Finding the Right Tutor for Lebanese & International Curricula

The Lebanese tutoring market is huge and fragmented — university students, retired teachers, full-time tutors, and online platforms all compete. The right fit depends on the curriculum, the student's level, and the time horizon.

Curriculum-specific expectations

• Lebanese Brevet (Grade 9) & Bac (Grade 12): tutor must know the official Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD) syllabus and past official exams.
• French Bac (LGB, Lycée Verdun, Mission laïque): French-trained tutor familiar with épreuves anticipées and the Grand Oral.
• IB Diploma: tutor familiar with internal assessments (IAs), extended essay (EE), TOK essay and the specific HL/SL distinction per subject.
• IGCSE / A-Level: Cambridge or Edexcel specification; mark-scheme literacy is critical.
• SAT, ACT, BMAT, UCAT: specialized exam tutors, often hourly remote.

What to evaluate

1. Recent students' results on the same curriculum.
2. Diagnostic test in the first session — a tutor who teaches before assessing is guessing.
3. Lesson plan in writing with milestones tied to upcoming exams.
4. Communication with the parent — short weekly update, even by WhatsApp.
5. Boundaries on "doing the homework for" the student — a tutor's job is to make the student independent.

In-person vs. online

Online tutoring (Zoom, Google Meet) has matured significantly post-2020. Highly effective for SAT prep, languages, and individual subjects. In-person is better for early primary, students with attention difficulties, or when several siblings share the session.

Pricing in 2025

Beirut hourly rates: 15–30 fresh USD for general school tutoring; 25–50 USD for IB/A-Level/French Bac specialists; 35–80 USD for SAT/MCAT exam coaches; 12–20 USD for university-student tutors. Packages of 10–20 sessions usually carry a 10–20% discount.

Red flags

• Tutor promising a specific grade — no honest tutor can.
• Requires multi-month upfront payment with no cancellation policy.
• Refuses a trial session.
• Cannot describe how they will measure progress.