A tutoring cancellation policy sets out how much notice families must give to cancel a lesson (24 or 48 hours is common), what happens when they cancel late or don't show up, and whether you offer make-up lessons. Put it in writing, send it before the first lesson, and apply it consistently and kindly.
Below you will find why a policy matters, what to include, a template you can copy, the main options to choose between, and how to bring it up with parents without souring the relationship.
Why do tutors need a cancellation policy?
Your income depends on a small number of after-school hours. When a student cancels at 3 pm for a 4 pm lesson, that hour is almost impossible to fill, and you have usually prepared for it already. A few late cancellations a term can cost you hundreds of dollars.
A written policy helps in three ways:
- It protects your time and income. Families know that late cancellations are charged, so they cancel earlier or not at all.
- It removes awkward conversations. You aren't making a judgement call each time; you are pointing to something everyone agreed to.
- It treats every family the same. Consistency feels fair, and parents talk to each other.
Most families are reasonable. The policy is there for the few situations that would otherwise turn into a dispute.
What should a tutoring cancellation policy include?
Keep it short enough that parents will actually read it. One page is plenty. Cover:
- Notice period. How much notice is needed to cancel or reschedule without charge, and how to give it (text, email, a booking link).
- Late cancellations. What is charged if notice is shorter than the period: the full fee, half the fee or a make-up lesson instead.
- No-shows. What happens if the student doesn't turn up or log on, and how long you will wait.
- Late arrivals. Whether the lesson still finishes at the scheduled time.
- Illness. Whether you switch to an online lesson, offer a make-up or waive the fee.
- Make-up lessons. How many, how soon they must be used, and whether they expire.
- Your own cancellations. What families get if you cancel.
- School holidays and public holidays. Whether regular lessons pause automatically.
- Prepaid lessons and refunds. How credit or refunds work for packages and prepaid bookings.
Free tutoring cancellation policy template
Copy this, replace the parts in square brackets, and delete anything that doesn't fit how you work.
CANCELLATION AND RESCHEDULING POLICY
[Your name or business name] · ABN [your ABN]
1. Notice
Please give at least [24 / 48] hours' notice if your child can't attend a
lesson. Message me on [phone number] or email [email address]. With enough
notice, there is no charge and I'll offer another time if one is available.
2. Late cancellations
Lessons cancelled with less than [24 / 48] hours' notice are charged at
[the full lesson fee / 50% of the lesson fee].
3. No-shows
If a student doesn't arrive or join the online lesson within [15] minutes of
the start time and I haven't heard from you, the lesson is treated as a
no-show and charged in full.
4. Late arrivals
If a student arrives late, the lesson still finishes at the scheduled time
and is charged in full.
5. Illness
If your child is unwell but well enough to learn, we can switch to an online
lesson at the usual time. If they are too unwell, please let me know as soon
as you can. [I waive the fee for illness with notice before (time) on the
day / Illness is treated like any other cancellation.]
6. Make-up lessons
Late cancellations may be swapped for a make-up lesson instead of a fee, if
a time is available within [2 weeks]. Make-up lessons don't carry over to
the next term. [Limit: one make-up lesson per term.]
7. If I need to cancel
If I cancel, you won't be charged and I'll offer a make-up lesson. For
prepaid lessons, you can choose a make-up lesson or a refund.
8. School and public holidays
Regular lessons pause during school holidays and on public holidays unless
we agree otherwise. Holiday lessons can be booked separately.
9. Prepaid lessons and packages
Prepaid lessons can be moved or cancelled up to [24] hours before the start
time for a [refund / credit]. Within [24] hours, the lesson is charged.
By booking lessons with me, you agree to this policy. Thank you for helping
me keep lesson times fair for every family.
Which cancellation options should you choose?
There is no single right policy. The best one matches how full your timetable is and how you like to work with families.
