Other Common Questions
I'm having trouble paying my tutor...
Our site handles payments through the security of PayPal. You can pay using a PayPal account, or by credit or debit card at no extra cost. You don't need a PayPal account to pay.
How to pay by credit or debit card
- Click the 'pay' button on the invoice that your tutor has emailed you. You'll be taken to their rating & review page.
- Click the 'pay' button on the tutor's rating & review page. This will take you through to PayPal's website for payment processing.
- Select the 'pay with a credit or debit card' option.
- Enter your credit or debit card details as requested by PayPal. To avoid creating a PayPal account, untick the 'save this information with a PayPal account' box.
- Lastly, click 'review and continue' to finalise your payment.
Common PayPal problems
Sometimes PayPal declines a credit or debit card payment, and gives an unhelpful error message as a reason. Here are some of the most common error messages explained:
- “The card you entered cannot be used for this payment. Please enter a different credit or debit card number.” The card being used may already be linked with an existing PayPal account; if so, you need to login to your PayPal account to make payment. Alternatively, the email address you entered may have been used with a different card previously. PayPal remembers what cards are associated with what email addresses during a guest checkout (i.e. when you don't have a PayPal account). Try entering a different email address (or use a different card).
- “We can't process your payment right now, so please try again later. We're sorry for the inconvenience.” You can only use a credit card ~15 times for a guest checkout (i.e. when you don't have a PayPal account) before PayPal rejects it for security reasons. You will need to use a different card, or create a PayPal account to make payment.
- “Your payment can’t be completed. Please return to the participating website and try again.” Usually this is because your tutor has not set up their PayPal account to receive payments. Please contact your tutor to advise them of this; they will have to issue you a new invoice once they've sorted the problem at their end. Alternatively, this error message shows for all other errors, such as trying to pay with a cancelled credit card.
If the above doesn't help, please contact us so we can try to sort the problem out with you.
Do tutors offer online tutoring?
Tutorly is more focused on in-person tuition, but some tutors may state on their profile that they’re happy to tutor online. It never hurts to ask!
We don’t offer any particular software for online tutoring, but free programs such as Skype or Google Hangouts do the job nicely.
Can I post a job request for tutors to respond to?
Not on Tutorly – we aim for you to be able to find a suitable tutor straight away, rather than having to wait. However, if you'd like us to find a tutor for you, we offer a Premium Service.
I can’t find a suitable tutor! What next?
If you’re having trouble finding a tutor in your neighbourhood, we apologise. Please contact us and we'll try to help.
If our team can’t find you someone suitable, we recommend approaching your local university or trying a Google search – your tutor will be out there, somewhere!
I'm having problems with my tutor...
Sometimes a tutor, for whatever reason, just doesn't seem to be a good fit for you (or your child). Don't feel obligated to continue with lessons – tutors understand the importance of having the right chemistry. Politely let them know that you don't think it's working out, and settle any outstanding payments with them.
We aim for tutors listed on this website to be of the highest standard. If you think a tutor is behaving unethically, cease communication with them and let us know ASAP.
I'm a tutor in Australia – do I need an ABN?
As you'll be self-employed, it's recommended that you obtain an Australian Business Number (ABN). It's free to do so (see 'I want to tutor' for more info).
I'm a tutor, but when I try to login and it says my account has been disabled – what the...?
Part of what makes Tutorly different is that we work to keep our tutor listings relevant. We comb through profiles and pause those that show signs of inactivity (over a period of a few months). Browsing parents and students don’t want to be contacting ghosts!
If your tutor account has been disabled, you can have it reactivated by getting in touch with us – apologies for the inconvenience! And don’t worry, your profile will be just as you left it, including all its associated ratings and reviews.