Success Tutoring vs Schülerhilfe: Comparing Two Tutoring Franchise Models

If you are researching a Schülerhilfe franchise, you are looking at the best-known name in German Nachhilfe (private tutoring). Founded in 1974 and based in Gelsenkirchen, Schülerhilfe has grown into a network of more than a thousand tutoring centres in Germany and Austria, many of them run by franchise partners. Success Tutoring is a much younger tutoring franchise, founded in Sydney in 2017, that runs retail-style learning centres where families join as members.

This guide is written for prospective franchise owners, not parents. It sets out how each tutoring franchise works, what the owner actually does, what support each brand offers and how to compare costs, using Schülerhilfe's own statements, its investors' announcements and German franchise directories for every figure about Schülerhilfe. In short: both are centre-based models, but they differ in scale, maturity in the DACH region and how the learning programme is organised.

The Schülerhilfe franchise at a glance

• History. Schülerhilfe was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Gelsenkirchen (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, October 2024; Schülerhilfe marked its 50th anniversary in 2024). German press coverage, including the taz, notes that it was for many years a subsidiary of Sylvan Learning before passing to Deutsche Beteiligungs AG.
• Ownership. Private equity firm Oakley Capital owned Schülerhilfe from 2017. In October 2024 Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP) announced it would invest in the business in partnership with CEO Dieter Werkhausen and the management team, with terms undisclosed (LLCP press release).
• Method. Schülerhilfe describes its core offer as tutoring in small groups of three to five pupils, alongside one-to-one and online lessons. LLCP's 2024 announcement also mentions a growing adult education offering.
• Footprint. LLCP described Schülerhilfe in 2024 as an operator and franchisor of site-based and online tutoring in the DACH region with roughly 1,200 centres. Schülerhilfe's own franchise material cites around 1,100 locations and about 125,000 pupils a year, and the German Franchise Association (DFV) directory lists around 300 franchise partners in Germany. Recruitment listings show locations in Austria too, for example in Vorarlberg and Upper Austria.
• Owner role and requirements. Franchise partners run local tutoring centres with a team of tutors. German franchise directories quote an entry fee of €14,000 plus VAT and a total investment of around €40,000 to €70,000 including living costs during the start-up phase (Für-Gründer.de, directory listings consulted October 2026).

The Success Tutoring franchise at a glance

• History. Founded in Sydney in 2017 by Michael Black, who started the business at 17 from a spare bedroom in his parents' home in Western Sydney (Forbes Australia, Inside Small Business). Franchising since around 2020.
• Method. K–12 tutoring with a core focus on English and Mathematics, delivered by trained tutors in physical, retail-style learning centres. Families join as members rather than booking casual lessons.
• Footprint. Reported milestones include 35 centres across Australia with a launch schedule for 80 more (Franchise Executives, 2023) and franchise territories sold in more than 100 Australian locations (Inside Small Business). Announced international markets are New Zealand, the United States, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and India. Germany, Austria and Switzerland are not among them at the time of writing (October 2026); there we are looking for franchise and master franchise partners.
• Owner role. Franchise partners do not need to be teachers. Many come from corporate, engineering, finance and small-business backgrounds.
• Network. Member of the Franchise Council of Australia and the International Franchise Association. Values: Motivate, Uplift, Inspire.

Side-by-side comparison

Running the business day to day

A Schülerhilfe centre

A Schülerhilfe franchise partner manages a local tutoring centre where pupils attend sessions in small groups, typically after school. The work is local and operational: advising parents, scheduling groups by subject and level, recruiting tutors and keeping quality consistent. Because the brand is so widely known, a large share of enquiries comes from parents who already recognise the name. Seasonal peaks around report cards, Schularbeiten, the Abitur and the Matura shape the workload.

A brand with five decades of history brings mature processes for pricing, contracts with families and quality control. In Germany, some families can also have tutoring funded through the Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket; ask the franchisor which processes are handled centrally and which fall to you.

A Success Tutoring centre

A Success Tutoring franchise partner runs a single, visible place: a bright retail-style centre with a weekly timetable. Families sign up as members, so the core rhythm is enrolment, onboarding and retention rather than booking individual blocks of lessons. Head office supplies the K–12 English and Maths curriculum and learning resources, and supports tutor recruitment and tutor training. The partner's job is to lead the team, look after families and grow the member base in the community.

