As university applicants for 2025 begin a gruelling journey of admissions preparation, tutoring agencies are busy matching tutors with tutees. The goal is to improve pupils’ chances of getting into their dream universities, so students who have their sights set on Oxbridge often enlist tutors who can help with both exam preparation and the university-specific admissions process. But what goes on behind the scenes of the private tutoring industry, and what role can we, as Cambridge students, play?

Having been a tutor for a couple of years, I have noticed my job and the private tutoring industry change; my tutor friends feel the same. In the UK, reports show that the private tutoring industry may be worth over £7.5 billion, while the tutoring platform Tutorcruncher states that the industry continues to grow. With all this demand comes the opportunity for tutors to make some serious cash; tutors who have studied at Oxbridge on particularly competitive courses like maths and computer science can earn up to £65 an hour. This is significantly higher than your average student job salary, and can provide a layer of flexibility and comfort (since most jobs are remote) that students would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

“For me, on top of the financial benefit, tutoring students has been incredibly rewarding”

For me, on top of the financial benefit, tutoring students has been incredibly rewarding. Hearing my archaeology tutee express gratitude—“I never thought of answering this question this way. This [tutoring] session helped me understand different ways to frame my answers in my interview…I feel more confident!”— after our session inspired me to continue to empower young people who are eager to learn but may not know how best to present their thoughts. Also, it’s gratifying to help these students realise their ambitions, such as securing a place at their dream college. Working with someone who has gone through the admissions process and is now studying at Oxbridge offers an insight into university life, whether personal or academic, which can be more useful than the more generic advice students receive at school.

But what inspires Oxbridge students, who already balance supos, deadlines and social lives, to start tutoring? And how do you actually start? I began tutoring when I saw an advertisement on my college MCR noticeboard. I decided to apply as I thought getting some teaching experience might help me change my career to teaching (it did). At first, convincing agencies to hire me was challenging because I had never trained in private tutoring, however, luckily, one agency accepted my application. Though it can help, you don’t necessarily need prior experience to join a tutoring agency.

Another way of getting into tutoring is through referral. Cantabs Kate and Catherine, both got into tutoring through their friend’s recommendations. They explained that if your friends who are already tutors refer you, and your application is successful, they often receive a bonus payment.

“For Nick, these hours are well worth it as he says that the ‘money helps pay for [his] time at university, especially since Cambridge is a costly city’”

Once you’ve got the job, there are some parts of tutoring that can be challenging. Nick, another Cambridge student, told me that “balancing [tutoring] work with other commitments” can be difficult, but adds that “the work is often very flexible and only a few hours a week.” For Nick, these hours are well worth it as he says that the “money helps pay for [his] time at university, especially since Cambridge is a costly city”.

But what is it that Oxbridge tutors actually do? I’ve been assigned a variety of tutees, with some more interested in admissions support than others. Nick’s experience was similar, however he mentioned that even when hired to tutor philosophy, he found that the Oxbridge admissions process was central. As well as imparting academic wisdom, he usually “helps people prepare for the various entrance exams and interviews.”

As well as one-to-one sessions, Kate led weekend courses and seminar discussions. She, like Nick, loves the flexibility of her role, which enables her to work alongside her ever-changing university timetable. Meanwhile, Catherine emphasises the variety of tutoring work, from marking to uni interview prep, which means the sessions don’t get boring for either the tutor or tutee.

“He works through a variety of ‘fun problems’ with his students such as choosing whether to ‘save a human or five chimpanzees’”

When I asked Nick to reflect on what he likes most about tutoring, he told me he finds “preparing people for philosophy subjects distinctly pleasurable, as there is no set content to teach, but instead, you are teaching people to ‘open their minds’ and think more flexibly.” He works through a variety of “fun problems” with his students such as choosing whether to “save a human or five chimpanzees” or discussing “whether the beauty of a piece of art depends on the artist’s moral character.” Nick told me that this aspect, “seeing people struggle through problems and learning to approach difficult questions”, is why he enjoys tutoring in his subject so much.

Kate agrees. She says that she enjoys teaching her students “how it feels to have a supervision at university,” and “to think creatively”. Kate likes mentoring prospective Oxbridge students as she gets to “play a part in the process of them achieving their goals”. However, since the tutees are not obliged to share the results of their applications, unfortunately tutors don’t always find out the outcome of their hard work.

But what of those who are unable to afford tutoring? Making tutoring accessible to all, regardless of their financial situation, inspires students to aim high. Fortunately, there are programmes like the STEM Ambassador outreach scheme, which holds free mock interview sessions in secondary schools across London, yet there are concerns these schemes do not go far enough to level the playing field. While Oxbridge knows whether applicants go to private or state schools, they have no idea how much private tuition an applicant is getting, which can arguably be more advantageous than the type of school you go to. Perhaps, then, the admissions checks should more rigorously screen for other signs of academic privilege or continue to expand the outreach programmes in place.

From my conversations with fellow tutors, and my own experience, I’ve learned that tutoring is not just a transfer of knowledge. It is about guiding, coaching, and mentoring: you get to help pupils unlock their potential and build their confidence. Plus, as Catherine and Kate mentioned, it can help to fund extras - I have tutoring to thank for my May Ball dress and the champagne I popped when I punted along the River Cam with my friends.

*Some names have been changed