VIPKid Cancellation Policy: Everything You Need to Know

One of the scariest things for most VIPKid teachers is missing a class. We only get so many opportunities to miss before there are dire consequences.  So the real question is “What is the VIPKid cancellation policy?”

Well, there are actually several essential components! So I want to unpack all of the different elements that make up the VIPKid cancellation policy by…

  • defining the difference between a teacher cancellation and a teacher no show
  • breaking down the different types of cancellations
  • discussing the four “applicable scenarios”
  • showing you step by step how to apply for a soft cancellation (or at the very least a medium cancellation), and
  • discussing the most common questions teachers have about the VIPKid cancellation policy.

VIPKid Teacher Cancellation or No Show?

A cancellation occurs when a teacher cancels a booked time slot more than 2 hours before the scheduled class.  If a class is cancelled within two hours of the start time, it counts as a no show.

A no show is defined as simply failing to show up to a booked class during that specific time slot.  The key to receiving a cancellation and not a no show is making sure that if you MUST cancel, you do so more than two hours before the scheduled class.

VIPKid No Show Policy

As much as we don’t want to admit it, no shows happen.  

Most no shows occur because a teacher encounters no Internet, power outage, or an automatic computer/app update.

However, no shows can also happen because teachers accidentally…

  • Oversleep
  • Forget about a class
  • Open a class on a date they cannot teach 

It happens.  We’re all human.

And even though these are accidents, they still incur some specific penalties.  In addition to receiving no pay for the class, we also have to pay a $10 fee.  This is just the consequence for not showing up and not canceling ahead of time.

While it may seem harsh, this is just the VIPKid no show policy.

I’ve only had 3 no shows since I’ve been teaching with VIPKid and they were all due to power outages that obviously resulted in me not being able to teach.  Unfortunately, these teacher no shows were early in my teaching career and I didn’t realize that I had the ability to request a soft cancellation for the outages.

And that’s why I want to empower you with the knowledge you need to know when (and how) to apply for different types of cancellations based on your particular situation.  

Types of VIPKid Cancellations

There are three different types of cancellations in VIPKid including regular, medium, and soft.  Each of these cancellations is unique and certain qualifications have to be met before you can even apply. 

But before we look at each of the cancellation types individually, you need to know how many classes you can cancel during a given contract before VIPKid can terminate you.

Total Class Cancellation

Here’s the truth. Sometimes we..

Life happens.

So, VIPKid allows us to have a maximum of 6 individual class cancellations per contract.  

Now before you freak out, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule.

  • 1-3 cancellations or no shows on the same day = 1 cancellation (toward your max. of 6)
  • 3+ cancellations on the same day = 2 cancellations (toward your max. of 6)

When a teacher reaches 7 cancellations in one contract, VIPKid puts the contract under review.  During this time, the teacher will have limited access to the VIPKid platform.  At this point, they have the right to terminate you or put certain restrictions on your contract.

And although there are various monetary penalties associated with each type of cancellation, every no show and cancellation is still counted toward the class cancellation total.

So let’s take a look at the three specific types of cancellations in detail.

Regular Cancellation

These types of cancellations are based on WHEN you cancel.  

Remember that if you cancel a class less than two hours before the starting time, you will be given a Teacher No Show, which means $10 will be deducted from your paycheck.

If you cancel a booked class from 2-24 hours before the scheduled time, $2 will be deducted from your paycheck.

By canceling a booked class more than 24 hours before the scheduled time, no money will be deducted from your paycheck.  However, the cancellation will count toward your contract total.  

Medium Cancellation vs. Soft Cancellation

Because VIPKid understands that things happen and sometimes cancellations are necessary because situations are completely out of our control, they have medium and soft cancellation policies.

There are four “applicable scenarios” (as VIPKid calls) them that potentially qualify for medium or soft cancellations.  They are…

  1. Serious Illness
  2. Emergencies/Natural Disasters/Uncontrollable Circumstances
  3. Death
  4. Labor/Birth

So let’s look at each of these individually so that you will be able to determine if your particular situation qualifies for a medium or soft cancellation.

Serious Illness

This is the trickiest of all the scenarios because your illness has to have required a doctor visit or hospital stay to be considered for a soft cancellation.  These illnesses are defined as sudden sicknesses that incapacitate a teacher to the point of not being able to teach.

While MANY issues can occur out of the blue, we need to be mindful of our bodies so that we don’t find ourselves dire situations brought on by neglecting to care for ourselves.

If you have an illness like the flu, stomach virus, etc. that incapacitates you but does not require a doctor or hospital visit, you can apply for a medium cancellation.  The process is the same, but only visits to a medical professional (office or hospital) qualify for soft cancellations.

One other important piece of information that you need to know. In health situations involving your child, your child’s last name has to be the same as yours to receive a soft cancellation.

 REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

  • Medical Bill
  • Proof of Payment
  • Doctor’s Note (including your name, date & time, as well as the fact that you were incapable of working)

Emergencies/Natural Disasters/Uncontrollable Circumstances

This scenario is a little bit more open to allowing soft cancellations.  As long as you can provide some form of documentation (loss of power, internet outage in your area, proof of your location during a natural disaster, etc), you will most likely qualify for a soft cancellation.

Delayed flights, traffic jams, etc. are not eligible for soft or medium cancellations in this particular category.

 REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

  • Insurance claim (for accidents or robberies)
  • Police report

Death

This is a particularly difficult scenario to cover because it’s such a sensitive subject.  For a soft cancellation, you have to provide some form of documentation for the death of an immediate family member.  This includes spouses, children, parents, siblings, or grandparents.

 REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

  • Obituary
  • Documentation of Funeral Proceedings
  • Death Certificate

Labor/Birth 

This scenario applies to you or your spouse/partner, who must be in labor or experiencing unexpected birth.  Also included are sudden birth-related complications.  

Soft and medium cancellations are not considered if you or your spouse/partner is simply completing a regular visit or appointment.

 REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

  • Birth Certificate
  • Proof of Hospital Visit (medical bill, proof of payment, or doctor’s note-your name, date & time of your child’s birth)

Soft cancellations will not count toward your 6 total cancellations per contract, and you will not have any pay deductions.  Medium cancellations will not count toward your 6 total cancellations per contract, but you will have a pay deduction.

How to Apply for a Soft Cancellation

If you meet the requirements to apply for a soft or medium cancellation, start the application process by navigating to the “Class” page. Choose “Classrooms” in the drop down menu and then select “All Classes.”

Click the Cancellations & No Shows & Change Finish Type button, and a new page will open up. Simply select the class by checking the box and then click the Soft/Medium Cancellation button at the bottom.

If you click on a class that is not eligible for a soft or medium cancellation, you will receive a message that looks like this.

If your class is eligible, then an application form will pop up that looks like this.

Fill out the form and include all of the require documentation before hitting submit.

If you want to check on the status of a soft cancellation application, you can navigate to the “All Classes” tab and click the Cancellations & No Shows & Change Finish Type button.

This will allow you to see any pending or completed soft cancellations.

Common VIPKid Cancellation Policy Questions

Because there are lots of specific questions surrounding the VIPKid cancellation policy, I thought I would answer some of the most common ones for you here!

How much does it cost to cancel one VIPKid class?

It depends on the type of cancellation that you receive.

  • a no show (or cancellation within 2 hours) = $10 deduction
  • a cancellation from 2-24 hours = $2 deduction
  • a cancellation more than 24 hours = no deduction

Here is a chart from VIPKid that breaks down all of the totals for each category and includes how much you get paid as well as how much is deducted from your payment.

How many classes count as one cancellation in VIPKid?

Usually, one missed class or cancelled class = 1 cancellation.  However, in the event that multiple classes are missed in one calendar day, the following applies.

  • 1-3 cancellations or no shows on the same day = 1 cancellation (toward your maximum of 6)
  • 3+ cancellations on the same day = 2 cancellations (toward your maximum of 6)

If I cancel a slot that has not been booked, does that still count as a cancellation?

No!  If a student has not booked a slot, you may cancel that slot without any penalties.  The canceled slot will NOT count toward your maximum of 6 cancellations and you will not have any money deducted from your payment. 

How many times can you apply for a soft cancellation?

While there is no set limit for how many times you can apply for soft cancellations, you can only apply twice for the same class.

In other words, if you applied for a soft cancellation but were denied, you can obtain the necessary information and then reapply for that particular class.

Just remember to gather all of the required documentation BEFORE applying for soft cancellations to ensure that you are granted them.

Where do I check how many cancellations I have on VIPKid?

To determine how many cancellations you have within a certain contract, navigate to the “My Info” tab in the VIPKid app. Hover of the tab and then click the “Stats” category.

You can see the percentages of classes finished, your cancellations, your no shows, and teacher IT problems for a given contract. If you need more information, you can always submit a ticket directly to VIPKid.

How are future bookings affected by canceling?

According to the VIPKid cancellation policy, parents DO see when you cancel classes, but they don’t see specifics. (This protects our privacy as teachers.) Each cancellation or no show category has a number code to help parents identify why you canceled the classes.

This chart from VIPKid lists all of the reasons a teacher might have canceled a class. You can see that the “Teacher Side” column is very specific while the “Parent Side” is more generic.

Obviously, there are situations that are completely out of our control, but parents are looking for teachers who have a good track record of attending classes. So it’s highly likely that your bookings will decrease if you have multiple cancellations and no shows.

Ultimately, the VIPKid cancellation policy is designed to meet the needs of paying parents and working teachers. Understanding your options will help you make the best decisions for you!