Frequently Asked Questions

General

1. What makes First Tutors: NZ unique?
2. What is the difference between First Tutors: NZ and going to a tutoring agency?
3. Does First Tutors: NZ offer support?
4. Why should I use First Tutors: NZ rather than a recommendation from a friend?
5. I need a tutor for a subject not listed here, can you help?
6. How do I give feedback?
7. Who uses First Tutors: NZ?
8. I'm looking to recruit numerous tutors for evening classes, can you help?

By Students

1. When do I have to pay?
2. How do I choose a tutor?
3. Do you check tutors' Teacher Registration or Police Clearance Certificate?
4. How do I contact the tutors?
5. I have not heard from a tutor and want their contact details.

By Tutors

1. How will I hear from prospective students?
2. How do I commence tutoring?
3. How do I change my profile?
4. How do I pay my First Tutors: NZ fees?
5. I understand students can create feedback about me, how does this work?
6. What if the student changes their mind and no longer requires tuition?
7. Do I need a police clearance check to be a tutor?
8. What qualifications do I need to be a tutor?
9. Do you employ tutors?
10. I'm an international student, can I be a tutor?

General

1. What makes First Tutors: NZ unique?

   First Tutors: NZ is the only company in New Zealand which enables tutors to promote themselves through profiles for free. Only when a tutor is matched with a student do we make a small charge, i.e. when the advertising has proved its value. First Tutors: NZ is unique for students and parents in giving them greater choice and making them aware of the costs of private tuition and their chosen tutor's qualifications upfront.

2. What is the difference between First Tutors: NZ and going to a tutoring agency?

   Firstly, First Tutors: NZ is open 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week: you can always go online and request a tutor. For this reason First Tutors: NZ is a very fast way of finding and selecting a tutor. Rather than talking to a middle man and waiting to hear which tutors are available, our system enables you to contact the tutors direct and ask them your questions. First Tutors: NZ is also very competitively priced: the average agency charges £10.00 on top of every hour of tuition, whereas we only charge a student $14.99 for the release of their chosen tutor's details.

3. Does First Tutors: NZ offer support?

   For tutors or parents/students experiencing technical difficulties, contact us via our online support form and we will help you with any difficulty.

   For parents seeking advice on choosing a tutor, read Which Tutor? or for commencing lessons please see Your First Lesson.

4. Why should I use First Tutors: NZ rather than a recommendation from a friend?

   First Tutors: NZ provides a built-in review facility - we invite feedback from students and parents about how their tutoring sessions have gone. For parents and students, this provides objective advice, whilst also giving the best tutors a platform upon which to shine.

5. I need a tutor for a subject not listed here, can you help?

   Contact us and we'll make every effort to help you.

6. How do I give feedback?

   We much appreciate feedback and where appropriate usually act on it very swiftly - use our feedback form to tell us what you think.

7. Who uses First Tutors: NZ?
   • Parents with children from both the independent and state sector. We enjoy a lot of repeat custom once we've been tried and tested.
   • Adult learners looking to refresh a skill/subject area or learn a new language.
   • Businesses looking for quality tuition in IT and Languages at very competitive prices and with the flexibilty to arrange tuition in/out of office hours and on site.
8. I'm looking to recruit numerous tutors for evening classes, can you help?

   This is entirely possible. Please contact us to discuss your needs further.

By Students

1. When do I have to pay?

   You pay only when you have chosen a tutor. We charge a $14.99 introduction fee. It is free to browse, search and contact tutors. You should pay the tutor's fees directly to the tutor. Please honour your commitment and arrange and pay for your first lesson with your new tutor. This means the tutor's fees are covered. After this, if you make a decision to continue with your tutor, it will obviously be a reflection of how well your first lesson went. Please refer to our terms and conditions for more details.

2. How do I choose a tutor?

   Please see our article, Which Tutor? for guidance.

3. Do you check tutors' Teacher Registration or Police Clearance Certificate?

   No. You need to ask to see a Teacher's Practicing Certificate or Police Clearance Certificate if they are not registered and any other qualifications they declared before the first lesson.

4. How do I contact the tutors?

   You can contact a prospective tutor through us for free by becoming a member. Once your tutor has received and accepted your request we will release their contact details to you, conditional upon you paying a $14.99 fee. We also e-mail the tutor your details at the same time so you can both contact one another.

5. I have not heard from a tutor and want their contact details.

   Your tutor may be on holiday or unavailable temporarily. All tutors are contacted as soon as you make your enquiry but we cannot make them respond. We would always recommend you contacting more than one tutor.

By Tutors

1. How will I hear from prospective students?

   We will e-mail you when a prospective student requests to hear from you and invite you to log in to your member area and respond to the request as soon as possible. Please note that tutors who do not respond to student (neither accept or decline) will have their profiles suspended so other tutors can benefit from the opportunities.

2. How do I commence tutoring?

   Once the student has accepted your offer of tuition we will send you their contact details so you can call and arrange a first lesson. We would recommend acting on this quickly.

3. How do I change my profile?

   Once you have registered you can log in at anytime to alter your profile or fees through your members area.

4. How do I pay my First Tutors: NZ fees?

   First Tutors: NZ is free for tutors so you won't owe us anything!

5. I understand students can create feedback about me, how does this work?

   After one month we invite students to create a brief comment about their tutor. This is because the tuition industry works on referrals: the more good feedback you receive as a tutor, the more enquiries you are likely to attract. Of course, as a tutor you can also reply to any feedback.

6. What if the student changes their mind and no longer requires tuition?

   Most students put a lot of thought into choosing their tutor so are unlikely to cancel before tuition commences. The usual reason for changing their mind is that the tutor has left a long period of time between receiving the student's contact details and initiating tuition. Please ask your student to contact us if this occurs.

7. Do I need a police clearance check to be a tutor?

   No, though it helps to have references available for parents to see.

8. What qualifications do I need to be a tutor?

   Tutors come from all walks of life: many are academics or teachers, some are students, on gap years or professionals. Different students look for different qualities and backgrounds in their tutors, which is why the ability to browse tutors is so attractive to students. Browse the profiles of other tutors in your area if you are considering registering as a tutor.

9. Do you employ tutors?

   No, all tutors work on a self-employed basis.

10. I'm an international student, can I be a tutor?

    Whilst we don't object, we would recommend checking the terms of your visa to ensure you are allowed to work on a self-employed basis.

If you have any further questions not answered in our FAQs, or are unsure about anything, please ask us your question here.