TEO Academy Tutor Manual and Support Resources

TEO Academy Tutor Guide

Build your profile, manage your lessons and teach with confidence on TEO Academy

This manual explains the tutor journey from registration and profile setup through availability, lessons, resources, payments and the main platform tools. It also brings the current tutor expectations into one practical reference point.

Updated 20 September 2026

Search the manual Open tutor FAQs

12 hoursMinimum cancellation or rescheduling notice whenever reasonably possible.

14% flat commissionTutors retain 86% before their own tax and personal obligations.

£10 per hour minimumThe bare minimum for standard one-to-one hourly pricing, not the target rate.

Keep bookings on TEOLessons introduced or arranged through the platform must be booked and paid through TEO.

Use this manual alongside your tutor dashboard

Platform labels and available features can change as TEO Academy develops. Your TEO dashboard and current Terms and Conditions remain the operational source of truth where a platform control or legal term differs from this guide.

12 manual sections

No matching section was found. Try a shorter or more general search.

1. Tutor registrationApply to teach and complete the five registration stages.

Starting your application

Select Apply to Teach from the TEO Academy website and register using a valid email address and secure password. Complete the reCAPTCHA check and follow the registration process.

TEO Academy supports one account with tutor and learner functionality. Tutors can switch between their tutor and learner profiles from the dashboard.

The five registration stages

Personal information: Add your name, contact details, phone number and requested identity document.

Profile media: Upload a suitable tutor photograph, add your YouTube introduction-video link and write your biography.

Subjects and languages: Select the subjects you are qualified and confident to teach and add the languages you speak with the correct fluency level.

Resume: Add your education, certifications and relevant work experience. Upload supporting certificates where requested.

Confirmation: Accept the tutor terms and submit your application. TEO Academy will review the profile before approval.

Once approved, you will receive confirmation using your registered email address. Keep your application reference number for your records.

2. Login and account securitySign in, reset your password and protect your account.

Logging in

Select Login from the TEO Academy website. Use the same login method you selected when registering. If you registered with an email address and password, use those details to sign in.

Forgotten password

Select Forgot password? from the login form.

Enter your registered email address and complete any verification requested by the platform.

Open the password-reset email and follow the link to create a new secure password.

Never share your password or allow another person to use your tutor account. Update your password immediately if you believe it has been compromised.

3. DashboardUnderstand the main navigation, statistics and upcoming lessons.

Your dashboard overview

The tutor dashboard provides an overview of your account activity, including scheduled lessons, classes, course sales, earnings, wallet balance and upcoming sessions.

Main navigation

✓

Home: Return to the main tutor dashboard.

✓

Messages: Read and respond to learner messages.

✓

Notifications: Review platform and booking updates.

✓

Language and currency: Choose the display language and currency available to your account.

✓

Switch profile: Move between your tutor and learner dashboards when needed.

Upcoming lessons

Use the dashboard calendar and lesson list to check upcoming bookings. Open a lesson to review its details, learner information and scheduled time. Check your dashboard regularly so you do not miss new bookings or changes.

4. Build a profile that helps learners choose youImprove trust, visibility and your chances of receiving bookings.

Your profile is your tutor shop window

Learners often decide whether to explore or book a tutor within a few moments. A complete, accurate and learner-focused profile helps them understand who you teach, how you can help and what they can expect from a lesson.

Pricing expectation

£10 per hour is the bare minimum, not the target

TEO Academy is positioned for adult professionals and specialist English tuition. Do not keep rates artificially low purely to hold learners to your profile or undermine the professional positioning of the marketplace. Price according to your expertise and the value of the service you provide.

A simple biography structure

A strong biography usually answers four questions: Who do you teach? What do you help them achieve? Why are you qualified? and What are your lessons like?

"I help adult professionals improve their Business English for meetings, presentations and international workplaces. I am a qualified English teacher with experience supporting learners from a range of professional backgrounds. My lessons are practical, structured and tailored to the situations you use English for at work.”

Introduction video checklist

✓

Introduce yourself clearly and speak directly to learners.

✓

Explain your qualifications, experience and main specialisms.

✓

Describe the type of learner you are best placed to support.

✓

Explain what learners can expect from your lessons.

✓

Use clear audio, good lighting and a quiet background.

✓

Test the YouTube link before saving it to your profile.

Opportunity to join the rolling Featured Tutor carousel

TEO Academy operates a rolling Featured Tutor carousel to help learners discover tutors with complete, professional and suitable profiles.

Tutors may be considered for a two-week featured position when their profile includes a clear photograph, complete learner-focused biography, suitable introduction video, accurate subjects and specialisms, relevant qualifications and experience, current availability and a professional overall presentation.

