Register as a Tutor | Tutor Login

What is Tuition?

Tuition and related terms' meaning.
  1. What is tuition?
  2. What is tutor?
  3. What is "qualified tutor"?
  4. What is the difference between a tuition agency and tuition centre?
  5. Which is the best tuition agency in Singapore?
  6. How to judge a tuition agency?
  7. How to judge a tuition coordinator?
  8. What is ADHD?



  1. What is tuition?

    Tuition means teaching or instruction. In Singapore, tuition usually refers to one on one tuition, which is known as private tuition, home tuition or personal tuition.
    ^ back to top

  2. What is tutor?

    Tutor refers to the instructor or coach who conducts tuition lessons. In Singapore, a tutor is known as home tutor, private tutor, personal tutor, tuition teacher or tuition tutor.
    ^ back to top

  3. What is "qualified tutor"?

    In Singapore, there is no rule or certificate to attain in order to be a "qualified" tutor. "Qualified" is a term used by individuals based on their own accessments. If a tuition agency claims that it has "xxx numbers of qualified tutors", you have to judge it by yourself.

    For Smart Tuition, if the term "qualified" is used, it simply means that the tutor is qualified as of your requirement or that the tutor has submitted his/her documents for verification.
    ^ back to top

  4. What is the difference between a tuition agency and tuition centre?

    Many people often mix up tuition agency with tuition centre.

    A tuition agency in Singapore helps parents to find private tutors for their children and also helps private tutors to find tuition assignments (students). In simple terms, the main job scope is to matchmake both students and tuition tutors. A tuition agency can be easily run at home with a telephone line. It is cheaper and easy to be set up. Because of its convenice to set up, anyone can easily set up a free blog to start a tuition agency. There are many Singapore tuition agencies you can find in the Internet but many are unregistered businesses, which is illegal.

    A tuition centre has at least a physical classroom to house students. It is like a mini school where the principal (usually business owner) would engage tutors to conduct lessons for the students who have signed up. For each tuition class, there will be more than a student, which is also known as group tuition.
    ^ back to top

  5. Which is the best tuition agency in Singapore?

    There is no best tuition agency in Singapore. There are many Singapore tuition agencies available over the internet that can assist you but there is no ranking system for the hundreds of tuition agencies. No tuition agency can guarantee you that it can help you to find a perfect home tutor because even a tutor with good track record may have a change in attitude after a few years and not even tutor can handle all kinds of students. Therefore, if any tuition agency assures you that it can do a perfect job because it is the "best" or "most established" tuition agency, you better beware of it.
    ^ back to top

  6. How to judge a tuition agency?

    There is no perfect way to judge a tuition agency other than from words of mouth from someone you know. However, there is a simple guidance to roughly gauge whether a tuition agency is good or not. A good tuition agency should at least:
    - have a decent looking website
    - have an unique logo
    - be registered with ACRA and has its Singapore business registration number indicated
    - list out its tuition tutors
    - have photos of some of their tuition tutors
    - have a sign-up page for tutors
    - have a service agreement or terms of service page
    - have a privacy policy page
    - have an "about us" page
    - have a Singapore contact number indicated
    - have links to its social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter
    - have a blog with proper updates
    - use an official email with website's domain name and not free emails like GMail, Hotmail, Yahoo etc.
    ^ back to top

  7. How to judge a tuition coordinator?

    Similar to tuition agency, there is no definite way to judge a tuition coordinator. However, we do have some guidelines. When interacting with the tuition coordinator, do
    - question if the tuition coordinator is from the tuition agency you have signed up with
    - judge if the coordinator is too "pushy"
    - judge if the coordinator gives opinions about the tutor offered
    - judge if the coordinator is trying to push the price above the market rate
    ^ back to top

  8. What is ADHD?

    ADHD refers to "Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder". Children with ADHD face difficulties to focus in their studies. It requires extra patience for any tutor to handle them.
    ^ back to top


You may like to visit our FAQ page to find out more about tuition in Singapore.

If you have other term or enquiry related to tuition that is not listed on this page, do contact us.



You may also be interested in:
- Home Tuition in Singapore
- Private Tutor Singapore
- Small Group Tuition
- Integrated Programme Singapore
- Why I Cannot Get a Tutor?






Like this page? Share with your friends! Please link us in your website/blog!



"The mark of a true MBA is that he is often wrong but seldom in doubt." - Robert Buzzell


Students' Stationery

Singapore Guides

Tuition Articles & Guides

Smart Tuition Tutor Guides