Teaching online is a great way to earn money remotely from home or on the road. But if you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree, you probably think your chances of teaching English online without a degree are slim to none.
So, can you teach English online without a degree? I’m happy to say that these days it is possible to teach without a degree and without having any experience!
The online teaching world has exploded over the past few years with more and more people wanting to teach and learn virtually. I taught English while living in China for a year, but these days, teaching can be done remotely — giving you more freedom.
10 Online English Teaching Jobs No Degree
- PrePly: No degree or TEFL required. You set your own pay rates and schedule.
- Lingoda: No degree required. TEFL a must. 3 years of teaching experience. Flexible schedule. Pay is $8-$13/hour.
- PalFish: No degree required. TEFL a must. You set your own pay rates and schedule or $22/hour.
- SkimaTalk: No degree or TEFL required. Must be a native English speaker. You set your own pay rates and schedule.
- Cambly: No degree or TEFL required. Near-native or native English speaker. $0.17 per minute or $10.20 per hour.
- Open English: No degree. Must have TEFL and 1-year teaching experience. Flexible schedule. $15/hour.
- Cafe Talk: No degree or TEFL required. Must be a native English speaker. You set your own pay rates and schedule.
- Italki: No degree or TEFL required. Must be a native English speaker. You set your own pay rates and schedule.
- Tutlo: No degree required. TEFL a must. Must be a native English speaker. $5 – $11/hour. You set the schedule.
- Amazing Talker: No degree or TEFL required. Must be a native English speaker. $15-$28 per 50-minute class. You set the schedule.
- Bonus! Magic Ears: Must be enrolled in University. TEFL a must. Must be from Canada or USA. $8-$11 per class.
Read on to learn how it’s possible to get a job teaching English online without a degree, and which schools and companies are the best to work for.
Can I Teach English Online Without a Degree?
The short answer: Yes! You can find an online English teaching job without a degree.
The schools on this list don’t require a Bachelor’s Degree, but many of them require you to have a TEFL certificate. In reality, this is a good thing to have as it will better your odds of getting hired, and help get you prepared for a classroom setting.
If you do have a degree, you’ll qualify to teach at schools that potentially pay more, and don’t take a commission from your salary. But, don’t worry, there are still 10 great companies that will let you teach English without a degree on this list.
What Are The Qualifications to Teach English Online With No Degree?
In order to get hired by most of the teaching companies on this list, make sure you meet the following requirements:
No Degree, But You Hold a TEFL Certificate
First of all, if you want to get a job teaching English online without a degree, you’ll want to make sure you have a TEFL certification.
While it’s not imperative that you have one, five out of the ten companies on this list require you to have a TEFL. So, if you get certified, you’ll be able to apply for 100% of the jobs, rather than just 50% of them.
Many people want to work from home (or abroad) while having the opportunity to set their own working hours. Because of this, competition is higher than ever.
Give yourself a leg up on your fellow teachers and get your TEFL to better your odds of getting hired. Click here for a list of the top 7 affordable and recognized companies.
Apart from being able to speak the English language, and (in some cases) having a TEFL certificate, the other requirements are quite simple.
Create a Great Introductory Video and Teacher Profile
With so many other teachers and tutors vying for jobs, you’ll want to make yourself really stand out.
When it comes to creating your introductory video it’s important to put your best foot forward. This is what your potential students will see, so you want to make a good impression.
Be enthusiastic and ensure proper pronunciation and enunciation when speaking. Wear nice clothes and make sure you’ve had a shower! Ladies, do your hair and make-up, and guys, make sure your hair and beard are trimmed nicely or clean shaved.
You’ll want to make sure that the sound and lighting are good for your video as well.
Have a look at your background. Ideally, it’s not your kitchen or bedroom, but a plain white wall, or a wall with a map of the world or other props nearby.
Apart from giving a good first impression, make sure all of the questions are answered and the required sections are filled in on your profile.
Basically, just do everything to better your odds of getting hired.
Equipment For Teaching Online
For many of the companies on this list, a laptop isn’t required, but a tablet or a smartphone will work. Make sure you have headphones, a good microphone, and fast internet as well.
