To offer tutoring in Czechia, write a listing that names the subject, level and city, set an hourly rate with a clear cancellation rule, and keep a short written agreement for every student. A classifieds listing on a moderated marketplace gives you reach without a contract with the platform, and you stay in control of who you teach and how you get paid.
Czechia has a dense tutoring market. Parents in Prague 6 or Brno-střed look for math and Czech language support before entrance exams to gymnázium, university students want statistics and economics help, and adults in Ostrava or Plzeň book English for work. Most of this demand moves through word of mouth, school noticeboards and online classifieds, not through agencies. That leaves room for a private tutor or a small language school to publish a listing and reach people directly.
The catch is trust. A parent handing a child to a stranger wants evidence, a clear price and a way to complain. A tutor wants to avoid time-wasters and unpaid hours. This guide covers how to write the listing, how to price it, how to filter requests, what to put in a simple written agreement, and how reviews turn into a working profile.
- Name the subject, level, format and city in the first two lines of the listing, because that is what people filter on.
- Price per 60 minutes, plus a stated cancellation window, removes most arguments before they start.
- A one-page written agreement covering scope, rate, payment and notice period is enough for private tutoring in Czechia.
- Reviews and a visible seller history do more for response rates than any wording trick.
How to describe your tutoring service so people actually respond
A tutoring listing works when a reader can answer three questions in ten seconds: what subject, what level, and where. Vague headlines such as "qualified tutor available" get skipped. "Matematika pro přijímačky na gymnázium, Praha 4 a online" tells a parent in Krč exactly whether to keep reading.
Put the subject first, then the level, then the format and location. Czech parents search by subject and by school milestone, so terms like přijímačky, maturita, přijímačky na VŠ and jazykový certifikát belong in the text where they fit naturally. Do not stack every keyword you can think of. A listing stuffed with terms reads as spam and moderation may treat it that way. The rules for what a listing may contain are public at /en/rules, and they are worth reading once before you publish.
Showing a portfolio without breaking anyone's privacy
You cannot publish a student's name, school or grades without consent. What you can show is your own record: which subjects you teach, which exams you have prepared students for, how long you have taught, and what materials you use. A short list of results in anonymised form, such as "twelve students prepared for maturita from Czech language since 2019", is concrete and safe.
References work better than certificates alone. Ask two or three long-term clients whether they are willing to be contacted, and say in the listing that references are available on request. Do not invent testimonials or copy them from another tutor's page. If you have a teaching qualification from a Czech university, name the institution and the year. If you studied abroad, say where.
Photos and materials that raise response rates
Two or three photos are enough. A clear portrait, a photo of your workspace or a sample of your own study materials. Screenshots of a textbook page you did not write can create a copyright problem, so use your own worksheets. If you teach online, show the platform you use and the equipment you have, because parents ask about that.
How to price tutoring in Czechia and write an estimate
Price per 60 minutes, stated openly. Rates in Czechia vary widely by subject, level and city: one-to-one school subject tutoring in a regional town sits at the lower end, exam preparation and university-level subjects cost more, and corporate language training is priced per hour with a minimum block. Rather than guess, open a classifieds category, look at what tutors and courses in Czechia list at today, and place yourself deliberately above or below the middle.
Do not publish a range. "300 to 600 CZK" tells a buyer you have not decided. Pick one number for one format, and add a second line for a different format if you offer one, for example a lower rate for a shared lesson with two students.
| Format | What the price covers | What to state in the listing |
|---|---|---|
| One-to-one, 60 minutes | Preparation, lesson, follow-up materials | Rate, cancellation window, payment method |
| Small group, 2 to 4 students | Shared time, same preparation load | Rate per student, minimum group size |
| Online, 60 minutes | Same lesson without travel | Platform, rate, whether recording is allowed |
| Intensive block before exams | Several sessions in a short period | Total price, dates, prepayment rule |
Payment, deposits and cancellation
State how you want to be paid and when. Bank transfer after each lesson is common for private tutoring; cash still happens; some tutors take payment for a block of ten lessons in advance. Whichever you choose, write it in the listing so nobody is surprised. A cancellation window of 24 hours is standard and easy to explain: cancel later and the lesson is charged.
If you invoice as a business, say so and give the correct identification details. If you tutor occasionally as a private individual, keep a simple record of income for your own tax return. The rules differ depending on whether you operate as a sole trader or as an employee, and the Czech Trade Licensing Office publishes the current framework at Ministry of Regional Development for business matters and Czech Trade Inspection Authority for consumer protection questions. Check the current position with an accountant before you set up, not after.
Answering requests and filtering out non-serious clients
Reply fast and ask three questions. Speed matters because parents usually message several tutors at once. The three questions that separate a real student from a browser are: what exactly do you need help with, when do you want to start, and which days and times work for you. Someone who cannot answer the second one is not ready to book.
Keep the first exchange inside the platform's messaging. You can see the other person's history and reviews there, and you avoid handing your phone number to someone who never intended to book. Phone numbers on listings are verified, which cuts down on fake accounts.
Signals that a request is not serious
Watch for messages that ask for your price three times without answering a question, requests to move to a different app immediately, and anyone who wants you to start before agreeing on a rate. Also be careful with offers that involve paying you more than your rate and asking you to forward the difference. That pattern is a known fraud script and it has nothing to do with tutoring.
Before the first paid lesson, run a short free call of ten to fifteen minutes. You learn the student's real level, the student learns how you explain things, and both sides can walk away without a bill. It costs you a quarter of an hour and saves far more than that in mismatched lessons.
