# Teacher absent? Substitutes, makeups and credits

> If a teacher misses class, offer a suitable substitute, a free makeup, or a credit or refund. Record the remedy so families are not charged twice.

URL: https://halqora.com/blog/teacher-absent-substitute-cover
Last updated: 2026-10-21

Published: 2026-10-21 · By Halqora team

When a teacher is absent and misses your class, ask for a suitable substitute, a free makeup, or a credit or refund. You should not pay for an undelivered class; ask the academy to confirm the remedy and any invoice adjustment in writing.

> **Key facts:** Published policies as of 21 October 2026:
>
> - IQRA Network's terms say a teacher-cancelled session qualifies for a full refund.
> - Studio Arabiya's terms promise a free makeup within 1 week if the teacher misses class without a substitute.
> - Ijaazah's FAQs say students can make up a teacher-missed class any time they want.

> **Definition:** A makeup class replaces a missed lesson; an invoice credit reduces a bill, while a refund returns money already paid.

## What should happen when a teacher misses a class?

A teacher-caused absence should end with a clear remedy and a clear billing outcome. The family should know whether another teacher will cover, when a replacement lesson will happen, or how the charge will be removed. Record the absence separately from a student cancellation, because the cause determines which policy applies.

For academy owners, the practical sequence is:

1. Confirm whether the teacher is absent or delayed, and contact the family.
2. Offer suitable cover, a makeup, or a financial remedy under your published policy.
3. Confirm the family's choice and record the original class outcome.
4. Check the replacement booking and invoice before closing the case.

Tell the family who owns the follow-up. A promise to arrange a makeup leaves the problem open until the family accepts a slot. Your [makeup class policy](https://halqora.com/blog/makeup-class-policy) should explain how that agreement is recorded and what happens when no suitable slot is available.

## How do published teacher-absence policies compare?

Published policies differ in what they promise: money back, a replacement lesson, or a choice of teacher. The table summarizes the supplied public policies as of 21 October 2026. A stated remedy is a useful enrollment question, but an unstated detail is a question to ask the academy, rather than evidence that an option is unavailable.

### Published remedies and timing

| Academy/platform | Remedy when the teacher misses | Timeframe (days or minutes, where stated) | Substitute allowed? |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| IQRA Network | Full refund for that session; rescheduling available | Reschedule within 30 days | Original or substitute teacher |
| Studio Arabiya | Free makeup if no substitute covers | Within 7 days | Terms refer to absence without a substitute |
| Ijaazah | Makeup | Any time the student wants | Not specified in supplied policy |
| Hidayah Network | Teacher makes up the class | Not specified in supplied policy | Not specified in supplied policy |
| TarteeleQuran | Makeup with the same or another teacher | Subject to availability | Yes |
| Tutorful | No student charge if tutor misses the opening period | First 15 minutes of the online lesson | Not specified in supplied policy |

Hidayah Network's terms say the teacher makes up teacher absences. TarteeleQuran's terms allow the same or another teacher, subject to availability. Those terms distinguish Eid holidays as paid teacher leave without makeups. Planned leave and an unexpected absence need separate explanations.

Tutorful's terms state the online-classroom attendance rule summarized above. Do not apply Tutorful's waiting period to another academy's policy.

For a family prioritizing refund certainty, IQRA Network's explicit full-refund promise is a good fit. For a student needing flexible makeup timing, Ijaazah's stated policy is attractive. Neither preference establishes which academy will suit the student's teaching needs.

## Should you choose a substitute, makeup or refund?

Choose the remedy around the student's lesson and the family's availability. A substitute can preserve the scheduled routine if the substitute can teach the planned material. A makeup preserves continuity with the regular teacher but requires an agreed slot. A credit or refund is appropriate when the lesson remains undelivered and a replacement does not suit the family.

Offer clear options:

- **Substitute:** name the proposed teacher and explain how the lesson will continue.
- **Makeup:** agree on the teacher, slot and connection details before calling the case resolved.
- **Credit or refund:** confirm whether the adjustment reduces a future invoice or returns a payment.

Do not promise a refund and quietly replace the refund with a future credit. Likewise, do not book a makeup into the family's calendar without agreement. The accepted remedy should be visible in your admin notes, alongside the missed lesson, so another administrator can answer the family's next question.

## Who can substitute at short notice?

A substitute needs more than an empty calendar slot. The substitute should be able to teach the student's subject and level, understand the planned lesson, and attend at the agreed local time. For a Quran lesson, a short handover should identify the current passage, revision work and corrections the regular teacher wants the student to practice.

Keep a cover list with teaching suitability and current availability. Before confirming cover, check:

- The substitute can teach the lesson's material and meet the student's learning needs.
- The substitute has enough lesson notes to continue without asking the family to reconstruct the plan.
- The family accepts the teacher change and knows how to join.

If suitable cover is unavailable, say so and offer another remedy. An available teacher is not automatically suitable cover. Keep internal teaching feedback within the academy's working records; send the family the practical details needed to attend the replacement lesson.