10 Companies to Teach English Online Without a Degree
This is a list of the top 10 companies that will hire you if you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree.
1. PrePly – teach English online with no degree
With PrePly, not only can you teach English online without a degree or a TEFL, but there are numerous other languages on offer as well.
So, if you’re fluent in Spanish, German, Dutch, Arabic, etc. then you can become a tutor in those languages also!
You can teach from anywhere in the world using the online platform supplied by PrePly. You simply post your profile and it will show up in the search results for students to see.
The better your profile is, the more qualifications you have, and the more hours and classes you have completed, the greater your chances are of being hired (and seen in the search results).
PrePly has been around since 2012 and has grown substantially since then. They offer lots of customer support and a worry-free payment system.
It’s a good option if you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree or a TEFL course under your belt. To learn more, read our article on how to become a PrePly teacher.
Requirements to Teach With PrePly
This company is really relaxed when it comes to requirements!
- You don’t need to have a university degree to teach.
- You don’t need a TEFL certificate.
- You don’t need to be a native English speaker.
- Can teach from anywhere in the world.
- Must have a solid internet connection, microphone, and webcam.
Having said all of that, there are a lot of teachers and tutors on this platform and in order to make yourself stand out, you’ll want to make sure to fill in all of the requirements on your profile (photos, a video, description, etc.)
And, since many teachers have previous experience and certifications, it’s definitely recommended to have at minimum a TEFL certificate. Click here to learn about the best (and affordable) ones on offer.
Salary and Hours With PrePly
- You set your hours, and you set your pay.
- If you have a lot of availability, you’ll be able to teach more and earn more.
- The highest paying tutors earn $550/week on PrePly.
- You’ll be paid through PayPal or Payoneer.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with preply
2. Lingoda
Another company on this list where you can teach more than just the English language. With Lingoda, Spanish, French, and German are on offer as well.
You’ll be teaching adult students from all around the world, meaning you can find class times available 24/7. This is great, as it gives you the opportunity for you to make more money, and not have to worry about time zone issues.
The company was founded in 2013 in Berlin and since then, it has grown to be one of the top companies that allow teaching English online without a degree.
Lingoda is a good option if you want to teach adults, and you have a TEFL and some teaching experience.
Requirements to Teach with Lingoda
- You must hold a TEFL Certificate.
- Have three years of teaching experience (online or otherwise).
- Have a high-speed internet connection (classes are taught on Zoom).
- You’re expected to work a minimum of 5 hours per week.
- You must be a native speaker of the language you are teaching.
Salary and Hours With Lingoda
- You choose your own schedule.
- Classes can be booked months, or hours in advance which gives you lots of flexibility.
- The pay is between $8-$13/hour to start based on your qualifications.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with lingoda
3. PalFish
PalFish is different from the rest of the platforms on this list because they offer two different types of teaching programs — Official Course Instructor and Freetalk Teacher.
As an Official Course Instructor, you will need to be able to work more than 10 hours per week, the rates are set by PalFish, the curriculum is provided for you, and you will be teaching kids aged 3-9 years old.
As a Freetalk Teacher, you set your own rates, there’s no set time commitment, and you’ll mostly be teaching adult students.
This school was founded in 2015 and is a good option if you have your TEFL course, are able to work around Beijing time, and are interested in teaching one-on-one, or large groups.
PalFish is an app-based program, meaning you can easily teach from your smartphone or tablet. Find out more about PalFish in our review article here.
Requirements to Teach with PalFish
- You must have a teaching certificate (such as a TEFL).
- Be a native English speaker, fluent in the English language (for the Official Course Instructor and Freetalk Teacher).
- You must be from the USA, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Ireland or Australia (only for the Official Course Instructor).
- You should be creative and energetic.
- Have a smartphone or a tablet that you can teach from.
- Have a Payoneer account so you can get paid.
Salary and Hours With PalFish
- The salaries differ depending on which type of teacher you are.
