Frequently asked questions.

Every tutor — Certified and Independent — completes the same full vetting: identity, criminal background, English, a recorded teaching sample, and methodology training. The difference is how they work with us. Certified Tutors are directly contracted to deliver packages, monthly plans, programs, and diagnostics at platform-set rates, and are held to Forum's highest standards with ongoing training and support. Independent Tutors are self-directed, set their own rate within a tier band, and take pay-as-you-go bookings directly.

Apply at /tutors/apply. One unified nine-step pipeline — identity, criminal background, English, subject diagnostic, a recorded teaching sample, contract, and methodology training; every applicant completes all of it, and we then place you on the Independent or Certified track. Applying is free: to cover the third-party checks in our vetting, the platform recoups its one-time vetting cost by retaining your earnings from your first completed session; from your second completed session onward, you keep your full payout.

We authorize your card at booking but only capture the charge after the session has been delivered. For prepaid packages and monthly subscriptions, payment is upfront (with 7-day full refund).

No. No enrollment fee, no annual membership, no materials charge, no contract.

Yes — 10% off for each additional child enrolled.

Yes — gift cards in three tiers ($32, $160, $500) or a custom amount up to $2,500. Never expires.

Yes — full refund more than 24 hours before the session, 50% refund from 4 to 24 hours before, and full charge within 4 hours. Tutor-initiated cancellation: full refund plus a goodwill credit.

First session: a full refund if you're not satisfied. For our comprehensive SAT and ACT programs, if your section score doesn't improve from your baseline diagnostic, we keep working with you at no additional cost (subject to attendance and practice requirements). Individual score gains vary by student and aren't guaranteed.