Your Bright Horizons benefit, ready the moment learning can't wait.
Use the tutoring hours you reserve through Bright Horizons for private 1-on-1 sessions & live classes across academic, test prep and enrichment subjects, for everyone in your household.
How your Back-Up Care hours work
Four steps from the Bright Horizons portal to requesting the right tutor for your learner.
Log in to Bright Horizons ↗
Log in to the Bright Horizons Back-Up Care portal to start your reservation.
Bright Horizons sends us your reservation
Bright Horizons sends your reservation to Varsity Tutors. Your hours are typically ready to schedule with a tutor within 1–2 business days.
Look for a notification from Varsity Tutors
You'll be notified when your hours are ready to schedule.
Get your learning started
Log in at varsitytutors.com, select “Find My Tutor,” and answer a few questions so we can find the best tutor match for your learner.
More learning features included with your hours
Tutoring is only part of the experience. Learners can build skills, check progress, and keep learning between sessions.
Study Plan
Receive a personalized, week-by-week study plan that maps tutoring sessions, lessons, and practice toward your goals.
Lessons
Explore structured, self-paced lessons organized by subject and skill. Learners can review concepts, examples, and guided practice whenever they need them.
Adaptive Diagnostics
Pinpoint strengths and learning gaps with assessments that adapt in real time and create a more precise skill profile.
Live Classes
Browse live classes across academic subjects, test prep, languages, and enrichment, with flexible filters for dates and times.
Bright Horizons families, in their words
Feedback from parents using their Back-Up Care tutoring hours with Varsity Tutors.
“I was able to find the right tutors for both my son and daughter, even though they have very different personalities and learning styles. The tutors have been engaging, supportive, and effective, and I have seen real improvement in my kids’ grades and test scores.”— Parent of Mikayla, 15 & Evan, 12
“As a homeschool parent, the tutoring service helps to fill the gaps that I cannot when I am working. This service not only helps my children, but it enables me to dedicate more time and focus toward my engineering work.”— Parent of Jace, 8
“The tutors at Varsity are amazing! They meet my daughters where they are and they look forward to their sessions always! The communication from the Varsity Tutors team is top notch — the recorded sessions, highlight moments, session summaries, and progress reports keep me informed and engaged.”— Parent of Abigail, 12 & Beri-Nissi, 9
Tools and support that make it easier to find the right tutor, learn effectively, and keep making progress.
Easy, self-service tutor matching
Choose a subject, share availability and a desired start date, and tell us your learning goals.
Top-tier experts
Every tutor and instructor passes a rigorous vetting process including simulations, background checks, and interviews.
Whole-family flexibility
Use your hours across learners, subjects, and grade levels — from elementary math to professional skill building.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bright Horizons Back-Up Care tutoring benefit?
Bright Horizons Back-Up Care tutoring lets eligible employees reserve tutoring hours through Bright Horizons and use them with Varsity Tutors for 1-on-1 tutoring, live classes, and related learning support.
How do I reserve tutoring hours?
You can reserve tutoring hours by visiting the Bright Horizons Back-Up Care portal. You may also contact them directly at 877-242-2737 for further assistance.
backup.brighthorizons.com ↗How long does it take for my hours to reach Varsity Tutors?
Your hours are typically ready to schedule with a tutor within 1–2 business days after Bright Horizons sends us your reservation.
How will I know when my hours are ready to schedule?
You’ll receive an SMS from Varsity Tutors when your hours are ready to use.
When do my reserved hours expire?
Each reservation has its own expiration date, set by Bright Horizons. Your accurate date is on your reservation confirmation email and in your Bright Horizons account.
backup.brighthorizons.com ↗Who in my family can use my hours?
Your hours can be used for any learners in your household, across subjects and grade levels, as your remaining balance allows.
What subjects and grade levels can I use my hours for?
You can use hours for a wide range of academic subjects, test prep, & enrichment across grade levels from elementary through professional learning.
Can I use my Bright Horizons Back-Up Care hours for group classes?
Yes. There are hundreds of classes to choose from for all learners in your household. Classes consume hours at a 50% rate — for example, a 6-hour class uses 3 Back-Up Care hours. If your remaining balance does not cover the class, you will be automatically unenrolled.
What happens if I run out of hours?
You can reserve additional hours through Bright Horizons when eligible, or continue learning with Varsity Tutors through available Bright Horizons discount options. Please note, our system will unmatch you with the tutor and cancel any upcoming sessions that may be scheduled at the time the hours balance equals zero to prevent the reserved hours from being exceeded. To continue sessions seamlessly, additional hours must be reserved through Bright Horizons or purchased directly from Varsity Tutors. Once updated, you can submit a request to reengage with your tutor (and the tutor may choose to reengage with you upon receipt of that request, but availability is not guaranteed).
Can I keep working with the same tutor?
Yes. Once you’ve been matched, you can usually continue with the same tutor for future sessions as long as you have remaining hours and the tutor is available. Please note, however, that we cannot guarantee you will be able to continue with the same tutor if your hours run out and the account is deactivated. In these cases, tutors are unmatched, and while you can submit a request to reengage with your previous tutor once your account is reactivated, their availability and desire to reengage with you are not guaranteed.
Can I extend my hours past their expiration?
All decisions regarding hours expiration are made by Bright Horizons Back-Up Care. They can be reached at 877-242-2737.
Do all tutoring subjects use the same amount of hours?
No. Most academic subjects use one benefit hour per tutoring hour, while certain specialized subjects consume hours at a higher rate:
Rate shown is benefit hours used per hour of tutoring.
Where to get help
Bright Horizons manages your hours. Varsity Tutors manages your tutoring.
Questions about your hours
Bright Horizons manages your benefit reservation, eligibility, and the amount of care your employer provides.
Go to Bright HorizonsQuestions about tutoring
Varsity Tutors helps with your account, tutor matching, scheduling, and anything that happens in a session.
Email supporthelp@varsitytutors.comNeed support beyond your Bright Horizons Back-Up Care benefit?
Keep the momentum going with a Varsity Tutors membership at 20% off, exclusively for Bright Horizons employees. Pick a grade level to get started.
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.