## How should credits and invoice adjustments work?

Billing should reflect the remedy actually delivered. If you bill after classes, exclude the undelivered teacher-caused lesson. If the family prepaid, compare what was charged with what became billable, then document the adjustment. Check any makeup against the original lesson so a replacement is not mistaken for an additional purchase or compensated twice.

Keep the original lesson, accepted remedy and financial adjustment connected in your records. A makeup still waiting for a date should remain visible as unresolved work. A refund should be marked complete after the payment has actually been returned, rather than when someone agrees to return it.

For prepaid billing, [forecast and reconciliation billing](https://halqora.com/blog/prepaid-forecast-reconciliation-billing) explains the distinction between an expected schedule and actual billable classes. Reconciliation means comparing those amounts and correcting the difference. Review the class outcomes before reviewing the money: an incorrect completed status can hide the reason a family expects a credit.

## How should you pay the absent teacher and substitute?

Teacher pay and the family's remedy are separate decisions. Agree on substitute compensation before confirming cover, and record who actually taught the replacement lesson. An absence should not silently become completed work on the original teacher's record. Keep the missed lesson and replacement identifiable so the payroll reviewer can understand the payment decision.

Possible arrangements include paying the substitute at the substitute's agreed rate, setting an agreed cover rate, or asking the regular teacher to deliver the makeup. These are policy choices, not published market norms. Explain your arrangement to both teachers before relying on cover.

Check teaching records before approving payroll. A financial adjustment for the family does not, by itself, establish which teacher earned pay.

## How should you track repeat absences?

Track teacher-caused cancellations and no-shows separately from student-caused misses. Review the reason, notice given, remedy and whether the replacement happened. A cancellation count without the underlying class records can hide unresolved family problems. A substitute may save the student's lesson while the original teacher's absence still needs attention from the academy owner.

Preply's tutor cancellation guidance, as of 21 October 2026, asks for at least 12 hours' notice. Preply says cancellations count toward a 90-day rate, and repeated cancellations and absences can reduce search visibility. That is Preply's marketplace approach, rather than a universal notice rule.

Use [teacher reliability measurements](https://halqora.com/blog/measure-teacher-reliability) to identify patterns, then discuss the underlying records with the teacher. Fix unfinished makeups and billing corrections alongside the reliability discussion.

## How Halqora handles this

Halqora is management software for online academies handling one-to-one classes. Admins record teacher-caused misses separately. Under fixed outcome rules, cancellations under 4 hours count as teacher no-shows when an admin applies the outcome; reliability analytics uses recorded outcomes. Teacher no-shows are not billed or paid.

Prepaid reconciliation compares actual billable amounts with the previous forecast; negative differences become invoice credits, without a credit wallet. Billing runs create drafts for admin review and sending. Halqora has no substitute-assignment workflow or teacher cancellation-request screen. Admins can book makeups when resolving missed classes. See [Halqora's scheduling features](https://halqora.com/features/scheduling).

## Sources

- IQRA Network's terms of services, checked 21 October 2026
- Studio Arabiya's terms, checked 21 October 2026
- Ijaazah's FAQs, checked 21 October 2026
- Hidayah Network's terms and conditions, checked 21 October 2026
- TarteeleQuran's terms of service, checked 21 October 2026
- Tutorful's terms, checked 21 October 2026
- Preply's tutor cancellation guidance, checked 21 October 2026

## Questions

### What if a teacher is absent and misses my class?

Ask your academy for a suitable substitute, a free makeup, or a credit or refund for the missed class. As of 21 October 2026, IQRA Network says teacher-cancelled sessions qualify for a full refund, while Studio Arabiya promises a free makeup within a week when no substitute covers. Confirm which remedy your academy offers and how the missed class will appear on your invoice.

### Should the academy offer a substitute or a makeup?

Offer a substitute when a suitable teacher can continue the planned lesson and the family accepts the change. Offer a makeup when continuity with the regular teacher matters more or suitable cover is unavailable. Give the substitute the student's current lesson and revision notes. Confirm the remedy with the family rather than assuming an available teacher is an acceptable replacement.

### How much notice should a teacher give before cancelling?

Write a clear notice rule and provide a way to report emergencies. As of 21 October 2026, Preply asks tutors for at least 12 hours of notice. Halqora uses fixed outcome rules: a teacher cancellation under 4 hours counts as a teacher no-show when an admin applies the outcome. Teachers do not have a cancellation-request screen in Halqora today.

### How do I credit a family for a missed class?

For billing in arrears, exclude a teacher-caused missed class from the charge. For prepaid billing, check whether a replacement was delivered before applying a credit, so the family receives the agreed remedy without duplicate adjustments. Halqora compares the previous forecast with actual billable classes through prepaid reconciliation. A negative difference becomes an invoice credit; Halqora does not maintain a separate credit wallet.