Frequently Asked Questions For Tutors

SmileTutor receives over a hundred new tuition assignments per day and we publish all tuition assignments in our SmileTutor Assignments App (download from iOS or Android Playstore). We send out push notifications via our mobile app primarily. Occasionally, we also send out jobs via SMS/WhatsApp to suitable tutors who have registered with us. If you receive an invitation from us, you may apply directly through the link given to you. Tutors are highly recommended to download our mobile application.

You may also visit our Tuition Assignments page where you can view all our current available assignments and apply from the online portal as well.

After you have applied for an assignment, simply wait for up to 72 hours. Usually, if the parent is considering you, we’ll get in touch with you within 2-72 hours. Meanwhile, it is advisable to continue applying for other tuition jobs that has different timeslots.

Also if you have made an application for a job (i.e. via our assignments app), but wish to modify your application, please send us an SMS to +65 90144201.

There could be several reasons why you are not getting a response or successfully getting an assignment:

1. Applying for assignments that are not available

Due to overwhelming responses from our tutors, our typical window is 2-48 hours before we match the assignment successfully. Try to apply quickly for latest assignments, especially those that are SMSes directly to you.

2. Incomplete/unsatisfactory applications

When applying, please be sure to include the information that is required. Typically, we ask for the job ID, your qualifications, relevant tutoring experience, rates, and available timings. Tutors who reply in full are MUCH more likely to be successful. If you do not apply adequately, it is very likely that you will not receive a reply.

3. Applying for unsuitable assignments

A lot of assignments clearly indicate certain requirements e.g Ex/Current MOE Tutors or female only. If you do not belong that the right category and you apply for it, you will not receive any reply.

4. Low Quality Score

Please read ‘Quality Score’ FAQ under ‘Registration’ Tab. If you have a low quality score it will be very hard to get tuition assignments. The only way around this is to improve your quality score by ensuring profile completeness, staying active by logging in and applying for assignments, and having a good track record.

5. Late response

Your chances of getting selected is higher the earlier you apply for an assignment when it's being posted. New assignments are always marked as 'Urgent'. When you apply for these, the success rate will be much higher.

Our system prioritizes tutors according to their Quality Score™. Please look at this page for full details.

If you are using our Assignments app, please check your settings to make sure notifications is not switched off. Additionally, please try to logout and relogin, or try reinstalling/updating the application.

Please go to our information page where you can find the download links for both Android and iOS.

There are two ways you can get tuition assignments from the mobile app.

1. Apply from the list of available tuition assignments

We post 100+ new assignments per day. At any time, you will be able to find hundreds of available assignments listed on the app. Do note that the assignments at the top are more urgent, whereas those at the bottom tend to already have applications pending.

2. Push Notifications

We will send push notifications directly to your phone for suitable tuition assignments matching your tutoring preferences. Once you see a notification, please apply as soon as possible to maximize your chance of getting selected.

After you have applied for an assignment, the job will be shown under 'Applied Jobs' in the mobile app. You can see the status of the assignment there whether it is pending, cancelled, or confirmed.

If you are confirmed, you will receive a confirmation SMS and email from us.

Unfortunately, this feature is not available in the app. If you wish to modify your tutor application (for instance timings or rates), please send us an SMS. Our tutor contact number is available in the 'Contact' section of the app.

Please double check your applications before submitting and ensure that you keep your timings available for at least 48 hours after applying, as application success rates are taken into consideration in your Quality Score™, which will affect your ranking in our algorithm (affects the rate you receive job offers from us).

If you have any questions about a posted job, please send us an SMS. You can find our contact number in the 'Contact' section of the mobile app.

Yes, of course! Simply go to 'Contact' section of the app, and toggle the 'Notifications'. You can switch it off and on anytime. Once you switched it off, you will not receive any notifications from us.

You can also disable your tutor profile, but you'll need to contact us when you need to activate it again, so this is not recommended.

You are allowed to conduct your lessons in your own preferred way, in accordance to the student’s needs.

Purchase of study materials such as revision books is up to your discretion. If you would like to be reimbursed for any purchases, you should first consult with the tutee before making any purchases as sometimes they may already have the same materials, or they may already have similar materials from school or tuition elsewhere that can be reused.

You are expected to commit for at least 4-weeks of tuition. If you back out of an assignment without a valid reason (e.g. illness) before completing at least 4-weeks of tuition, you will not be entitled to receive any tuition fees. i.e. The tutee shall only be required to pay 50% of the tuition fees (plus any applicable taxes) directly to the agency.

For short-term assignments, you are expected to be committed for the length of period as agreed upon (usually until the student’s exams) and fulfil the minimum number of lessons specified.

