VIPKID Review

I stumbled upon VIPKID in summer 2017 when I was looking for a way to save up money for travel. I’d been a classroom teacher before, but I dreamed of a life where I could travel more often. A friend suggested VIPKID and I applied, thinking I’d work through the summer, save up some money, and go on an adventure or two.

But I ended up finding so much more. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I loved working for VIPKID! I loved having a job that was totally flexible and location independent. Working from home in my pajamas was a major plus and the pay was impressive considering I didn’t have to commute or do any outside lesson planning. And the best part was my creative, driven, sweet students.

I’d found a job that I genuinely loved that would allow me to work remotely and travel, which was the ultimate dream for me. In this VIPKID review, I’ll talk about how VIPKID works and what you need to know to get started. If you want to start working remotely and traveling without racing against a dwindling bank account, VIPKID might be an awesome option for you too.

Being an English Tutor with VIPKID

Online ESL jobs are some of the most popular ways for expats and other travelers to live a location-independent lifestyle. To teach ESL online through VIPKID is an incredibly flexible, rewarding lifestyle. Through this VIPKID job review, I’ll share why I love being an ESL tutor so much.

VIPKID review: what is it?

VIPKID is an online English teaching platform. VIPKID provides one-on-one English classes to students in China taught by native English speakers from the USA and Canada. It’s one of the largest online English teaching companies in China right now and it’s regularly recognized as one of the top companies for remote work by Forbes.

VIPKID review: pros

Working for VIPKID  has some pretty amazing perks. VIPKID Teachers get complete control of their own schedule with no minimum and maximum work requirements. Some weeks you can work a full-time schedule and other weeks you can work only a few hours. It’s totally up to you. I love that I get to work from home and wear my favorite pajama pants. The pay is competitive and no outside lesson planning is required. Overall, this is an amazing option for people who want flexibility, who love children, and who are self-motivated workers.

VIPKID review: cons

If you’re teaching from the USA, chances are your work schedule will start very early. Classes are held at times that are best for the students in China. Since China is about 12 hours different from the USA, this means that most teachers work late nights or early mornings.

VIPKID review: day-to-day life

Day-to-day life as an online ESL tutor is fun and stress-free! I can see my lessons in the Teacher Portal the night before and I make sure I have a few additional props available. When it’s time for class, I simply open up my computer and teach right there in the VIPKID platform. Classes are 25 minutes long so I usually have two classes in an hour with a 5-minute break in between.

My students are adorable and I love getting to share my language with them while they teach me about their culture. After each class, I leave feedback for the student. After all my classes for the day are completed, I’m free to spend the rest of my day exploring or working on my blog.

VIPKID review: the technical aspect

VIPKID requires that applicants are native English speakers with eligibility to work in the USA or Canada. Teachers also must have a Bachelor’s degree. You must have at least one year of teaching, tutoring, or mentoring experience with children and you must have consistent access to a high-speed internet connection.

One of my favorite parts about VIPKID is that I don’t have to do any lesson planning! When I was a traditional classroom teacher, I spent so much of my evenings and weekends working on Lesson Plans. Now, all my lesson planning is done for me. No grading papers, no creating power points, it’s all there in the platform. The only part I’m responsible for is finding a few relevant props to supplement the lessons. You can find a list of the props I use while traveling here!

Finally, VIPKID teachers are, legally, independent contractors. Each contract length is six months long.

What it’s like to teach English online to Chinese students

One of the best things about homebased online teaching jobs are the people you get to meet - in this case, the students. Because of online ESL teaching jobs like VIPKID, I get to meet wonderful Chinese students that I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Cultural differences

I love teaching my Chinese students. One of my favorite parts of the job is that I get to know so many students and families from the other side of the world. While they’re learning English, I’m learning about their culture and day to day life.

Most of my students do VIPKID in addition to their regular school work, so they already have a little bit of background with English. Since they complete VIPKID classes in their home on the weekends and after school, I get to see their families, their pets, their toys, and just a real glimpse into what their life is like. Because of that, the connections you can make to your students are so strong, even when they’re far away.

The students

When you open up your schedule, parents can book the classes you make available. Usually, you’ll have several parents book you time and time again and those students become your regulars. But you’ll also meet a lot of new students each week, especially if you open up different days and times each week.

VIPKID students are age 4-12 and they range in ability levels. Some students are just learning the basics and others can speak almost fluently.

VIPKID Salary

VIPKID teachers make between $14-$22/hour. There is no minimum or maximum amount of hours you can teach so you can create a schedule where you make enough money to match your needs.

VIPKID teachers get paid via direct deposit into their bank account. When you go through the application process, you’ll put in your banking information. There is no fee for direct deposit payment. You can choose if you want to get paid monthly or twice a month. I prefer twice a month, but you can choose whichever you like.

