How to Become a Chegg Tutor

If you’re starting your brand new career as a tutor, it can be hard work to advertise and get students to come to you. This is where freelancer platforms can be beneficial as all you need to do is register and wait for students to get in touch! Learn how to become a tutor on Chegg on this blog post.

One of the largest platforms dedicated to tutoring is Chegg, formerly known as instaEDU. 

In this blog post, I will show you how to apply as a tutor on Chegg and the pros and cons of the Chegg platform.

What is Chegg?

Chegg was created in 2000 and was initially known as Cheggpost, a message board for students at Iowa State University.

The company grew and evolved as the years went by, firstly offering discounted books for students and then moving into other markets including textbook rentals, plagiarism checking services, internship searches and tutoring.

As of this year, 2.9 million people use Chegg for services!

Chegg tutor application process

Applying to be a tutor on Chegg is easy.

You need to provide two forms of verification when you sign up as a tutor; this can be a student ID card, a copy of your diploma or copies of your university transcripts. You’ll also need to submit a photo of yourself holding a piece of government-issued ID (like a passport or driving licence) to prove your identity.

Depending on the subject you want to teach, Chegg may ask you to complete additional tests to prove your skills.

If you like you can submit a short video introducing yourself and stating why you’re qualified to be a Chegg tutor. Chegg does not specify if this influences the application process, but if you’re in a position to provide a video, it makes sense to do so!

When you have applied, you’ll receive a decision in seven business days.

Do I have to be from the US to tutor on Chegg?

No, you do not have to be a US citizen to tutor on Chegg.

You can tutor from anywhere in the world if you have the relevant qualifications.

Bear in mind different time zones may have an impact on your ability to tutor students.

How do I get my Chegg tutor application right the first time?

Be cautious and do the hard work the first time. If Chegg feels you don’t have enough experience, they might reject your application.

A rejected application means you won’t be able to appeal. However, you can submit a new application if your experience or qualifications change, for example, if you enroll on a new university course or you get more tutoring experience elsewhere.

So try and get it right the first time around. 

However, if you’ve been rejected by Chegg, don’t despair. There are a lot of options available to you if you want to be a tutor. I’ll come to that shortly. 

How does Chegg work?

When you have signed up to Chegg, you become active on the platform. Students search for the support they need and will get in touch if they want you to tutor them.

However, this can be very challenging too.

There’s a few 1000 tutors on Chegg teaching almost every conceivable subject. Learn how to write a tutor profile that’ll make you stand out, and drastically improve the number of students who reach out to you.

You can tutor students through online chat or video chat.

You can also search for opportunities. Students post questions or problems they have and provide a time scale for the problem to be solved. You can then get in touch and offer your help.

How much money will I make through Chegg?

You’ll be paid a flat rate of $20 per hour for time spent in live lessons or helping students. Chegg calculates your payment every week and you’re paid through PayPal on a Thursday. 

If you spend less than an hour with a student, money is calculated on a pro-rata basis, with a minimum lesson length of five minutes (so if you’re with a student for two minutes, you’re paid for five minutes).

Students are charged $10.95 per lesson or can pay $19.95 per month for unlimited lessons. Lessons are carried out via online chat. If students want to study over video chat, they pay $30 for 60 minutes per month.

Chegg claims the best tutors can earn over $1,000 a month, fitting in their work alongside other commitments.

Remember any money you earn on Chegg is subject to taxes.

What are the advantages of tutoring on Chegg?

• Chegg pays weekly, meaning you’re not waiting around or chasing invoices
• It’s well supported by the tutors on the site: According to Glassdoor, 85% of tutors would recommend Chegg to a friend
• Chegg has a referral scheme where you can receive a bonus if a friend applies as a tutor
• A wide range of disciplines are available to tutor, from science and accounting through to languages and writing
• You can tutor from anywhere in the world, as long as you have the relevant qualifications
• All tutoring is carried out on the Chegg platform, meaning that you do not have to have specific software installed on your computer

What are the disadvantages of tutoring on Chegg?

• Unlike other freelancing platforms where you set your own rates and charge more if you have extra experience, Chegg charges a flat rate for tutors. While this may be good if you’re starting out, if you have been working as a tutor for several years, you may find the rate offered by Chegg too low
• You need PayPal to receive payment. Chegg does not offer other means of payment at this time
• Chegg can be competitive, especially during the summer when there is not much work to go around. Whilst some tutors do well on Chegg, others do not get a lot of work from it
• Some tutors have commented students have asked them to carry out assignments for them, with the threat of a negative review if they don’t comply
• Chegg does have a negative reputation within some educational institutions, with claims students have used the platform to cheat on exams

Summary

Chegg is one of the most well-known tutoring platforms on the market, so it’s a good option if you want regular payment and regular work. Make sure you are focused on what you’re offering, and increase the number of students reaching out to you.

However it’s not for everyone, and the one-tier payment system may not suit experienced tutors who want to charge more money for their services.

If you’re looking to earn more money through tutoring, establishing your own web presence and attracting your own students may be the way to go.

Check out these alternatives to Chegg

How do I set up my own tutoring business?

My advice – don’t spend any money building anything initially. Just use register on a tutoring website…

If you’ve not done much online tutoring so far, then make sure you read my post on how to focus your tutoring business to get more students.

While there’s a bit more upfront effort setting up on your own, it’s definitely a much better choice for you in the long run. Both in terms of attracting students as well as the money you stand to earn. 

Setting up on your own gives you more flexibility over the students you take on, charge the hourly rate you’re worth and lets you keep 100% of the money you make!

You do have to learn a few basics to set up your own website. And definitely think about who your audience is – students or parents. Craft your message to address their most pressing concerns, and you’ll have plenty of people contacting you. 

Getting people to your website is the next step. And a few top tips for you to consider are posting in social media groups around your local area, or on the subject you’re teaching for. Facebook, Nextdoor, Care, Craigslist all do a pretty good job. 

Read this post on how to advertise your tutoring business to get some tips on how to start a lucrative tutoring business.