Online Tutoring
Teach English or French to international students via Preply or Cambly. Bilingual Cameroonians have a strong advantage.
65,000-260,000 FCFA/mois
$100-$400/month
Laptop
3 days
7-14 days
Online tutoring is one of the most underrated money-making opportunities for Cameroonians, especially because of the country's unique bilingual advantage. Cameroon is one of the few African countries where both English and French are widely spoken, and this makes Cameroonians highly sought after as language tutors on platforms like Preply, Cambly, iTalki, and Verbling. On these platforms, you teach conversational English or French to students from around the world via video calls. Rates start at $8-$15 per hour for new tutors and can reach $25-$40+ per hour for experienced ones. That translates to 5,200-26,000 FCFA per hour. Even teaching just 2-3 hours per day, you can earn 65,000-260,000 FCFA per month. Beyond language teaching, Cameroonians with expertise in math, science, programming, or test preparation can also tutor on platforms like Tutor.com, Wyzant, and Chegg. The flexibility is a major benefit: you set your own schedule, work from home, and choose which students to accept. Many tutors start part-time alongside other work and gradually transition to full-time tutoring as they build a student base. This guide walks through everything from choosing a platform to building a base of regular students.
What You Need
- Laptop with webcam and microphone
- Stable internet connection (minimum 5 Mbps upload)
- Fluency in English and/or French
- Quiet, well-lit workspace
- Headphones (noise-canceling preferred)
- Patience and teaching ability
- Payoneer or PayPal account for payments
Step-by-Step Guide
Choose Your Tutoring Platform
For language teaching: Preply (best for French/English tutors, you set your rate), Cambly (English only, $0.17/minute, no scheduling needed), iTalki (French and English, competitive), Verbling (English/French, higher rates). For academic subjects: Tutor.com, Chegg, Wyzant. Apply to 2-3 platforms to maximize students.
Create a Compelling Tutor Profile
Your profile is your resume. Record a 1-2 minute introduction video showing your personality and teaching style. Write a detailed bio explaining your qualifications, teaching approach, and what students will gain. Mention your bilingual Cameroon background as it is a unique selling point. Add a professional photo.
Set Competitive Starting Rates
Start with rates below the platform average to attract first students: $8-$12/hour on Preply, $10-$15 on iTalki. First reviews are critical. After 10+ positive reviews, gradually increase to $15-$25/hour. Top tutors with 100+ reviews charge $30-$50+/hour.
Prepare Your Teaching Space
You need: a quiet room with minimal background noise, good lighting (face a window or use a desk lamp), stable internet connection (use ethernet if possible), a webcam, and headphones with a microphone. A clean, professional-looking background matters for first impressions.
Develop Structured Lesson Plans
Do not wing your lessons. Create lesson plans for different levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced. Use free resources from ESL Library, British Council, and TV5Monde for materials. Have conversation topics prepared. Use screen sharing to show slides or exercises. Students appreciate organized, structured lessons.
Build Regular Students
The key to stable income is recurring students who book weekly sessions. After a trial lesson, suggest a regular schedule. Offer package discounts (book 10 lessons, get 1 free). Send homework and follow up between lessons. Provide personalized attention that keeps students coming back.
How to Get Paid in Cameroon
Preply pays via Payoneer or Payoneer prepaid card every 2 weeks. Cambly pays weekly via Payoneer. iTalki pays via PayPal, Payoneer, or bank transfer. To receive in Cameroon: set up Payoneer (payoneer.com), verify with your Cameroon ID, link your local bank account. Withdraw from the tutoring platform to Payoneer, then transfer to your Cameroon bank (UBA, Afriland, BICEC, Ecobank). From bank, send to MTN MoMo or Orange Money. Payoneer to Cameroon bank takes 2-5 business days. Some tutors also use Payoneer's prepaid Mastercard to withdraw cash directly from ATMs in Cameroon.
Earnings by Experience Level
| Level | Time | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner (0-20 reviews, $8-12/hr) | 2-3 hours/day | 50,000-100,000 FCFA/month |
| Intermediate (20-100 reviews, $15-20/hr) | 3-4 hours/day | 130,000-250,000 FCFA/month |
| Advanced (100+ reviews, $25-40/hr) | 4-6 hours/day | 300,000-700,000+ FCFA/month |
Tips for Cameroonians
Your Cameroon accent is an asset, not a liability. Many students specifically want to learn from African tutors to prepare for business or travel in Africa. Embrace your natural accent and speaking style.
Offer French lessons to English speakers AND English lessons to French speakers. Being able to teach both languages doubles your potential student base on every platform.
Schedule lessons during peak hours for different time zones: 6-10 AM Cameroon time for Asian students, 2-6 PM for European students, and 8-11 PM for American students.
Get a portable battery power bank and a backup MTN/Orange data plan. Nothing is worse than losing connection during a paid lesson. Reliability is what makes students rebook.
Create themed lessons around Cameroon culture, food, music, and daily life. Students love cultural immersion and these lessons get the best reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a teaching degree?
No formal teaching degree is required for most platforms. Preply and iTalki accept tutors based on language fluency and a good profile. However, having a TEFL/TESOL certificate (available online for $20-$50) significantly increases your bookings and allows you to charge higher rates.
Which platform pays the most?
Preply allows you to set your own rates (highest earning potential). Cambly pays a flat $0.17/minute ($10.20/hour) which is good for zero-preparation casual conversation. iTalki varies but allows competitive pricing. For highest earnings, build up reviews on Preply and increase rates gradually.
What if I have slow internet?
A minimum of 5 Mbps upload speed is needed for stable video calls. Use an ethernet cable instead of WiFi when possible. Close all other apps during lessons. As a backup, Cambly works even with somewhat slower connections. If internet is unreliable, schedule lessons during off-peak hours when speeds are better.
How many students do I need for full-time income?
With 10-15 regular weekly students, each booking 1-2 sessions per week, you can fill 15-25 hours and earn 200,000-400,000+ FCFA per month depending on your rate. It typically takes 2-3 months to build this base.