24 hours or 48 hours' notice?
| Notice period | Suits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | Most tutors, especially newer ones; easy for parents to accept | Little time to refill the slot |
| 48 hours | Tutors with a waiting list or in-demand senior subjects | Can feel strict to families of younger children |
24 hours is the most common choice and the easiest to explain. If you have a waiting list and can genuinely refill a slot with two days' notice, 48 hours makes sense.
Fee or make-up lesson?
Charging the full fee is simplest and fully protects your income. Offering a make-up lesson is friendlier, but only works if you actually have spare times, and make-ups that pile up can clog your week. A popular middle ground: charge late cancellations, but allow one free make-up per term. Some tutors charge 50% for late cancellations, which feels fair while still discouraging them.
What about illness?
Illness is where most tutors soften their policy. Common approaches:
- Switch to online. If the student is mildly unwell, the lesson goes ahead online at the usual time.
- Waive with early notice. No charge if the parent lets you know by a set time on the day, such as 10 am.
- Treat it like any cancellation. Simplest, but can feel harsh with younger children.
Whatever you choose, ask families not to send a contagious child to an in-person lesson. Your health is your income too.
How to communicate your cancellation policy
A policy only works if families know about it before it matters.
- Send it before the first lesson. Include it in your welcome email with your rates and payment terms, and ask the parent to reply to confirm they have read it.
- Keep it visible. Link to it on your website or profile and add a short line to your invoices, such as "Lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged in full."
- Remind gently at the start of each term. A one-line reminder in your term welcome message is enough.
- Use lesson reminders. Reminder emails a day before each lesson give families a natural prompt to cancel in time rather than forgetting. Our page on lesson reminders for tutors explains how automatic reminders work in TutorFlow (24 hours and 1 hour before by default, adjustable).
If you are just setting up, our guide on how to start a tutoring business in Australia covers the other policies worth writing alongside this one.
How to enforce a cancellation policy kindly
Enforcing your policy doesn't have to be confrontational. The aim is to be consistent and warm at the same time.
- Give a first-time grace. Waiving the first late cancellation for a family, while mentioning the policy, builds goodwill and makes later charges feel fair.
- Charge on the invoice, not in an argument. Add the late cancellation as a line on the next invoice with a short description, rather than debating it by text.
- Be consistent. If you waive fees for one family, others will hear about it. Write down any exceptions you make.
- Don't apologise for your policy. You can be sympathetic about the situation and still apply the rule.
- Use prepaid lessons for repeat cancellers. For families who often cancel late, moving to prepaid lessons sets clear expectations. With TutorFlow's online booking for tutors, parents pay upfront when they book, can move or cancel up to 24 hours before the lesson and are refunded automatically, and the 24-hour rule is applied for you.
A message script for a late cancellation
A script for a repeat no-show
Late cancellation fees are only useful if they are actually paid. Our guide on how to get parents to pay tutoring invoices on time covers reminders and late fees, and how much to charge for tutoring explains how cancellations affect the rate you need.
Frequently asked questions
What is a fair cancellation policy for tutoring?
A fair tutoring cancellation policy usually asks for 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule without charge, charges the full or half fee for later cancellations and no-shows, and offers some flexibility for illness, such as switching to an online lesson. It should be written down, shared before the first lesson and applied the same way to every family.
Should tutors charge for cancelled lessons?
Most tutors charge for lessons cancelled with less than 24 or 48 hours' notice, because those after-school hours are hard to refill and preparation has already been done. Lessons cancelled with proper notice are usually free. Many tutors waive the first late cancellation as a goodwill gesture, then apply the policy consistently afterwards.
Do tutors have to offer make-up lessons?
No, make-up lessons are optional. They are friendlier than charging a fee, but only work if you have spare times, and too many can crowd your week. A common approach is to allow one make-up lesson per term, used within two weeks, and charge for any further late cancellations.
What should happen if the tutor cancels a lesson?
If you cancel, families shouldn't be charged. Offer a make-up lesson at a time that suits them, and for prepaid lessons give the choice of a make-up or a refund. Give as much notice as you can, and say how you handle your own cancellations in your written policy so families know what to expect.