled, she wouldn’t make much more than $10 per hour—much less than what she’d make with a full class of 6–8 students.

“I refined my niche and focused on only 1:1 tutoring, which guarantees a full payment since only one student needs to enroll each class time,” she said. You’ll have better luck with larger classes once you’ve gained experience on the platform and got recurring students.

Mix up your service offerings

Getting your online tutoring side hustle to take off can be tricky, especially if you don’t have any teaching experience or reviews. If you’ve signed up to teach on Outschool but haven’t had much luck attracting students, try making tweaks to the types of classes and services you’re offering.

“It helps to be flexible and try out scheduling different class lengths, age ranges, times of day, etc. to see what gets booked more often,” Winslow told us.

Know when to raise your rates

Winslow initially charged $1 per minute for private tutoring, which she says “is a generally accepted starting rate on Outschool.” However, since Outschool takes 30% of teacher earnings, you’ll actually be earning less than that.

For Outschool to be worth it, you may want to be earning more than that—but you need to gain credibility on the platform first. Winslow gradually increased her rates as she accumulated positive reviews and completed more classes. “Those stats show up on your Outschool teaching profile,” she said.

Outschool is a legitimate teaching platform that’s well-loved by many teachers, including Winslow. “I’ve greatly enjoyed my experience working there so far as an independent contractor,” she said. And she’s not alone. There are currently more than 10,000 people teaching on Outschool.

The platform gives teachers plenty of freedom and flexibility to start up or expand their own online teaching business. Its lack of formal requirements in terms of degree, teaching experience, or certifications also makes it a great option for first-time teachers and college students.

With all that said, Outschool does take a 30% cut, which can make it hard to reach your full earning potential. Outschool reviews and feedback from teachers indicate that the site isn’t completely without faults.

Pros and cons

Below is an overview of key points that may determine whether Outschool is a good platform for you.

Alternatives to teaching on Outschool

If you don’t meet Outschool’s requirements or it doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, don’t worry. There are plenty of other great websites for getting online tutoring jobs.

There are also other ways to start a tutoring side hustle that don’t involve working through an online platform. You could teach independently, which would give you full control over when, where, and what you teach—plus, you’d get to keep 100% of your earnings.