Before opening, a launch and pre-marketing campaign signs up members in advance; Success Tutoring centres have reported opening with 45, 55, 60 and 70+ members on day one. The franchise structure is "flat": partners deal directly with head-office leadership.

Costs and fees: how to compare

Germany and Austria have no franchise statute. In Germany, courts have developed a pre-contractual duty of disclosure from the general rules of the BGB; in Austria, general civil and commercial law applies. Either way, the burden is on you to ask the right questions and get the answers in writing. For any tutoring franchise, request:

1. The entry fee, ongoing fees (fixed and revenue-based) and marketing contributions, with VAT treatment.
2. The full start-up budget: premises, fit-out, equipment, launch marketing and working capital until break-even.
3. The contract term, renewal terms and what happens on sale or exit.
4. Territory definition and protection.
5. Contacts for current and former franchise partners.

Schülerhilfe. Published figures come from third parties and differ between sources. Für-Gründer.de reports an entry fee of €14,000 plus VAT, a monthly base fee of about €860 and, from the second year, a variable fee of 9 per cent on revenue above €80,000. Directories quote a total investment of about €40,000 to €70,000 including living costs during the start-up phase. Equity requirements are given as €10,000 to €15,000 in the DFV directory and €5,000 to €10,000 in Schülerhilfe's own communication. Treat all of these as indications and confirm the current terms directly with the franchisor.

Success Tutoring. We do not publish fees, royalties or set-up costs in articles. The current structure is on our investment schedule, and every candidate receives full written information before signing anything.

Compare total investment and working capital, not just the entry fee. A centre with a retail fit-out and a launch campaign has a different cost profile from a smaller tutoring room, and revenue-based fees matter more as the business grows.

Which suits which owner?

A Schülerhilfe franchise may suit you if you want the most recognised Nachhilfe brand in Germany and Austria, you value five decades of local experience and established processes, you are comfortable with a small-group tutoring model across many school subjects, and you want to start with a comparatively modest published entry fee.

Success Tutoring may suit you if you want to own a visible, retail-style centre built around a membership model, you prefer a focused K–12 English and Maths programme with a curriculum maintained by head office, you come from a business rather than teaching background, and you are interested in helping bring a new international brand to the German-speaking market, possibly as a master franchise partner.

Neither model is better in the abstract. Schülerhilfe offers depth and recognition in a market it has shaped for decades; Success Tutoring offers a different centre concept and the opportunity to build early in new territories. For the market background, read our tutoring franchise guide to Germany, the Austria guide and the global tutoring franchise guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Schülerhilfe a franchise?

Yes. Schülerhilfe is both an operator and a franchisor: LLCP described it in 2024 as running site-based and online tutoring with roughly 1,200 centres, and the DFV directory lists around 300 franchise partners in Germany. Ask for the current split between franchised and company-run centres.

How much does a Schülerhilfe franchise cost?

German directories quote an entry fee of €14,000 plus VAT and a total investment of about €40,000 to €70,000 including living costs during the start-up phase. Ongoing fees reported by Für-Gründer.de include a monthly base fee and a revenue-based fee from the second year. Confirm all figures in writing with the franchisor.

Who owns Schülerhilfe?

Oakley Capital owned Schülerhilfe from 2017. In October 2024 Levine Leichtman Capital Partners announced an investment in partnership with CEO Dieter Werkhausen and the management team.

Is Success Tutoring available in Germany or Austria?

Not yet. At the time of writing, Success Tutoring has not announced centres in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. We are looking for franchise partners and master franchise partners in the region; check available locations or enquire directly.

Do I need to be a teacher to run a tutoring franchise?

Not for Success Tutoring: many of our franchise partners come from corporate, engineering, finance and small-business backgrounds. For Schülerhilfe, ask the franchisor about its partner profile.

Next steps

Schülerhilfe shows how far a well-run tutoring franchise can grow in the German-speaking world. If a membership-based centre with a focused K–12 programme appeals to you, and you would like to help bring it to Germany, Austria or Switzerland, start with our why us overview and then read the process from first enquiry to opening day.

All third-party trademarks belong to their respective owners. Figures about other franchises are taken from their public websites, disclosure documents or reputable franchise directories at the time of writing and may have changed; verify them directly before making any decision. This article is general information, not financial or legal advice.