Selection is at TEO Academy’s discretion and depends on profile quality, suitability and the range of tutors being featured at that time. Completing these elements improves eligibility but does not guarantee a featured position.

5. Account settings and availabilityKeep your timezone, calendar, subjects, prices and availability accurate.

Personal information

Account settings allow you to manage your username, name, country, phone number, timezone, notification language and other account preferences. Check that your timezone is correct before opening availability.

✓

Google Calendar: Synchronise your TEO sessions if the integration is available to your account. Treat your TEO dashboard as the authoritative booking record.

✓

Booking buffer: Choose how much notice you need before a learner can schedule a lesson.

✓

Trial lessons: Enable this only when you are willing and available to offer the paid trial option shown.

✓

Offline sessions: Enable this only if you genuinely offer face-to-face sessions and have added the necessary location information.

Subjects, prices, experience and skills

Review your selected teaching subjects and languages regularly. Add relevant experience and qualifications, complete the Skills section and manage lesson prices where tutor-managed pricing is available.

Availability calendar

Your availability must be configured before learners can book. Open realistic lesson times, allow enough preparation time and update the calendar promptly when your schedule changes.

Payments and account management

Use Account Settings to add or update your withdrawal method, change your password or email address, manage cookie permissions and request account deletion if required.

6. CoursesCreate, manage and update tutor courses where the feature is available.

All courses

Tutors can create courses containing pre-recorded lectures and learning resources where this feature is available. Courses must be reviewed and approved before publication.

Course resources

Upload reusable course files to the course-resource area so they can be attached without uploading the same item repeatedly. Use clear filenames and check that every resource opens correctly.

Course edit requests

Published or purchased courses may require an edit request before changes can be applied. Use the course edit area to submit and monitor these requests.

Only use material you are entitled to use

Do not upload copyrighted third-party course content, worksheets, books, videos or other resources unless you have permission to use them. Material you created independently remains your background IP unless it is separately assigned. Any future TEO Materials Studio content will be governed by the creator terms presented for that feature.

7. Lessons and bookingsManage one-to-one lessons, cancellations, recurring bookings and group classes.

One-to-one lessons

Booked lessons appear in the Lessons area. Review the learner, subject, time and lesson status before each session. Prepare any required materials in advance and communicate promptly if a genuine issue affects delivery.

Updated tutor cancellation term

Give at least 12 hours’ notice whenever reasonably possible

If you need to cancel or reschedule a booked lesson, use the platform controls and notify the learner as early as possible. Where reasonably possible, tutors must give at least 12 hours’ notice.

Sudden illness or emergencyIf 12 hours’ notice is genuinely impossible, tell the learner and TEO Academy as soon as you can.

Learner resolutionWhere a tutor cancels, the learner can choose the appropriate resolution under the policy, including rescheduling or refund.

Repeated late cancellationsRepeated short-notice cancellations may trigger a review of availability or continued platform use and proportionate action.

Use the platformCancel or reschedule through TEO so the booking record remains accurate and support can assist where needed.

Lesson completion and issue window

TEO’s current lesson settings use a short completion and issue process so sessions do not remain unresolved indefinitely.

1Lesson finishesComplete the booked session and keep any relevant lesson record or follow-up inside the platform.

2Auto-complete after 2 hoursThe platform is configured to auto-complete the lesson after the current two-hour completion setting.

31-hour issue windowOnce completion occurs, the current issue window is one hour. If no issue is raised, tutor payment can proceed through the platform.

Recurring lessons

Learners may be able to purchase recurring one-to-one lessons. Check the full series in your calendar and ensure your availability remains suitable for each scheduled date.

Group classes and packages

Where enabled, tutors can schedule group classes and combine multiple classes into packages. Check dates, entry requirements, maximum attendance and pricing before publication.

My learners and reported issues

The My Learners area records learners who have booked with you. Use the Reported Issues area to review any concerns connected with completed sessions and respond through the correct platform process.

Read the current Terms and Conditions

8. Lesson planning resources and templatesPlan lessons, use the tutor hub and access practical teaching resources.

Lesson planning on the platform

TEO Academy allows tutors to create lesson plans and connect them with individual lessons or group classes. Use clear objectives, appropriate activities and a short record of agreed follow-up work.

Resources already available in the Professional Learning Hub

Business English

Online Meetings

A practical tutor resource for workplace communication and online meeting skills.

Medical English

Safe Handover

A tutor resource focused on clear, structured and safe clinical handover communication.

Academic English

Seminar Discussion

A practical resource for discussion, participation and academic speaking skills.

