VIPTEACHER Review – A Getting Started Guide for Teachers

VIPTEACHER (formerly VIPKID) is the industry leader in online teaching. They were founded in 2015 and have rapidly grown from a small company of a few hundred teachers to more than a network of 80,000+ teachers located around the world.

Hi, my name is David. I’m the founder of Teach and GO. I currently head the editorial staff and was one of the first few thousand teachers back when I started with VIPKID in 2016. It was amazing to watch VIPKID go from some unknown platform to the industry leader for online teaching.

While things in the online teaching space have changed due to China’s online teaching ban, VIPKID is positioning themselves to be a global platform for online learning and will now focus on countries outside of China as well as different product verticals.

Is it still worth applying? Yes, you can still get booking regularly but please be aware that we can only recommend VIPKID as a side income at best due to the reduced pay and hours. If you’re looking for a way to make a few hundred dollars on the side then apply for VIPKID below:

VIPKID

Teach English online from the comfort of your home. Americans and Canadians only.

Apply Today

VIPKID Job Description

Let’s cover what VIPKID online teaching job is like currently:

• $7 per class base pay. Not including incentive bonus. So expect to make $14 an hour. Not a great rate if you’re a licensed teacher.
• Flexibility with no minimum hour requirements.
• Curriculum is provided for you. You will be required to have applicable teaching props.
• A supportive community of 80,000+ teachers. There are internal forums for VIPKID as well as Facebook groups and meetups.
• VIPKID classes are 1 to 1.
• Class time is for 25 minutes. After class your expected to leave student feedback. You have 12 hours to submit feedback before you’re penalized for being late.
• No quizzes, test or homework to grade. You just teach and go.

VIPKID teaching hours

With VIPKID Global you can now teach 4 classes a day, 7 days a week. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be fully booked and instead will have a spotty class schedule. But if you’re looking for a way to make some spending money, VIPKID is still a good choice.

VIPKID Salary

Pay Structure Explained

VIPKID now pays all new teacher $7 per 25 minute class regardless of qualifications or performance in the interview. This is a change from the old variable rate of $7.50 to $9 which was based on your interview.

As a VIPKID teacher you can expect to get a base rate of $15 per hour if you include the incentive bonus. The current pay scale for VIPKID is found here:

The way the new pay structure at VIPKID works is that it’s first based of how many classes you have taught. The more classes, the higher your tier. Then it’s based on how many classes you teach each month. The more classes, the more per class you earn.

Please note that the pay per class is not cumulative. That is, if you were teach more than 181 classes, only classes past 181 would be paid at the 181 class rate. The rest of those classes would be paid at their respective rates.

For most veteran teachers this is functionally a slight pay decrease of about $1 per class. But again, it depends on how many classes you teach.

Want to get a raise with VIPKID but are not sure how it works? In this guide we’re going to explain all the required steps for meeting the raise requirements. To be honest, getting a raise with VIPKID is actually difficult but possible.

They are one of the best online teaching company to work with, but if we had to point out a big drawback, it would be the strictness with which raises are issued.

The current pay structure for VIPKID has been updated as of 2020 and all new teachers can expect a base rate of $7.50 per class (or $15 per hour) with a variable $1-2 bonus per hour added.

VIPKID pay incentives

How to Get a Raise with VIPKID

VIPKID has clear requirements for increase the base pay for teachers. However, because of the reduced hours it’s now impossible to qualify for a raise. However, here are the terms stated by VIPKID to get a raise.

1 – You must have taught with VIPKID for at least 1 year. On your third contract (contracts are for 6 months), you become eligible for a raise.

2 – You must have had less than 2 teacher no-shows for the year. To avoid missing class, use your phone as a hotspot for backup internet.

3 – A cancellation rate of less than 0.6%. Any no-shows are factored into this rate. You can check your stats under the “my info” tab in the VIPKID teacher portal.

4 – Have more than 1,200 completed classes. This averages out to 100 classes per month. Student no-shows count toward this.

5 – Have more than 600 peak-peak teaching (PPT) slot times completed. Peak times are the “hot” times you see when opening classes. You must teach 600 PPT classes over year.

6 – Have a 25% five apple feedback ratio. This one is tough as parents are not required to leave feedback. But VIPKID wants you to meet this ration.

Meeting the raise requirements

Because you have to complete 1,200 classes it’s functionally impossible now for any new teacher to meet the requirements to get a raise with VIPKID. Before the Chinese ban of online teaching companies however all these standards were possible to meet.

$7 to $8 Base Rate Raise – Exclude one requirement

If your base rate is between $7 to $8 you’re able to exclude one requirement except for the 1,200 completed classes which is mandatory.

$8.50 to $9.50 Base Rate

If you’ve received raises and your base rate is now $8.50 or higher you must meet all requirements without exception to qualify for a raise. The peak rate for any VIPKID teacher is a $10 an hour base rate.

VIPKID Teacher Requirements

The requirements for teaching English online with VIPKID were as follows:

Be a US or Canadian citizen. This was VIPKID’s main selling point and was non-negotiable as Chinese want a North American accent.

Have a bachelors degree at a minimum. This is in place because Chinese law states that teachers must have a degree from an accredited university. This is normal in the teaching world of ESL and not unique to VIPKID.

Have experience working with kids for at least 1 year. You can be a coach or you could volunteer or be a teacher. You just need some experience working with kids.

VIPKID as with any online teaching company also has technical requirements for teaching English online. They are:

How Do You Get Hired With VIPKID

VIPKID takes a bit of work to get hired. They don’t want lazy people. It’s worth going through the process because once you’re setup as a teacher, you’re basically good to go and you only need to open hours and teach classes.

