17 Companies To Teach English Online – No Degree Required 2022

Ever think about teaching English online but you don’t have a university degree? In this post, I’m going to outline 17 legitimate platforms that will hire you to teach English online with no degree.

What Are The Requirements To Teach English Online?

There are thousands of online English teaching companies out there and each platform has its own requirements.

Some companies require a Bachelor’s degree, some require experience working with children, and others expect their teachers to be TESOL or TEFL certified. It completely depends on the company and the policies they have set in place.

Each company should display its teaching requirements on their website, but if you cannot find the information you’re looking for, simply send them an email.

Can I Teach English Online Without A Degree?

The short answer is yes! You can absolutely teach English online without a Bachelor’s degree.

There are many companies that accept teachers who might not have a Bachelor’s degree.

Usually, these companies expect applicants to meet other requirements but check beforehand because these requirements change from company to company.

Why Do Some Online English Teaching Companies Require A Degree?

Although there are plenty of companies that hire teachers without Bachelor’s degrees, a large majority of online English teaching platforms do require its teachers to hold degrees.

Why? Well, there are many reasons for this:

1. There are many online English teaching companies that are based in China. Chinese companies are legally obligated to hire only those with Bachelor’s degrees. This is a law passed by the Chinese government.
   
   
2. Bachelor’s degrees are appealing to customers. Many companies feel that they can market their services better if their applicants have Bachelor’s degrees.

But again, there are definitely exceptions to this. Below, you’ll find a list of 17 companies that will hire teachers with no Bachelor’s degree.

Do I Need To Be A Native English Speaker To Teach English Online?

Another thing that many companies choose to incorporate into their list of requirements is language ability and nativity.

Although you’ll find that this is required or preferred for a lot of companies, there are some companies that will hire non-native English speaking teachers.

Note: If you are a non-native English speaking teacher and you want to apply to be an online English teacher, I highly recommend emailing the company beforehand in order to verify their requirements.

How Much Can I Make Teaching English Online With No Degree?

You might be wondering how much you could earn as an online English teacher with no degree. Again, this is a variable that changes from company to company.

Some companies pay up to $20 per hour while others pay as little $7 per hour.

Other platforms require each teacher to create a profile and set their own hourly rate. The company will take a percentage of your earnings in exchange for using their platform to promote your services.

Below, I’ve outlined the details of how much you can make at each company.

17 Companies To Teach English Online With No Degree

And now for the good stuff! Here are the 17 legitimate companies that will hire you to teach English online with no degree.

I’ve listed the known requirements, pay, and important additional information about each company in the description below.

1. Palfish

Palfish is a well-known online English teaching platform and it continues to grow in popularity. This company has two separate programs, the Palfish Official Kids Course and the Free Talk lessons.

The Official Kids Course program is very similar to platforms like VIPKID and GoGoKid, but the Free Talk program focuses on conversation; it’s not as structured as the Official Kids Course.

Requirements

To teach for the Palfish Official Kids Course, you must hold some type of teaching certificate. This could be a TESOL or TEFL certificate.

The best and cheapest TEFL certificate can be found here: Premier TEFL 120 Advanced TEFL Course. I personally took this course because it is internationally accredited and very easy to complete.

To become a tutor for the Palfish Free Talk program, you must speak fluent English. Apart from this requirement, they do not expect their tutors to have any special certificates.

Palfish is an excellent company to teach English online without a degree.

Pay

For the Palfish Official Kids Course, teachers are paid up to $22 per hour. This is comparable to most other online English teaching platforms.

Palfish Free Talk teachers must set their own hourly rate. Most teachers earn between $10-20 per hour through this program.

Additional Information

I’ve heard really good things about Palfish, so if you want to teach English online and you don’t have a degree, start here.

2. Cambly

Cambly is another popular online English teaching company that serves students from all over the world.

Requirements

Cambly will only hire native English speakers, but they don’t require any experience nor a Bachelor’s degree.

Pay

Cambly pays their teachers $10.20 per hour.

