Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does a session cost?

CHAMI X: FREE CHAMI PLUS: UP TO £0.42 per minute CHAMI MAX: UP TO £0.83 per minute You will be prompted to provide valid credit/debit card details when you choose Chami plus or Chami max. You will be charged for the first 20 minutes at the beginning of the session, thereafter charged per minute. All payments come out of your account automatically so you don't have to worry about paying your tutor in cash. Example: Chami plus session for 21 minutes Typical Tutor rate: £18 (£0.30 per minute) Minimum charge (first 20 minutes) : £6.00 Session cost: £6.30 You can end the session whenever you like but if you end the session within the first 20 minutes, you will still be charged for the first 20 minutes.



Where does the session take place?

This is the best part of learning with chami. Anywhere you want! Take a stroll along the Thames, explore the British Museum or simply choose to meet at your favourite local cafe, just remember to keep an eye on the meter and end the session when you are done!



What is the difference between tutor and learner?

With Chami, users have the ability to switch between learning and teaching with a simple touch of a button. Anyone who knows a language and is confident enough to teach can log in as a Chami plus tutor (valid UK bank account required). Chami max tutors however will need to go through some checks regarding experience and qualifications before they can become a Chami max tutor.



Who can be a tutor?

Chami plus: Anyone who is fluent in a particular lanugage and is confident enough to teach.
Chami max: Qualified tutors with substantial experience. Subject to approval. All tutors will need a bank account that can accept direct debit payments from Chami.



Are tutors Chami staff?

No. Chami does not employ any tutors as we believe tutors perform at their best when they have the freedom to teach in their own way. But to ensure Chami tutors provide quality teaching to Chami learners, we conduct qualification & experience checks for every Chami max tutor. Also many Chami max tutors are qualified tutors provided by a reputable teacher training agency with whom chami has a formal partnership.



[Tutors] How do tutors get paid?

All tutors will need a bank account that can accept direct debit payments from Chami. When signing up to Chami, you will be asked to fill in a form like this (click). Your weekly earnings will be paid into your bank account. You will need to report your earnings to the appropriate revenue department.



I can't see anyone near me on the map.

Chami is still in the early access phase and therefore you may not see many users near you right now, please bear with us and share the app with your friends and colleagues! If you are a learner and you really want to have a lesson, please contact help@chamiapps.co.uk and we will be able to pair you up with one of our tutors manually.



What is the difference between Chami x, Chami plus and Chami max tutor?

Chami x is the free language exchange pair-up option. If you think you are not yet ready for paid lessons, you can use this option to meet like-minded language learners in your local area to chat, have a drink and just have fun! Chami plus and Chami max are paid tuition options. Both options will allow you to meet tutors in your local area in less than 30 minutes at the location of your choosing. Both options are pay by the minute and you will be able to end the session whenever you like. If you are looking for more relaxed, free-talking language lessons taught by native speakers with some teaching experience/ qualification, Chami plus will be the best option for you. The maximum tuition fee chargeble per hour for Chami plus is 25 GBP. If you are after more structured lessons i.e. IELTS exam preparation, you will benefit more from choosing the Chami max option. Only tutors with over 5 years experience in language teaching can become Chami max tutors. They are pre-screened and interviewed by the Chami recruitment team before they are allowed to accept lesson requests from learners through Chami. The maximum tuition fee chargeble per hour is 50 GBP. This option is not yet available on Chami as we are still recruiting tutors for this option.



[Tutors] STRIPE registration

Chami uses STRIPE to facilitate payment and therefore tutors are required to register for STRIPE during their Chami registration process. However the STRIPE registration page is native to STRIPE and we have found that tutors can be a bit overwhelmed when they are entering in their details for the first time. If you are having trouble finding your way around STRIPE registration, please follow our quick guide by clicking here.