Step 1 – Apply to VIPKID

Do you meet the basic requirements to be a VIPKID teacher? Great! Go ahead and apply. It’s essential you have some sort of experience with kids so even if it’s something like coaching children after school, volunteering or whatever – indicate it in your application.

Step 2 – Short Interview

If you pass the requirements to be an online teacher, VIPKID will conduct a short interview with you. This interview will be with a Chinese staff member at VIPKID. It’s just a short 10 minute “get to know you” interview to see what you’re like.

You’ll have to answer questions related to VIPKID and your background and the goal of the interview is to simply see what you’re like as a person. For the interview make sure to wear a nice shirt, style your hair and conduct the interview in a quite place with a nice background.

You may be expected to teach a handful of slides. Again, pay attention to what they say in the emails you get. I personally had a 10 minute interview followed by a 5 minute demo.

Overall, it’s not too formal, but make the effort. You have a few different options for the interview:

• Recorded demo class
• Interview express
• Coaching day meetup
• Simple interview

Recorded Demo Class

This is the new normal for VIPKID. The demo class is a bit nerve racking but just DO IT. You will have to record yourself giving a demo lesson. Yes it’s silly, but they need a way to see if you’re able to follow instructions and meet the lesson objectives.

It’s a one time thing. You do this once, you get hired and you’re good to go so just set aside time on the weekend and get it done.

Interview Express

This is for invite only and is typically reserved for highly qualified teachers who already have a few years experience teaching English online with other companies.

Coaching day meetup

VIPKID now hosts meetups all across America and Canada. You can attend one of these meetups and go through the hiring process in person.

Simple Interview

The simple interview is 6 slides long and is designed to expedite the hiring process for select candidates.

Interview Tips

Please have good lightning, a nice place to teach that has an appropriate background and a good internet connection. Also review the VIPKID applicant performance indicator.

For good lighting you need light on your face. You can use the light on your phone or better yet, buy a small lamp that can give you a nice looking glow. If it’s in the morning, consider using teaching near a window for natural lighting.

Your background is also important. At a minimum have a plain background with no distractions like laundry, animals or posters. At best, create a background appropriate for a classroom. Something like a map, large white board, stickers and your name are all fine. The background if your chance to show some of your personality.

Step 3 – Demo Class and Certification Center

Once you pass the interview you’ll have access to the self study section of VIPKID where you go through a self study process to learn about VIPKID and the various policies at work with the company. The self study part is your orientation to VIPKID so you can start learning about this organization.

You’ll be required to start completing certifications for different levels. VIPKID has levels 1 to 6. Most students are at the lower levels but there are some students at level 6. Depending on what level you choose to get certified for will dictate what lesson you teach.

For each level you can be asked to teach two different lessons. Prepare for both. The lesson is 10 minutes long and is with a mock class instructor.

Once you get certified for at least one level you’ll be given your contract. Make sure to certify for all levels as most students are at level 2, 3 and 4.

Step 4 – Sign Your Contract

The process from start to finish takes a few weeks. But once you’ve taught numerous classes with them, the lessons become easy and second nature. Allowing you to do minimum prep for each class.

When first starting, you need to review and prepare but after you’ve taught the same lesson over and over you’ll start to have mastery over the VIPKID curriculum. After your first month or two, you’ll be able to quickly and easily teach with VIPKID.

Step 5 – Open hours!

The last step is to open slots. Once you’re booked, check the lesson and review in great detail and prepare as best you can for your online class.

Frequently asked Questions

Do you teach the same students?

In general you will see the same students week to week. Again, it is up to the parent to book you, as such if a parent likes your teaching style you can expect to see the same kids every week.

As a VIPKID teacher, you will have “followers” and students who have list you as their regular teacher.

Is there any interaction with the parents?

No, the parents book you but the only thing you’re required to do is teach the lesson.

In order to maximize the number of classes you could get scheduled, we recommend you to be available for at least 8-12 hours a week (20 time slots per week roughly at 30 minutes per time slot) during Beijing peak times.

Peak Times For Online Teaching With VIPKID

Peak times really depend on where in the world you are. For a complete list of peak hours based on time zones, view VIPKID’s teaching hours page here.

November to March:

Daylight savings time hours:

Can you take time off with VIPKID?

Yes you can. There are no minimum required hours to teach, if you want to take a week off and go on vacation simply don’t open hours. In addition you can also modify your teacher profile with a quite statement saying you are going on vacation so parents know.

Can you teach online while on vacation?

This is a personal choice and typically not a good idea, but yes you can. As long as you have a quite space, a good internet connection and a good teacher background that’s appropriate for online class you can teach.

Taxes for VIPKID

You’re not an employee of VIPKID. Instead you are classified as an independent contractor. As such you’ll receive a 1099 from VIPKID and will have to report your income yourself for tax purposes. No withholding are taken out so you do need to file taxes. However, as a 1099 independent contractor you can write expenses off.

Teaching for VIPKID – Conclusion

VIPKID is still one of the largest, most established online teaching companies today. While the golden era of online teaching is over, you can still teach 10-40 hours online a month with VIPKID. Making for a nice side income in your spare time.

VIPKID

Teach English online. Americans and Canadians only.

Apply Today

David Unwin

I've taught as an ESL teacher in Thailand for 5+ years at all levels of education, from elementary to University. I was also one of the first 1000 VIPKID teachers. Here I create content on teaching abroad, online and helpful tips for the classroom. Learn more.