- Freetalk Teacher: you set your own rate per class. But, you won’t want to price yourself out of the market. The going rate seems to be $10 – $18/hour, but some teachers charge upwards of $30/hour.
- Official Course Instructor: the salary is set for you at $22/hour plus bonuses. You must be able to work 10 hours per week.
Click here to learn more and apply to teach with PalFish
4. SkimaTalk
SkimaTalk is a great option for those who are native English speakers, with a neutral American, British, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, and/or Irish English accent.
Founded in 2012, SkimaTalk is geared towards adult students from around the world. This is great as it means you can interact with different cultures on a daily basis.
You’ll need to create an introductory video for your profile. This is what your potential students will see before deciding to book with you, so as I mentioned above, you’ll want to make it a good one!
When students book with you, they choose the class they want — pre-set SkimaTalk lesson or a free talk lesson.
With SkimaTalk lessons, topics include business English, exam preparation, English news, etc. Lessons are taught via Skype.
Something to consider with SkimaTalk is that you need to do 3 classes for free to ensure that you are a good fit for the platform.
Regardless, SkimaTalk is a good option if you’re a native English speaker but don’t have a university degree or a TEFL certification. See our guide to teaching with SkimaTalk, here.
Requirements to Teach With SkimaTalk
- You must be a native English speaker.
- You must have a neutral accent.
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
- You’ll need to have a computer with a webcam and headset.
- Have a reliable internet connection.
- You must be professional, committed, and passionate about teaching.
Salary and Hours With SkimaTalk
- You choose which hours you want to work, and you “open” time slots on your calendar.
- Classes are 25 minutes each, and you must submit feedback for your student within 24 hours of the class.
- Students are booked on a class-by-class basis, so you will probably have new students each day.
- You set your own pay rate. New tutors charge between $7 – $10 per class, while more experienced tutors (and ones who have a TEFL course or other qualifications) charge around $10 – $15 per class.
- Teachers are paid monthly via PayPal.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with skimatalk
5. Cambly
Cambly is quite a bit different from the rest of the companies on this list. It’s also the easiest to get a job with but has one of the lower pay rates.
Basically, this is more of a free-flowing, conversational platform, without a rigid class schedule.
Students and teachers connect via the Cambly platform and simply have a conversation about whatever they want — sports, hobbies, food, movies, weather, etc.
The goal is to have your students practice their listening and speaking abilities and to be more comfortable in a real-life social situation. It’s a great way to meet people from all over the world and learn about their lives in a more casual setting.
The downside of Cambly is that students leave reviews for the teacher, and the reviews aren’t moderated well enough.
So, if your student didn’t like you for no other reason than your haircut, they can give you a poor rating — which means a less desirable teacher profile, and therefore, fewer students wanting to connect.
Having said this, Cambly is a great option for those who want to teach English online without a degree, and without a TESOL/TEFL certification.
It’s also good for teachers who are looking for more flexibility and a more casual teaching setting. Find out more about Cambly in our informative article, here.
Requirements to Teach With Cambly
- You need to be a native (or near-native) English speaker.
- Have a proper webcam, microphone, and lighting.
- Have a fast internet connection.
Salary and Hours With Cambly
- Tutors are paid $0.17 USD per minute or $10.20 USD per hour with Cambly.
- The program tracks how long you are on your call.
- You choose your own hours.
- Payment is made via PayPal.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with cambly
6. Open English
This company has been around since 2007. Founded in Venezuela, it’s the top choice for online language learning in Latin America.
You’ll need to be a native, North American English speaker. But, no Bachelor’s degree is required and you can be living abroad.
If you’re interested in teaching Spanish or Portuguese speaking students (high school and adult), this could be a good option for you.
And actually, preference is given to teachers who can also speak those two languages.
The teaching and curriculum materials are provided for you, but you’re encouraged to bring your own flair to the class as well — based on your abilities and experience with teaching ESL.
Classes run 24/7 giving you numerous time options.
This is great for people who work throughout the day and want to pick up evening teaching shifts, and for those who want to work early mornings or weekends.
Requirements to Teach With Open English
- You must be a native North American English speaker.