It’s possible to make a solid living on VIPKID but it’s definitely easier to stretch that money farther in less expensive countries. If you’re interested in traveling to more expensive countries, consider house sitting as a way to save money on accommodation. As a house sitter, you take care of someone’s home and pets while they’re away. They get free pet care and you get a free place to stay.

This is awesome for people who teach ESL online because the internet in a private home is usually far better than the internet you find in hotels and hostels. As a house sitter, I’ve been able to travel longer in more expensive parts of the world because I saved so much money on accommodation.

VIPKID Interview Tips

Is VIPKID legit? As legit as any other ESL teacher jobs. While the application process towards becoming a teacher on VIPKID isn’t particularly labor-intensive, it is something that can be practiced. More on that later, but now let’s talk about what you’ll need in order to apply to work for VIPKID.

Resume requirements

The application process for VIPKID can be long but it’s worth it in the end. First, you’ll fill out a written application online.. This will only take a few minutes and they’re looking to see that you meet the basic teacher requirements. Those again are:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Native English speaker
• Eligibility to work in USA or Canada
• A year or more of experience teaching

This teaching experience doesn’t have to be teaching in a traditional classroom. This can include tutoring, mentoring, coaching, and other experience working with children in an educational setting.

Applying to teach ESL online

Second, you’ll be invited to complete an interview. You can choose a live interview with a VIPKID employee in China or a recorded interview. In both options, you’ll tell a little about yourself then teach a demo class that’s provided. The interview lasts about 15 minutes.

Third, you’ll move on to the certification center. This is where you get certified to teach students. You’ll receive two different “mock” lessons to practice. When you’re ready, you’ll schedule a time to practice teaching the mock lesson with a Mock Class Mentor Teacher. You must pass the mock class to begin teaching students. You can attempt the mock class as many times as you need to pass. For many people, it takes a few tries so don’t get discouraged.

After you pass the mock class, you’ll upload your documents and sign your contract. You’ll submit information for a background check and photos of your relevant degrees and certifications.

If you don’t have a TEFL certification or a teaching license, you’ll need to complete the in house 10 hour TEFL training before you can begin teaching. You’ll work on this while your paperwork is being processed.

Once all the paperwork is completed, you’ll be able to start teaching. You’ll see a big calendar screen with available class times and you can choose when you’d like to open classes. Parents will book you and you’ll be on your way.

VIPKID interview tips

For first-time online TEFL teachers, it can be difficult to get used to the online English class set up. Many people say they feel like they’re teaching in a box, but don’t worry, that feeling goes away with time. During your interview and mock classes make sure you:

• Have good lighting, a good internet connection, and headphones with microphone (this prevents an echo)
• Hang a background or something academic on the wall behind you, like the ABC song
• Use at least three props - I recommend ABC cards, a stuffed animal, and a wipe board to get started
• Use lots of TPR - This means you use gestures to demonstrate what you want the student to do. When you want them to speak, for example, you might cup your hand to your ear and point to them to demonstrate that you’re listening for their response. This works well with very new English language learners who might not understand all the verbal classroom commands.

Finally, pay close attention to timing. VIPKID emphasizes timing and teachers should aim to complete each slide in about a minute. You get a set amount of time for the interview demo lesson and the mock class lesson and it’s important not to finish early or late.

Need help with the hiring process?

Again, the hiring process with VIPKID involves many steps but it’s definitely worth it in the end. I’ve written a detailed post about the entire VIPKID application process on my blog which you can read here. Also, If you’re interested in VIPKID, I’d love to help you through the application process. Helping people get started with VIPKID so they can have financial flexibility and travel more often is one of my passions. It’s one of the main reasons I started my blog.

Since the VIPKID application process can be a bit tricky to navigate, it’s really helpful to have a current teacher helping you through the steps. If you use my referral code NICOL0117, I’ll be able to send you an email with helpful tips and my contact information. From there, we can schedule a time to chat, practice for the interview, and I’ll be there to answer all your questions.

VIPKID gives me a bonus for referring you so there’s never any cost to you - you get free extra help and we get to be online teaching BFFs! Win-Win!

Could an online ESL teaching job be right for you?

Online ESL jobs like VIPKID are amazing for people who want to travel, people who want to work from home, or people who just want a fun and flexible source of side income. VIPKID can be used as a full source of income or as a supplement to your existing job if you want to make a gradual transition to remote work.

For me, VIPKID was the perfect fit because it allowed me to have lots of flexibility in my work life while still doing what I love. And it might be the perfect fit for you too.

Bio: Nicola Rae is an online English teacher, house sitter, and travel blogger. She’s known for getting lost in new cities, befriending big lizards, and eating impressive quantities of guacamole. Read more about VIPKID and long-term travel on her blog www.seenicwander.com