Becoming an online IGCSE physics tutor puts you in one of the most consistently requested subjects in international tutoring. Physics is where many strong IGCSE students first hit a wall: formulas they can recite but can’t apply, graphs they misread, and practical questions they’ve never really practised. If you have a physics or engineering background, or you teach secondary science, this guide explains what families want and what Cambridge IGCSE Physics tests. It also covers how to teach it well online and how to apply to Tutopiya.

Key takeaways

• Cambridge IGCSE Physics was Tutopiya’s second most-requested subject in March to early June 2026 (61 trial requests). Edexcel IGCSE Physics added 20.
• Physics, engineering and science-education backgrounds are the strongest fit.
• The exam rewards applying formulas, interpreting graphs and practical skills, not just recall.
• Practical skills can be taught well online through alternative-to-practical questions and simulations.
• You set your starting rate and keep all of it. Tutopiya’s commission is added on top.

Is there demand for online IGCSE physics tutors?

Yes. Between March and early June 2026, Cambridge IGCSE Physics drew 61 of Tutopiya’s 798 trial requests, second only to IGCSE Maths. Students came mainly from Singapore, the UAE, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Edexcel IGCSE Physics drew 20 more, led by the UAE.

See current demand and apply on the Cambridge IGCSE Physics tutor jobs page, or the Edexcel IGCSE Physics page if you teach Edexcel.

Who makes a good IGCSE physics tutor?

Background	Fit	What strengthens your profile
Physics teacher at an international school	Excellent	IGCSE years taught, students’ grades, examiner experience
General science teacher who teaches physics	Strong	Name the physics topics and grades you’ve taught
Physics or engineering graduate	Strong	Clear explanations; fluency with past papers
Researcher or PhD student in physics	Strong, if you can simplify	Show you can explain at age-15 level
Top IGCSE/A Level physics student	Welcome	Your own grades; recent exam experience

What Cambridge IGCSE Physics actually tests

Cambridge IGCSE Physics (0625) is taken at Core or Extended level. Students sit a multiple-choice paper, a theory paper (short and structured answers), and either a practical test or an alternative-to-practical written paper. Extended students cover extra content and can reach the top grades. Syllabus details are on Cambridge International’s IGCSE pages.

Where students typically lose marks, and where tutors add the most value:

• Applying equations. Rearranging, using the right units, and showing working.
• Graphs. Choosing scales, drawing best-fit lines, and calculating gradients.
• Definitions. Cambridge mark schemes reward precise wording, for example for “specific heat capacity”.
• Practical skills. Planning, identifying variables, and explaining sources of error.
• Multi-step problems in electricity, forces and waves.

Teaching IGCSE Physics online vs in a classroom

	Classroom	Online 1-on-1
Demonstrations	Real apparatus	Simulations, videos, photos of apparatus
Diagrams	Board and textbook	Shared whiteboard with a pen tablet
Practical skills	Lab sessions	Alternative-to-practical questions, data analysis
Pace	Set by the class	Set by one student’s gaps
Feedback	Delayed, through marking	Immediate, as the student works

Online lessons can be better for physics problem-solving, because you watch every step of one student’s working. Free simulations, such as those from PhET, are useful for circuits, waves and forces.

How to become an online IGCSE physics tutor: step by step

1. Choose your board. Start with the one you know best. Cambridge has the largest demand.
2. Refresh the papers. Do a recent theory paper and an alternative-to-practical paper, and mark both.
3. Set up for diagrams. A pen tablet or stylus makes ray diagrams, circuits and graphs much clearer.
4. Create your Tutopiya profile. It takes about 15 minutes over 10 stages. Name the board, level and results in your bio.
5. Record an intro video that explains one physics idea simply, for example why a ball thrown upward slows down.
6. Choose a plan: Essential (SGD 10/month), Professional (SGD 20 for 3 months) or Professional Annual (SGD 90/year).
7. Get approved (Tutopiya aims for 24 hours), then open after-school slots for Singapore and Gulf students.

What makes a great online physics tutor

Great physics tutors teach students to think in steps: what’s given, what’s asked, which principle links them, and which equation follows. In a trial, take one past-paper question the student finds hard and model that process, then let them do the next one while you watch.

Many tutors teach both physics and maths, which works well because the two reinforce each other. If that’s you, see our guide to becoming an online IGCSE maths tutor. To understand income, read how much online tutors really earn.

A sample 1-hour IGCSE physics trial lesson

Every Tutopiya trial lesson is one hour and unpaid, so make every minute show the family what regular lessons with you would be like. Here’s a structure that works:

1. Minutes 0–5: Goals. Board, Core or Extended, practical route, and the latest mock result.
2. Minutes 5–15: Diagnostic. Three short questions: a calculation, a definition, and a graph.
3. Minutes 15–35: One topic, properly. Take the weakest area, explain the principle with a quick sketch, then work through a past-paper question together.
4. Minutes 35–45: Practical skills. One alternative-to-practical question on variables or sources of error.
5. Minutes 45–60: Plan. Agree the next four topics and set one short practice question. Leave time for the parent’s questions.

Keep your camera on, write clearly, and send a short summary to the student afterwards.

How tutoring with Tutopiya works

Tutopiya offers 1-on-1 online tutoring for Cambridge IGCSE, Edexcel IGCSE, IB and International A Level students. Tutors set their starting hourly rate 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, Tutopiya converts time zones and matches students to you, and you’re paid on the 15th of each month for the previous month’s lessons. Trial lessons are unpaid. Every plan includes Microsoft Teams, past papers, learning resources, AI tools and free teacher training. See the Tutopiya Become a Tutor page for full details.

Common mistakes new physics tutors make

• Too much theory, not enough questions. Students improve by solving past-paper problems, not by listening.
• Ignoring practical skills. Alternative-to-practical questions are a reliable source of marks. Teach them directly.
• Loose definitions. Teach the wording mark schemes reward.
• Messy diagrams. Use a stylus and a ruler tool.
• Listing “Science”. Families search for Physics specifically, so list it as its own subject.

Talk to us

Apply on the Cambridge IGCSE Physics tutor jobs page. If you also teach the A Level course, read our guide to becoming an online A-Level physics tutor. Questions? Contact our team.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to become an online IGCSE Physics tutor? +

A physics or engineering degree and some teaching or tutoring experience are preferred. Experienced science teachers who've taught physics at secondary level fit well, and top IGCSE and A Level physics students are welcome too. You also need a reliable online setup and a clear way to draw diagrams.

How do you teach IGCSE Physics practical skills online? +

Most online tutoring focuses on the written practical skills Cambridge assesses: planning an experiment, recording data, drawing graphs, and evaluating results. Use past alternative-to-practical papers, simulations, and photos or videos of real apparatus to make it concrete.

Is IGCSE Physics in demand on Tutopiya? +

Yes. Cambridge IGCSE Physics was the second most-requested subject on Tutopiya between March and early June 2026, with 61 trial requests, mainly from Singapore, the UAE and the Philippines. Edexcel IGCSE Physics added 20 more, led by the UAE.

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