- You must hold a TEFL Certificate.
- You’ll have to submit a resume.
- You must have one year of teaching experience (if you don’t have a university degree).
- Have a Microphone, webcam and high-speed internet.
- Preference is given to teachers who can also speak Spanish and/or Portuguese.
Salary and Hours with Open English
- The pay is upwards of $15 per hour.
- Hours vary, but you are expected to fulfill 10 hours minimum each week, with a maximum of 26 – 36 hours per week.
- Teachers are paid via PayPal
click here to learn more and apply to teach with open english
7. Cafe Talk
The name of this company pretty much says it all — it’s like having a conversation with a friend over a coffee at a cafe. The vibe is meant to be relaxed and focused on a conversation about different topics.
One of the things that sets Cafe Talk apart from the other companies on this list is that it’s not just a language learning platform.
As a tutor with Cafe Talk, you could teach music, art, hair & makeup, health & fitness, and much more. But, since this post is about teaching English online without having a degree, I’ll stick to that.
Create your own lessons, set your own rates and start teaching! CafeTalk is one of the top companies to teach English online to Japanese students.
Classes are available 24 hours a day, and the students you teach will most likely be adults from Japan who need to learn English for business purposes.
Cafe Talk is an especially good option for tutors who don’t have a TEFL or a university degree, but can speak Japanese.
Note: currently as of May, 2020, these are the top lessons that Cafe Talk is interested in:
- English lessons for children (Japanese as a 2nd language highly preferred)
- Academic Tutoring for Japanese schoolchildren (must speak Japanese)
- English, Korean & Chinese lessons by native tutors who speak Japanese as a 2nd language
Requirements to Teach With Cafe Talk
- You must be a Native English speaker (or native speaker of the language you’re teaching).
- Teachers who can also speak Japanese, Korean or Chinese are given preference.
- University degree and TEFL are not required (but, would look good on your profile).
- You must be 20 years of age or older.
- You must have a desktop computer or a tablet (no smartphones).
- You’ll need a Skype account.
Salary and Hours With Cafe Talk
- You set your own rates, but many tutors charge between $14 USD and $36 USD per hour.
- You set your own hours for each lesson (15 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.).
- You will be paid by Payoneer or PayPal.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with cafe talk
8. iTalki
Italki has over 5 million students and 10,000 high-quality teachers teaching more than 130 languages!
Again, we’ll stick to teaching ESL with no degree in this post, but if you were fluent in French, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, etc. then you could earn double (or triple!) depending on your language abilities.
Italki was founded in 2007 and has grown substantially since then.
As with PalFish (above), there are 2 different types of profiles you could have on italki: Professional Teaching profile or Community Tutor profile.
If you have prior teaching experience, training, certificates, and qualifications, then you can apply to be a Professional Teacher and teach a structured lesson plan — you must have a degree or a TEFL for this.
If you don’t have a TEFL, then you would be considered a Community Tutor and would have more casual conversations. But, you must be a native speaker.
Those who qualify as a Professional Teacher are given priority.
Classes are taught through Skype, Google Hangouts or Facetime.
Requirements to Teach With italki
As I said above, there are two types of profiles/teachers on Italki, and the requirements vary for each.
- You must have a TEFL or a university degree (for Professional Teacher profile).
- You must be a native speaker of the language you are going to teach (or be at the C2 level).
- Have fast and reliable internet.
- Have a microphone and webcam.
- You must be at least 18 years old.
Salary and Hours With italki
- You set your own pay rate.
- Most tutors start around $8 – $12 per class to attract students, but you can up the price later.
- Classes are 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes long.
- You make your own teaching schedule.
- Teachers are paid by PayPal or Payoneer.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with italki
9. Tutlo
This tutoring company is based in Poland, and while Tutlo is open to students from all over the world, the majority of your students will be Polish.
The easy-to-follow lessons are set for you, which could be a good thing, or not, depending on your teaching style.
Tutors choose between teaching English courses for adults, children and teenagers, or business English. Lessons are taught 1-on-1 with your student.