Additional Information

This is a great opportunity for those with tight or demanding schedules. You can work at any time during the day or night and you have the ability to set your own hours.

3. Preply

Preply is a company that requires teachers to create a profile, set an hourly rate, and attract their own students within the platform.

I have personally taken classes (Thai language) on Preply and I thought it was a really easy platform to use.

Requirements

There aren’t any requirements for applicants looking to teach English online with Preply.

They suggest a TEFL certificate, teaching experience, and a degree, but these are not binding. If you are a non-native English speaker, you are welcome to apply, too.

Pay

With Preply, you’ll set your own hourly price.

Additional Information

The beauty of this company is that you can set your own schedule and teach as much or as little as you’d like.

4. Verbling

Similar to Preply, Verbling is another great option if you are looking to teach English online with no degree.

Requirements

There are no set requirements for those applying to Verbling, however, they recommend having a TEFL certificate and experience in order to attract a student base.

Although they accept non-native English speakers, you must have a C2 level of English in order to teach effectively.

Pay

This is another platform that has the teachers decide their hourly pay rate.

Note: It’s best to start your rate lower than expected. That way you can gain a student following and fill your schedule with students before raising your rates.

Additional Information

As with many of the online English teaching companies on this list, you’ll need to prep your own materials and create engaging lessons.

5. Amazing Talker

No university degree? No problem!

Check out the online English teaching platform AmazingTalker to see if this is the right company for you.

Requirements

AmazingTalker is open to hiring non-native English speakers, but you must be fluent. Another requirement that they mention is that you must have experience teaching English.

If you do not meet one of the requirements above, I highly suggest emailing the company to see if they will accept your application.

Pay

You’ll set your own hourly rate with AmazingTalker.

Additional Information

AmazingTalker is unique because they offer support for their tutors. If you’re struggling to find students, they will help match you with potential clients.

6. iTalki

iTalki is an online language learning company that offers extensive support and an easy to use platform.

Requirements

In order to teach with iTalki as a professional teacher, you will need to have a TEFL or TESOL certificate.

iTalki also has community tutors that focus on English conversation. There are no certificate requirements to become a community tutor.

Pay

With iTalki, you’ll set your own hourly rate.

Additional Information

More than 5 million students are currently learning a language on the iTalki platform. This is a great option for those looking to teach English online with no degree and fill their schedule with students.

7. Open English

Open English is an online English teaching platform that caters to students in South America. With over 600,000 students on their platform, this is a well-established company.

Requirements

You must be a native English speaker to teach with this company. A TEFL certificate is not required for Open English but you must have some type of teaching certificate or related training.

Pay

Teacher pay rates vary, but you’ll typically earn between $10-13 per hour with Open English.

Additional Information

Since you’ll be teaching students from South America, the hours are much more aligned with the US’ waking hours than other online English teaching companies.

If you’re from the US and you’re looking to teach English online with no degree, this might be a great fit for your schedule.

8. Outschool

Outschool has been around for several years, but has recently grown in popularity. It’s an excellent and professional platform that delivers high-quality classes to children of all ages.

Although this platform doesn’t focus specifically on English teaching, you have the ability to create your own classes.

If you’re looking to teach English, I recommend creating a fun and unique class for English language learners through the Outschool platform.

Requirements

In order to teach for Outschool, you must pass a background check and you must have the legal right to work in one of the following countries: United States, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, or Australia.

Pay

As an Outschool teacher, you will set your own price.

You can also teach many students at once on this platform, so you have the opportunity to earn a lot more than most online English teaching companies.

Additional Information

If you decide to teach classes on the Outschool platform, I highly recommend creating a class that stands out from others.

Since there are many classes offered on Outschool, you’ll need to attract students by making your class unique and interesting.

9. Skimatalk

If you’re looking for a side gig to supplement your full-time job, check out the online English teaching company, Skimatalk.

Requirements

Skimatalk hires only native English speakers.

Pay

Skimatalk teachers earn approximately $14-30 per hour. You’ll start with a base pay of $8 for a 25-minute lesson ($16 per hour). From there, you’ll have the ability to set your own rates.