SmileTutor expects its tutors to uphold integrity and responsibility by being committed to see the students through their exams and not back out for no valid reason. Tutors who show irresponsible or unethical behaviour may be blacklisted without warning. We will review case-by-case and take appropriate action.

Yes, clients can postpone or cancel lessons, but they will have to pay for all lessons conducted. Currently, we seek clients to notify the agency of any postponements or cancellations at least 24 hours prior to the lesson.

If you were not informed in time of the affected lesson (e.g. < 2 hours), you may stand to claim up to 50% of the lesson fees as Tutor’s Compensation.

Postponements

For tuition that has been conducted for less than 4 weeks of lessons, tutors are expected to commit lessons at the assigned details. However, if postponements had to be made, we require you to inform us at least 24 hours in advance of the lesson via phone call at +65 6266 4475 (Mon to Sun 9am-8pm).

After the initial 4 weeks, tutors will only need to liaise with their clients to make any changes and postponements in the lessons.

Cancellations (Termination of lessons altogether)

For lessons conducted for less than 4 weeks

You (the tutor) are not allowed to back out of the tuition unless there is a valid excuse (e.g Illness). If the tutor does not provide a valid excuse, the tutor shall not be entitled to any tuition fees. Hence, the client shall only be required to pay 50% of the fees for the lessons conducted directly to the agency.

For lessons conducted for more than 4 weeks

You are free to cancel the tuition (although they are not encouraged to do so). Clients shall be required to pay for all lessons conducted and to pay you directly (after paying the agency commission to the agency).

Q: Adding of subjects or students (e.g siblings)
A: If the parent requests you to teach additional subjects or teach other siblings, you are required to inform the agency of any added lessons immediately. Commission shall apply to the extra subjects/lessons/students, subject to a time limit of 6 months from the original tuition arrangement.

In general, the tuition fees for the first 2-weeks of active lessons (not the calendar month) is collected as agent commission.

Example: Client Tywin engages tutor A for once per week, at $50/lesson. The agency commission is equivalent to half of 4-lessons = 2 lessons ($100).

Please note that for short-term assignments or special cases, the commission may be different and this will be stated in the job info or communicated to you clearly prior to your acceptance.

The agency fee exists as a portion of the lesson fees. Hence, you do not need to make any payments to SmileTutor throughout your tuition assignments.

The commission shall be paid by the client (parent or student) directly to the agency and is due to be paid after completion of X number of lessons by the client (will be stated clearly in the confirmation invoice – generally this will be when the tuition fees is equivalent to the agency commission). Thereafter, you may collect the tuition fees for any subsequent lessons you conducted.

Tutors will not be paid for the first 2 weeks of lessons as these are the commission fees charged by SmileTutor agency on the tutors. The fees for the first 2 weeks of lessons (or 50% of the Total Monthly Fees) are will be made directly to SmileTutor, instead to the tutors.

For subsequent lessons (after the agency commission has been paid), you shall receive payment directly from the client. Since the commission fees have already been collected by SmileTutor, you will be paid the full tuition fees from here on.

Example: After 2 lessons have been completed, client Tywin pays the tuition fees for the 1st and 2nd lesson directly to the agency. Client Tywin then arranges to pay the tutor every subsequent 4 lessons.

You will not be paid in advance. All payments are made only after the requisite lessons have been conducted AND after the agency commission is collected.

If you, the tutor, decides to drop out of the assignment (without a valid reason such as illness backed by evidence) before completing at least 4-weeks of lessons, you are not entitled to receive any tuition fees. Otherwise, the tuition fees will be divided equally between agency and tutor.

Q: What if there are long-term changes to lesson frequency or duration?
A: If the duration or frequency of lessons is not uniform, SmileTutor will determine the commission based on the long-term duration or frequency of lessons. You are required to inform SmileTutor of any long-term changes in the lesson structure. The commission may be adjusted accordingly. Tutors who fail to inform SmileTutor may be blacklisted.

Short-term assignments are defined by students who only require a fixed number of lessons until a certain exam date (usually less than 8 weeks of lessons). Long-term assignments that are terminated due to various reasons are NOT considered as short-term assignments.

For short-term assignments (a.k.a crash courses) we generally collect 25% of the TOTAL tuition fee but the exact percentages may differ and we will let tutors know beforehand.​​

SmileTutor is committed to protect the welfare of our tutors. For short-term assignments only, our commission shall not exceed 25% of the tutor’s total earnings.

You may email us at email for any feedback or questions that are not answered under the FAQ and Terms and Conditions. For private feedback about the agency service, you may contact Rum (Co-founder) at 97558257 or email him at Rum Email.

We appreciate your help in providing us accurate feedback so as to improve our service and system.