Tutlo isn’t one of the higher paying companies out there, but since the lessons are pretty rigid, it makes the teaching job easier for you. And, you don’t need a teaching diploma or a university degree.
Requirements to Teach With Tutlo
- Must be a native English speaker from the USA, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or South Africa.
- Must have a teaching certificate, such as a TEFL or otherwise.
- Have 6 months of teaching experience — online, offline, private tutoring, volunteering, etc.
- Have at least 5 Mbps download/upload internet speed.
- You must be 18 years of age or older.
Salary and Hours With Tutlo
- Earn $5 – $11 per hour.
- Lessons are 20 minutes long.
- Lessons aren’t pre-booked, so you can just log-in and teach on-demand.
- The busiest times are between 10:00 am – 3:00 pm EST.
- You will be paid via PayPal.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with tutlo
10. Amazing Talker
Amazing Talker is hiring tutors for more than 58 languages, but again, we’ll stick to English in this article!
If you’re a native English speaker, an expat in a native English speaking country, or have an English associated degree, then you can apply to teach.
Founded in Taiwan, this one-on-one teaching platform connects students with teachers based on the student’s learning goals.
Using the messaging app provided by Amazing Talker, teachers connect with the potential students ahead of time to see what their goals for the class are, and to prepare the necessary materials. Then, the actual lesson is taught on Zoom.
You can set your own rates, and create your own hours with Amazing Talker.
Requirements to Teach With Amazing Talker
- You must be a native English speaker, have an English degree, or be an expat in a native English speaking country.
- No TEFL required (but recommended).
- If you have some English teaching or tutoring experience, that will help with your odds of getting hired.
- You should have a solid internet connection, microphone, and camera (classes are taught on Zoom).
Salary and Hours With Amazing Talker
- You set your own rates as a tutor.
- You set your own hours and teaching schedule — work as much, or as little as you like.
- Most teachers charge between $15 – $28 for a private, 50-minute lesson.
- Most teachers charge between $6 – $10 for a trial, 25-minute lesson.
- You will be paid monthly via PayPal, Transferwise or Payoneer.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with amazing talker
Bonus! 11. Magic Ears
While you don’t need a university degree to apply and teach with Magic Ears, you must be in the process of obtaining your degree.
So, it sort of counts as a school you can teach online without a degree!
This is one of the higher paid schools on this list, which is why you’re required to have your degree, or be enrolled in university.
You’ll teach four Chinese students per class, aged 4 – 12 and you must be from the USA or Canada — teaching on Beijing time can be a bit of a challenge.
Teaching children can be a bit exhausting (you’ll need to be very enthusiastic to keep their attention), but it can also be a lot of fun.
The curriculum is provided for you and you’ll teach on the Magic Ears platform, but you’ll need to have some props on hand.
Requirements to Teach With Magic Ears
- Must have completed a Bachelor’s degree, or are currently enrolled in university.
- You’ll need to have a TEFL certificate.
- Must be a native English speaker.
- You must be from the USA or Canada.
- Teachers should have a high energy teaching style.
Salary and Hours With Magic Ears
- $8 – $11 per 25 minute class.
- Bonuses for peak time classes and participation.
- No minimum teaching time, but 10 slots (25 mins each) per week is recommended.
- Teachers are paid via PayPal.
click here to learn more and apply to teach with magic ears
No Degree? No Problem!
As you can see, there are many reputable, high-paying companies that you can work for without having a teaching certification!
But, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, these companies do charge a commission so take that into account when setting your class rates.
What’s interesting is that many of these platforms aren’t based out of China (a lot of the online teaching platforms are), meaning you won’t have to deal with time zone issues if you’re from North America, and you’ll have the option of meeting people from a variety of countries around the world.
I hope this list of companies and schools gave you the inspiration and information you needed to get started teaching today.
Already have a university degree and are looking for higher-paying teaching options? Check out our post: 10 Best Online English Teaching Websites. And, if you want to get TEFL certified, have a look at our in-depth post: 7 Best Online TEFL Courses For English Teachers.
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