Additional Information

Lessons are conducted through the Skype app and they require teachers to teach using a computer or laptop (no tablets).

10. Rype

You’ll find that the Rype app is very similar to Duolingo in that you can learn and teach many different languages right from your phone.

Requirements

To work for Rype, you must have teaching experience and you must be able to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours per week to this company.

Pay

Rype teachers can expect to earn anywhere from $8-12 per hour.

Additional Information

The Rype app has a large student base and they promise that you’ll “never have to worry about students again.”

Note: I’ve read some concerning reviews about Rype. Although it’s a legitimate business, I would do your own research before applying.

11. Tandem App

The Tandem App is a language learning platform that allows students and teachers to connect via their phones or tablets.

Requirements

Although you can teach English online with the Tandem app without a degree, you’ll need to be a certified language tutor.

There are many ways to become a certified language tutor, but the easiest way is to get a TEFL or TESOL certificate.

Pay

As a Tandem tutor, you’ll set your own hourly rates. The company guarantees pay and they state that you’ll take home at least 80% of your pay.

Reminder: The companies that require teachers to set their own rates will take a portion of your pay in exchange for using their platform.

Additional Information

The Tandem App has many different programs. As a tutor, you’ll work with students to better their English language skills.

They also have a Tandem Language Exchange program that connects aspiring language learners. When two people are matched, they take turns speaking to one another in their native language in order to practice conversation skills.

12. OKPanda

OKPanda is an online English teaching company that caters to Japanese and Korean language learners. Although this is a lower-paying gig, the support they offer is phenomenal.

Requirements

There are no requirements to sign up to teach with OKPanda, but teaching experience is preferred.

Pay

Expect to earn between $5-10 per hour. OKPanda has stated that raises can be given to exceptional teachers.

Additional Information

OKPanda distributes teaching materials to their teachers. This will save you the time it takes to create your own lessons.

13. Berlitz Virtual Classroom

With over one million current and former students, Berlitz Virtual Classroom has made a name for itself in the online language learning world.

Requirements

A TEFL or TESOL certificate is necessary to teach with Berlitz, as well as being a native English speaker.

Remember: The best and easiest TEFL certificate can be acquired through PremierTEFL. This 120-hour TEFL certification is internationally accredited.

There is also a minimum teaching hour requirement, which you should investigate before diving in.

Pay

Tutors with Berlitz can expect to earn between $12-18 per hour. This will depend on several factors including experience, certifications, and more.

Additional Information

With Berlitz, you can choose to teach online or teach from one of their many learning centers throughout the US.

14. CafeTalk

CafeTalk is a small Japanese-based online language learning company with a profile-based teaching platform.

To start teaching for CafeTalk, you’ll create a profile, attract students, and teach your own classes tailored to the student’s ability.

Requirements

To be accepted as a CafeTalk tutor, you’ll need to be a native speaker (of the language you’ll be teaching). No degree is required but teaching experience is favorable.

Pay

You’ll set your own hourly rate as a tutor for CafeTalk.

Additional Information

You’ll be conducting your classes using the Skype app. You must create your own lessons for this platform.

Note: Teachers Pay Teachers is an excellent resource for acquiring teaching materials and lesson plans.

15. Learnlight

Whether you want to teach online or in-person, Learnlight is an excellent company for aspiring English teachers that don’t have a degree.

Requirements

Learnlight is strict with their applicants. You must have 2 years of proven teaching experience and you must have a TEFL or TESOL certificate in order to teach for this company.

Pay

Earn between $10-15 per hour teaching with Learnlight.

Additional Information

As with most of the companies on this list, you’ll be working as an independent contractor with Learnlight. This means you are responsible for withholding and paying taxes and you won’t receive any employee benefits.

16. Lingoda

Lingoda is an online language learning platform that caters to adult-learners from all over the world.

A huge perk of this company is that they provide lesson plans for you; you will not have to prepare your own materials and teaching plans.

