Private Tutoring in Hungary

Teaching privately can be personally and financially rewarding.

It’s a great way to supplement your regular teaching salary – in fact, some enterprising teachers only teach privately. Private students can be difficult to find, however, because you often need to be introduced by a mutual acquaintance or friend, which alleviates any issues of trust or ability. Don’t let this deter you from advertising or otherwise searching for private students. Meeting and gaining the trust of the right person can open the door to this well-paying niche. If one private student discovers your effectiveness, they usually are willing to introduce you to their friends and co-workers. This is especially effective when your student is well-connected or influential; you might try targeting an upper-level business person or a successful entrepreneur. An American woman who completed her teaching certification course in the United States related her experience in Budapest:

“I began tutoring the children of a wealthy Hungarian businessman. What a great way to make good money and supplement my regular teaching job (in a private school). Though he spoke some English himself, he felt it was necessary for his kids to be tutored by a native speaker. He just expected me to come to his house once or twice a week to speak to his kids in English. At first, I was worried because I had never worked with kids so young, but it turned out to be a fun job.”

Private tutors also should consider teaching small groups. Some students feel more comfortable in a group setting, where the pressure to perform is spread out a little. In many ways, group tutoring takes some of the burden off of the instructor as well because a group is naturally social. Students can interact among themselves to practice dialogues, act out skits, or engage in other learning activities.

Setting up group lessons may not be as difficult as you think.

Tell your prospective students that you are willing to hold group lessons. They may feel more comfortable if they can get a friend or a sibling involved. In fact, kids often thrive when they are not alone in a lesson. Students in a group usually pay less than they would for an individual lesson, and this may appeal to the tremendous number of Hungarians who don’t have much disposable income. And your earning potential will far exceed that of one-on-one tutoring.

You’re probably aware by now that private tutoring usually commands the highest hourly wage. In Hungary, it’s fair to charge between 1,000 to 1,500 forints per hour. Converted into United States dollars, this hourly pay range brings you between US$9 and $10 per hour. Once again, if you are willing to be flexible with your students, some won’t balk at paying you closer to the upper end of the scale while others may only be able to cough up enough forints to pay you at the lower end of the range. If you assess your situation wisely, you will be able to make the kinds of arrangements that are fair to you and satisfactory to each of your students.