Open the TEO Professional Learning Hub

Resource ownership

Protect your own work and respect third-party copyright

Upload only resources you created yourself or are authorised to use. Existing tutor-created material remains the tutor’s background IP unless separately assigned. Where TEO introduces creator-specific Materials Studio terms, content created inside that Studio will be governed by those terms, including any stated IP assignment.

9. QuizzesCreate reusable questions and build learner quizzes.

Quiz questions

Create clear questions that assess the intended learning objective. Reusable questions can be added to lessons, group classes or courses.

All quizzes

Build and manage quizzes from the quiz area. Check instructions, answer options and scoring carefully before assigning a quiz to learners.

10. Earnings, wallet and withdrawalsUnderstand commission, transactions, withdrawals and payment expectations.

14%Flat TEO platform commission across lessons, paid trials, group classes and tutor-created course sales unless a different written commercial arrangement applies.

86%Tutor share of the relevant tutor amount before your own tax and personal financial obligations.

PaidTrial lessons are paid sessions at the current trial rate, not unpaid demonstrations. The standard commission applies.

Wallet and transactions

The Wallet area shows your available balance and transaction history. Review this section regularly and keep your own records for accounting and tax purposes.

Withdrawal settings

Set up an available withdrawal method under Profile → Account Settings → Payments. Depending on the options available, withdrawals may be requested by PayPal or bank transfer.

My orders

The My Orders area records orders placed through your account, including purchases made when using your learner profile.

Platform payment rule

Do not move TEO learners or payments off-platform

Lessons introduced or arranged through TEO Academy must be booked and paid for through the platform. Do not ask learners to pay you directly or create an ongoing side arrangement that circumvents TEO booking or payment controls.

DiscountsUse platform-supported pricing or promotional tools. Do not use artificial discounts to misrepresent your normal price or bypass commission.

Your taxTutors operate as independent contractors and remain responsible for their own tax reporting and other obligations in their country.

Open the Tutor Commission Guide

11. Other platform toolsUse notes, referrals, forum tools and learner-facing features.

✓

Notes: Create and manage notes connected with your teaching activity where appropriate.

✓

Gift cards: Review gift cards connected with your account.

✓

Refer and earn: Use the referral tools according to the terms shown in your dashboard.

✓

Find a Tutor: Access the tutor search using the learner side of your account.

✓

Forum: Ask and manage questions, subscribe to relevant tags and request new tags where the forum is active.

Recognise meaningful learner progress with a Level-Up Certificate

The TEO Level-Up Achievement Certificate can recognise meaningful progress during tuition. It is a motivational progress award and is separate from formal English assessment or certification.

Open the Level-Up Certificate page

12. Frequently asked questionsQuick answers to common tutor questions.

What do I need to register as a tutor?

You need a valid email address, secure password, requested identity information, a suitable photograph, a YouTube introduction-video link and details of your qualifications and experience.

Can I be a tutor and learner with the same account?

Yes. TEO Academy supports tutor and learner functionality within one account. Use the profile switch in your dashboard to move between them.

Why is my tutor profile not receiving bookings?

Check that your profile is complete, your photograph and video are suitable, your biography is learner-focused, your subjects are accurate and you have useful current availability. Bookings are never guaranteed, but these steps make it easier for learners to understand and consider your services.

Does a complete profile guarantee a Featured Tutor position?

No. Complete, appropriate profiles may be considered for a rolling two-week position in the Featured Tutor carousel. Selection remains at TEO Academy’s discretion and depends on profile quality, suitability and the mix of tutors being featured.

How much notice should I give if I need to cancel?

Give at least 12 hours’ notice whenever reasonably possible. If sudden illness, an emergency or another exceptional circumstance makes that impossible, tell the learner and TEO Academy as soon as you can. Repeated short-notice cancellations may be reviewed.

What commission does TEO Academy charge?

TEO Academy uses a flat 14% platform commission. The tutor retains 86% of the relevant tutor amount before their own tax or personal obligations, unless a separate written commercial arrangement applies.

Can I arrange payment directly with a TEO learner?

No. Lessons introduced or arranged through TEO Academy must be booked and paid for through the platform.

Where are the tutor lesson resources?

The TEO Professional Learning Hub includes practical tutor resources such as Business English: Online Meetings, Medical English: Safe Handover and Academic English: Seminar Discussion. Further resources can be added over time.

Can I recognise a learner who has made great progress?

Yes. The Level-Up Achievement Certificate can recognise meaningful progress during tuition. It is a motivational progress award and is not a formal English assessment or qualification.

For Perfect Profiles

TEO Tutor's Manual