How do online tutors get paid when their students are in another country? It’s one of the most practical questions in international tutoring, and one that independent tutors often struggle with: chasing payments, losing money on conversions, and waiting for transfers to clear. This guide explains how international tutor payments generally work, what to check with your bank, the costs to watch for, and exactly how and when Tutopiya pays its tutors.

Key takeaways

• Platforms usually collect from students and pay tutors on a fixed schedule.
• Tutopiya pays on the 15th of the following month for lessons completed in the previous month.
• Payments go only to the tutor’s own bank account. Third-party accounts aren’t allowed.
• Check your bank’s handling of international transfers: currency, fees and timing.
• Only completed lessons are paid. Trials and student-initiated reschedules or cancellations aren’t.

Independent vs platform payments

	Independent tutor	Platform tutor
Who collects from families	You	The platform
Late or missed payments	Your problem	Handled by the platform
Payment timing	Whenever families pay	Fixed schedule
Currency	Whatever families send	Set by the platform’s process
Admin	Invoices, reminders, records	Platform records

How Tutopiya pays tutors

The Tutor Marketplace Terms set out the payment cycle:

	Detail
Lessons covered	1st to the last day of each month
Payment date	15th of the following month
What’s paid	100% of your agreed hourly rate, for completed lessons
Where	Your own bank account only; third-party accounts aren’t allowed
Your responsibility	Complete, accurate bank details on file

Some lessons aren’t paid under the terms. Trial lessons are unpaid. Student reschedules and cancellations aren’t compensated, whatever the notice. If a student doesn’t show for a regular class, you’re eligible for up to one hour’s compensation after waiting 30 minutes. Read the full Tutor Marketplace Terms.

What to check with your bank

1. Can your account receive international transfers?
2. In which currency will the money arrive, and at what conversion rate?
3. What fees apply, from your bank or intermediary banks?
4. How long do incoming transfers take to clear?
5. Is the account in your own name? It must be.
6. What documents might your bank ask for to explain the income?

A sample payment timeline

Date	What happens
1–31 March	You teach regular lessons
End of March	Lessons are recorded as completed on the platform
15 April	Tutopiya issues payment for March lessons
A few days after	Funds arrive, depending on your bank

Plan your budget around this one-month lag, especially when you’re starting out.

Keeping good records

Even with a platform, keep your own records for tax:

• Monthly lesson counts and payments received.
• Bank statements showing incoming transfers.
• Subscription fees paid, which may be deductible depending on your country.
• Equipment and internet costs, if allowable.

Browse subjects on the Cambridge IGCSE tutor jobs hub.

Budgeting around the payment cycle

Because March lessons are paid on 15 April, your first payment arrives some weeks after you start. A few habits help:

1. Plan for the first gap. Expect your first payment the month after your first completed lessons.
2. Track lessons weekly, so you know what to expect on the 15th.
3. Set money aside for tax from each payment.
4. Keep a small buffer for quieter months after exam series.
5. Check each payment against your own lesson log.

If a payment looks wrong, raise it through Tutopiya’s official support channels with your lesson records.

How tutoring with Tutopiya works

Tutopiya is a 1-on-1 online tutoring marketplace for Cambridge IGCSE, Edexcel IGCSE, IB and International A Level students. You set your starting hourly rate when you create your profile and keep all of it, because Tutopiya’s 40–50% commission is added on top and paid by the student. Later rate changes are requested through Tutopiya, which approves them at its discretion. You add free slots, and Tutopiya converts time zones and matches students to you. Every plan (SGD 10/month, SGD 20 for 3 months or SGD 90/year) includes Microsoft Teams, past papers, learning resources, AI tools and free teacher training. Full details are on the Tutopiya Become a Tutor page.

Common payment mistakes tutors make

• Using a partner’s or joint account. Payments go only to your own account.
• Wrong bank details. Double-check before your first payment.
• Not planning for the lag. March lessons are paid in mid-April.
• Ignoring fees. Ask your bank about incoming transfer costs.
• No records. Keep them for tax.

Talk to us

For tax basics, read tax basics for self-employed online tutors. For income planning, see how much online tutors really earn. Payment questions? Contact the Tutopiya team.

Frequently asked questions

When does Tutopiya pay tutors? +

Lessons taught from the 1st to the last day of each month are paid on the 15th of the following month. For example, lessons taught in March are paid on 15 April. Tutors are paid 100% of their agreed rate for completed lessons.

Where does Tutopiya send payments? +

Only to the tutor's own bank account. Third-party accounts aren't allowed, and tutors must keep complete, accurate bank details on file. Tutopiya isn't responsible for transfers sent to incorrect details, so check yours carefully.

Will I lose money on currency conversion? +

Possibly, depending on your bank. International transfers can involve conversion rates and fees from intermediary or receiving banks. Ask your bank how it handles incoming international transfers, and compare options before you start.

Ready to Become a Tutor?

Teach IGCSE, IB, and A-Level students worldwide from home. Tutopiya connects specialist tutors with families around the world — keep 100% of your hourly rate, use AI-powered resources, and apply in minutes.

Become a Tutor