University of Bradford graduate Alisah Hussain, 25, has launched TutorDr.co.uk, an online service which delivers nationwide tutoring, mentoring, proof-reading and university degree workshops. 

She said: “What started as a way to earn a bit of pocket money while I was doing my undergraduate degree has expanded to the point where I was trying to balance 30 hours of tutoring with my own studies.

“I was getting so many requests that I decided to expand my team and recruit other PhD students from the University of Manchester, the University of Hull and the University of Leeds. 

“Between us, we come from diverse backgrounds and can cover a lot of different subjects.”

Alisah studied Forensic and Medical Sciences at the University of Bradford and is now working on her PhD in cardiovascular ageing while building her new, independent venture in her spare time. 

She said: “When I first started, it was very much word of mouth. People came to me because they saw I produced good results.

“Some parents have said to me that the fact I’m doing a PhD shows I must be doing something right with my own education.”

High-flying graduates

The University has an exceptional track record of producing business leaders. 

In 2021, it was ranked among the top UK universities - and best in Yorkshire - for producing Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Managing Directors (MDs) and graduates who founded their own business, 

Bradford was named 13th in the country, with just over 10 per cent of our graduates reaching high-flying positions, in a survey by Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance which analysed data from more than 8.4 million alumni from 121 UK universities since the year 2000. 

Alisah, from the Horton Bank Top area of Bradford, hopes to continue to grow her company even after she finishes her PhD in 2024. 

She said: “We’ve had a really good response, not just from parents wanting tutoring for their children but also from other PhD students requesting to work for me. 

“When you see a student who has been struggling with a topic start to get it, that’s really rewarding. That’s why I’ve continued doing it.”

Dr Kirsten Riches-Suman, Alisah’s PhD supervisor, said: “I've been really impressed with the entrepreneurship that Alisah has demonstrated in establishing this business. Alisah is a pleasure to supervise and has a really calm nature which I'm sure is very beneficial for her tutoring business and her students. 

“Her commitment, not just to her own learning, but to the learning of others, is truly commendable.”