Are you looking for a side hustle? If so, there’s a site called VIPKid Teach that claims you can earn extra cash by teaching kids the English language.
But is VIPKid Teach legit or a scam?
To figure that out before joining, I recommend you continue reading this VIPKid Teach review.
Not only will it answer that question, but it will also show you everything you need to know about the site so you will know what to expect from it before you even sign up. Then you can properly evaluate whether this opportunity is the right fit for you.
So, let’s get started, shall we?
What is VIPKid Teach, and what does it offer?
VIPKid is an online teaching platform that teaches kids the English language. Its program that lets people teach kids English to earn money is called VIPKid Teach. And yes, it is indeed a legitimate opportunity since you can earn money from it.
Now the question is, is it the right fit for you?
Well, the only way to figure that out is to understand how VIPKid Teach works. The best way to do that is to take a closer look at the earning opportunity it offers so you will have a clear idea of what you need to do to earn.
The earning opportunity – Teaching English
The only way to earn from VIPKid Teach is to teach English to kids. After you get hired as a VIPKid teacher (which I will discuss how to do later), you can log in to the member dashboard and find out if you have any teaching assignments for the day.
When you log in to the dashboard, you can go to the Schedule section to see if there are kids assigned to you at a specific time. If there are, then all you have to do is hop on to the VIPKid teaching platform (they have their own software for video conferencing) at the specified time and teach the lesson.
Each teaching session lasts a guaranteed 25 minutes of teaching time. Then, after the teaching time, you can share feedback with your student for a few minutes, so the total time commitment is around 30 minutes. However, this doesn’t include the prep time. You have to do that on your own time, and you won’t get paid for it.
If you encounter technical issues during the session, you are given three minutes to solve the issue. Otherwise, the class will be canceled, and you will not get paid. You will be paid for every session you complete. The average rate per session is around $7 to $9, which is a decent rate, in my opinion, considering you only have to work for 30 minutes.
As for the scheduling, you will be asked to provide your weekly schedule one month in advance. Then VIPKid will send out your schedule to students every Saturday at 10 am (Beijing Time, since your students will be from China).
If a student books you for a class, you will be notified via email no less than 24 hours in advance, which is why you should check your email regularly if you work as a VIPKid teacher. If a class is booked within 24 hours, you will earn an extra $2 because of the short notice.
You have full control over your schedule, but you have to keep in mind that your students will be from China, so you will usually have to adjust to their time zone. The most common booking times are 6 pm to 9 pm (Beijing time) during the weekdays and 9 am to 9 pm during the weekends (also Beijing time).
If you can’t attend a scheduled class due to an emergency or technical issues, you have to inform VIPKid Teach as soon as possible so that they can attempt to find a replacement for you. You have to be careful with canceling classes because if you do it often, VIPKid will see you as an unreliable teacher and stop giving you bookings.
Another thing you need to know is that you will not be required to talk to the student’s parents while working as a teacher for VIPKid. The site will handle all that for you. Your responsibility is just to show up on time for every booking and teach.
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How do you get paid?
As explained above, you will be paid for every class you successfully teach. Your earnings will show up in your VIPKid Teach account balance.
Now you have the option to withdraw your earnings via PayPal or direct bank transfer. You can also choose when to get paid (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly). You don’t need to earn a specific amount to withdraw your earnings.
As long as you’ve completed classes during the payment period, you will be able to withdraw your earnings. Overall, the payment system of VIPKid Teach is relatively straightforward, and I like the fact that it offers convenient payment methods like PayPal and bank transfer.
If you are interested in more sites that offer a convenient payment method, I recommend you check out the top sites that pay via PayPal as well.
How much money can you make?
As explained earlier, you can set your rate per class, so you have control over how much you can earn. On average, the rate per class is around $7 to $9, which isn’t bad for a half hour’s worth of work, in my opinion.
However, the amount you earn will depend on how much time you are willing to spend teaching classes. As mentioned earlier, you have full control over your schedule, and the site has a lot of students, so you will not run out of opportunities to earn.
That being said, I still would not consider this opportunity as a full-time opportunity because the money you can earn will not be comparable to what you can earn from many full-time jobs. But overall, I would say the earning potential of VIPKid Teach is relatively good, in my opinion. You will be able to earn a decent amount easily.
Can you use it on mobile?
Another good thing about VIPKid Teach is that it has a mobile app you can download. The app will work with both Android and iOS devices, so you will not have a problem with compatibility.
The app is relatively easy to use and is a must, in my opinion, if you want to work as a teacher for VIPKid Teach. The app will let you check your schedule even when you are not in front of a computer.
But for the actual work you need to do, you will have to use a laptop or a desktop and have a fast and stable internet connection to teach classes.
Who can join VIPKid Teach?
Now, here comes the hard part. Although VIPKid Teach is technically available more or less worldwide, not everyone will become a VIPKid teacher. You have to apply for a position as a teacher.
The application process involves several steps (refer to the photo above).
As you can see in the photo above, you’ll have to go through a slightly complicated application process. You’ll have to fill out the application form, and during this step, you will more or less know if you have the chance of becoming a VIPKid teacher.
If you clear the first step, you’ll have to go on a recorded interview with a VIPKid recruiter where you can showcase your teaching skills.
If you pass that step, you’ll have to hold a mock class with a VIPKid teacher as a student. After you clear this step, you will have to sign a contract and undergo a background check. You will also be asked to submit documents (like photos of government-issued ID, etc).
Once the background check clears, you’ll become a full-fledged VIPKid teacher, and you can start setting your schedule so you can start to earn. One thing to note is that VIPKid is very particular about who they accept as teachers. They value education, experience, and dedication the most, so you will have no chance of becoming a teacher if you have no prior teaching experience. This is why this opportunity is not for everyone.
Can you get support?
If you have any questions about the site, VIPKid has an extensive FAQ section that discusses most of the important topics you need to know about working as a VIPKid teacher. If you can’t find the answers you are looking for, then you can just get in touch with VIPKid’s support department.
You can do so by going to the Contact Us page and clicking the Let Us Chat link. You’ll be taken to the support page, where you have to log in to continue. Once you’ve logged in, you can submit your inquiry to the support team.
Overall, I would say the site does provide decent support to its teachers since it offers a convenient way for you to get in touch with the support department.
Final Verdict
VIPKid Teach is a legit site where you can earn by teaching kids the English language. It has a couple of great features, but it also has a few drawbacks you need to consider.
To conclude this review, let me summarize its pros and cons to give you an overview of what the site has to offer. Then you can decide if this is the right fit for you or not.
Pros:
- Offers payment via PayPal
- No payout threshold
- Available more or less worldwide
Cons:
- Complicated application process
- You have to have prior teaching experience to have a chance at getting hired as a teacher
VIPKid Teach, in my opinion, is not for everyone. You need to have prior teaching experience to even have a chance of getting accepted as a teacher. If you don’t have that, then there’s no point in even attempting to apply as a teacher.
But if you are qualified, then this is a good opportunity to earn extra cash. You just have to be patient because the application process is quite long.
Now, if you are just looking for an easier way to earn extra cash, I suggest you check out the top survey and GPT sites in your country instead. The sites on this list all have good earning potential, so you will be able to earn a decent amount in no time. Plus, you will be able to immediately earn after signing up.
If you have any comments, questions, or experience with VIPKid Teach, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.