What to send before the first lesson
Confirm the date, time, place or meeting link, rate, and what the student should bring. If you are preparing for an exam, ask for the syllabus or the list of required reading. One message with all of it beats five short ones, and it sets the tone for how you work.
Protecting yourself with a simple written agreement
A one-page agreement is enough for private tutoring. It does not need a lawyer. It needs the names of both parties, the subject and scope, the rate, the payment method, the cancellation rule, the notice period if either side wants to stop, and a line about what happens to prepaid lessons. Both sides sign, both sides keep a copy. For a student under eighteen, a parent or guardian signs.
Add a short data note. You will hold a name, contact details and possibly school information, and under Czech and EU rules that is personal data. Say what you keep, why, and how long. Do not publish anything about a student without written consent, and do not use a student's work as a sample without permission.
Private listing, company or subcontracting
Three routes exist and they carry different obligations. A private listing is the fastest to start and puts you in direct contact with the client. Working through your own company or trade licence gives you invoicing and a business identity but adds administration. Subcontracting for an agency or a language school fills your calendar but usually pays less per hour and puts the client relationship in someone else's hands.
| Route | Speed to first student | Control over price | Administration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private classifieds listing | Days | Full | Minimal, keep income records |
| Own company or trade licence | Weeks | Full | Registration, invoicing, accounting |
| Subcontracting for an agency | Depends on their demand | Limited, rate is set for you | Low, but the agency owns the client |
How reviews build a provider profile
Reviews are the part of a listing you cannot fake and cannot rush. On a marketplace where the seller's history is visible, a profile with twenty completed deals and a handful of reviews converts far better than an empty one with a lower price. Ask for a review after a block of lessons ends, not after every single session, and make it easy by sending the link.
Answer criticism in public and without arguing. If a lesson was cancelled late or a student felt the pace was wrong, say what you changed. Buyers read the negative reviews first, and a calm reply does more than a page of praise. We see the same pattern in our own catalogue: listings with clear prices and a few honest reviews get replies faster than listings with none, whatever the subject. You can compare how other tutors present themselves on EX & GO, and if something goes wrong with a listing or a message, the support page at /en/support explains where to raise it.
A checklist before you publish
- Subject, level, format and city in the first two lines.
- One clear rate per 60 minutes, no range.
- Cancellation window and payment method stated.
- Two or three of your own photos, no borrowed material.
- References offered, not invented.
- Contact through the platform's messaging, phone number verified.
- One-page agreement ready to send before the first paid lesson.
- Data note written: what you keep about a student and for how long.
If you want to reach buyers in a specific district, filter by city and radius when you compare listings, and mention the districts you cover in your own text. A tutor who will travel to Vinohrady, Žižkov and Vršovice should say so. post a listing If you also sell materials, workbooks or equipment alongside lessons, a separate listing in the right category keeps the tutoring offer clean. tutors and courses
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a trade licence to tutor in Czechia?
It depends on how you operate. Occasional private tutoring for individuals is often treated differently from running a business with regular clients and invoicing. If you teach regularly, invoice clients, or advertise as a service provider, check whether you need a trade licence for your activity. The Czech Trade Licensing Office publishes current guidance, and an accountant can confirm your specific case before you start. Do not rely on a forum answer for this.
How much can I charge per hour?
Rates depend on subject, level, city and format. School subject tutoring in smaller towns sits at the lower end, exam preparation and university subjects cost more, and corporate language training is usually priced per hour with a minimum block. Look at current listings in your category and city, then pick one number. Publishing a range makes you look undecided and invites buyers to negotiate down.
How do I avoid clients who never pay?
Set the payment rule before the first lesson and put it in the agreement. Payment after each lesson by bank transfer, or a block paid in advance, both work. Charge for late cancellations inside your stated window. If a client misses two payments, stop teaching until the balance is settled. Keep the message thread, because it is your record of what was agreed.
Can I teach online and still list locally?
Yes, and it widens your reach considerably. Many students in smaller Czech towns cannot find a specialist nearby, so an online listing with a city tag still brings requests from that region. State the platform you use, your rate for online lessons, and whether you allow recording. Some parents prefer in-person lessons for younger children, so offering both formats covers more of the market.
What should I do if a student or parent behaves badly?
End the arrangement in writing, referring to the notice period in your agreement, and settle any prepaid lessons. If the behaviour happened through the platform's messaging, report it there and keep the thread as evidence. For consumer or business disputes, the Czech Trade Inspection Authority handles complaints in its area of competence. Do not continue lessons while a conflict is unresolved, because it usually gets worse.
How long does it take to get the first student?
With a clear listing, a realistic rate and fast replies, the first serious request often arrives within days, though it varies by subject and city. Exam periods before přijímačky and maturita bring a seasonal spike. If nothing comes in after two weeks, the usual causes are a vague headline, a price with no context, or slow replies. Fix those before lowering your rate.
Where to start this week
Write the listing before you write the agreement. One hour on the headline, the rate and two photos will tell you more about demand in your city than a month of planning. Publish it, reply to the first three messages within a few hours, and keep notes on what people ask. Those questions become your FAQ and your next listing revision.
Then put the paperwork in place: the one-page agreement, the cancellation rule, the data note. It takes an evening and it means that when a real student appears, you are ready to teach instead of negotiating. To offer tutoring in Czechia without the usual risk, the sequence is simple: a specific listing, a fixed price, a written agreement, and reviews earned one student at a time.