How to Make Money with Online Teaching

As technology improves, we have a number of new opportunities to learn and make money online. There has been a dramatic increase in online learning as students complete college courses online, and look for tutors online. This increase in online learning has led to an increased demand for online teachers.

If you have a level of tech savvy, it is possible to make money with online teaching, whether you do so through more “official” channels, or whether you teach in another way.

Online Teaching through a University

If you have the proper credentials, you can teach online classes for a university. Some for-profit universities with an emphasis in online learning, such as University of Phoenix and Kaplan, only require a Master’s degree (and, to teach some courses, you might only need a Bachelor’s degree). If you can show that you have reasonable qualifications to teach, you can manage online courses.

It’s also possible to teach online courses for more traditional universities. Even the most prestigious universities, like Harvard, are adding online courses that count toward a degree. My husband teaches two online courses for Utah State University. However, to teach online for a more traditional education institution, you definitely need a Master’s degree, and you probably need a Ph.D. to teach many of the courses.


Check with the university to find out if there are openings for instructors who can teach online. You will probably need to know how to use an educational content platform, like Canvas or Blackboard, or some other platform used by the university. In some cases, you might be required to hold Skype chats or teach webinars.

Many universities advertise job openings for online instructors. Check with web sites like HigherEdJobs and The Chronicle of Higher Education for listings.

Online Tutoring

There are a number of web sites that offer online tutoring services. If you are proficient in a particular subject area, you can sign up to be a tutor. You will probably need to demonstrate your command of the subject in question before you could help others with it. In some cases, you need to have a degree to tutor. There are also opportunities to tutor for standardized tests, like the SAT and GRE.

You can apply to be an online tutor at sites like Tutor.com and TutorVista. Most likely, you will need to commit to specific hours of the day, or be on call to help in “emergency” situations. Before you apply, make sure you understand the requirements of the job, and what you will be required to do as a tutor, and whether there are specific hours to work, or software purchases you need to make.

Teach Webinars, or Offer Your Own Online Classes

In addition to working for others as a teacher or a tutor, it is also possible to teach webinars or offer your online classes and workshops. Web sites like Big Marker can help you set up a community, and offer classes. You can even set up to charge for webinards and online classes. If you have something valuable to share, and you think others would pay to learn it, you can turn online teaching into a home business idea.




If you go this route, you have a number of options. You can develop a course on a specific subject, and then sell it. You can also decide to hold regular webinars and online workshops, providing interaction with others, and helping them in a more in-depth way. It’s also possible to set up one-on-one teaching time with those you are helping. There are a number of web sites that can help you manage these online teaching opportunities, and even help you charge (and collect) a fee. Just make sure you understand the terms of the arrangement, since you will probably have to share some of your earnings with whatever platform you use.

Online teaching can be a good way to make money on the side, or even as your career. Think about what you know, and consider whether you are considered expert. If you really know your stuff, you could be paid to teach it online.

source: financialhighway.com

How Your Course Load Affects College Financial Aid and Student Loan Help

If you are using college financial aid to pay for your education, you need to understand how your course load affects financing. Being approved for loans depends on several factors, including financial need, your performance/progress as a student, your expected family contribution, and the number of credit hours for which you are enrolled. See how your course load will impact your borrowing, whether it’s federal or private.

Course load and federal college financial aid

Your federal college financial aid assumes you will be attending school at least part-time. In fact, some college financial aid is given in direct proportion to the number of credit hours you are taking. The amount of a Federal Pell grant award, for example, is awarded after taking into account your expected family contribution and whether you are enrolled in school full-time, part-time or even less than that. To understand how your specific financial aid package will be affected by altering your enrollment hours, it is best to sit down with your college loan advisor.

Course load and private college loans

Many private lenders will also require you to be enrolled in school at least part-time to be eligible for student loan help. If you are borrowing private student loans, be sure to work with your lender to fully understand the borrowing terms. Carrying too few credits can cause you to become ineligible for private college loans. Additionally, dropping below the part-time status requirement means you’ll have to start repaying your loans sooner than you expected.

Leaving school and college financial aid

If you decide part way through your education to withdraw from classes, you immediately enter the six-month grace period that precedes required payments on your college loans. This is also true if you drop below part-time status. Talk with you financial aid advisor before withdrawing from classes to see how it will impact the student aid package you received. In some cases, you may even have to repay federal grants if you do not complete a required number of credit hours, and scheduled future loan distribution may be impacted.

Be an informed borrower

Even if you have no intention of dropping below full-time status as a student, it’s important to understand the terms of your federal and private college loans in the event that your plans change. Understanding the full obligation of your loans can help you make smarter decisions about your future and maintain a positive credit score.

source: 20smoney.com