Requirements

A few requirements established by Lingoda are a TEFL certificate, fluency in the language you plan to teach (at least C2), and at least 2 years of applicable teaching experience.

Pay

You’ll receive between $8-13 per hour while teaching with Lingoda.

Additional Information

Most of the companies on this list conduct 1-on-1 classes, however, with Lingoda, you’ll be teaching up to 5 students at a time.

17. VerbalPlanet

Teach students from all over the world with VerbalPlanet, another foreign language teaching platform that accepts teachers with no degree.

Requirements

There are no set requirements for tutors on the VerbalPlanet platform, but you’ll want to list your experience and teaching certificates in order to attract students.

Pay

You’ll set your own pay rate with VerbalPlanet.

Additional Information

This platform is free to use, meaning VerbalPlanet will not take any amount of money from your hourly rate. Among other companies, this is rare.

How Can You Prepare Yourself To Teach English Online Without A Degree?

The interesting thing is, having a Bachelor’s degree doesn’t prepare you for teaching English online unless your degree is in education.

So, in order to prepare yourself to teach English online without a degree, you’ll take the same steps as someone who does have a degree.

1. Set Up An Attractive Classroom

Based on the students you’ll be teaching, set up your classroom accordingly. If you’ll be teaching young students, you may want to use a fun background.

Note: I like to use a world map tapestry as my background. You can find a similar world map tapestry here.

If you’ll be teaching adults, simply set up a professional looking classroom.

Be sure that your classroom has great lighting because this will help you attract more students.

For more information on how to set up your online teaching classroom, check out our blog post: A Successful Online English Teaching Classroom.

2. Watch And Read Up On Online Teacher Training

The more you can learn about teaching English online, the better. You’ll want to be prepared for when students enter your classroom.

3. Always Have A Positive Attitude

The teachers I liked and remembered most from school were the ones that had positive attitudes.

A great attitude can go a LONG way in an online classroom.

How To Stand Out As An Online English Teacher Without A Degree

Without a Bachelor’s degree, it can be difficult to market your services as an online English teacher. You’ll want to be fully prepared to WOW your potential students so that there isn’t any hesitation when booking classes.

Here are a few tips to help you stand out from the crowd:

1. Get Your TEFL/TESOL Certificate

The acronyms TEFL and TESOL stand for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

In many countries, holding a TEFL or TESOL certificate is just as important as holding a Bachelor’s degree. The good thing about these certificates is that it won’t take you 4 years and $100,000 to acquire one.

These certificates are very significant and I highly recommend getting one before teaching English online.

If you’re looking for a basic TEFL certificate, I recommend looking into the 120 Advanced TEFL Course from PremierTEFL.

If you’re looking for an advanced certificate, I recommend checking out the Premium Expert 240 TEFL Course from PremierTEFL.

2. Promote Your Experience

If you are looking to teach English online with no degree, I highly suggest listing out your extensive experience with children.

This is your chance to promote yourself and validate your teaching skills. If the company asks for a bio, brag about your experience and why they should hire YOU as their teacher.

Other Options For Those Looking To Teach English Online With No Degree

Perhaps none of these companies jump out at you. No problem!

There is another option available if you want to teach English online without a degree. Working as a freelance online English teacher might be just the opportunity you’re looking for.

Freelance Online English Teacher

Have you ever thought of starting your own online English teaching business? As a freelance online English teacher, having a degree is unnecessary, but you will want some type of teaching experience or a TEFL degree in order to attract students.

One of your jobs will be to recruit new students and build a client base. You can do this through a blog or even through advertisements.

Running Facebook ads that promote your online English teaching business could be the perfect way to fill your schedule with students.

Note: As a freelance online English teacher, you will need to create your own lessons. If you struggle with this, remember that Teachers Pay Teachers is a great place to start. There are excellent resources on this website.

The Wrap-Up: Teach English Online Without A Degree

Teaching English online is an excellent gig, especially if you’re looking for flexiblity. There are many platforms that will hire you to teach English online with no degree, so if you’re interested, I highly recommend giving it a shot.