By, Kyle Grizzell,

In the incredibly connected 21^st century, we can instantly reach people from all corners of the globe. For students, this means access to countless opportunities to study at any institution in the world, without necessarily needing to move country, pause their career, or leave their job. The wonders of online learning.

Many would have experienced this for the first time, and perhaps very early on in their lives, during the COVID pandemic. A very sudden jump to social distancing and online learning without much notice or practice on how to do it best.

Years on, and armed both with plenty of experience and a variety of smart tech tools, more and more institutions now offer online programmes.

But without the desks, the lecturer stood at the front, or peers around you, how do you ensure you’re getting the most out of remote education?

Do your research

Pursuing any higher education programme can be a big undertaking – financially, personally, and professionally — so you first need to make sure that online learning is the right route for you.

Vijayalakshmi Gopalakrishna, Global Online MBA graduate from Imperial Business School, recommends speaking with those who have done it all before; “Before you commit to any programme, talk to someone who’s actually in it or has just finished it. I had genuine doubts before I applied – would this really move my career forward, or was I convincing myself? What helped me was speaking directly with students already on the programme. No admissions pitch, no polished marketing – just honest, first-hand answers.”

Iuliia Bereza, Master of Leadership in Sustainable Finance (MLSF) student at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, shares that, for her, 100% in-person study was never a realistic option; “The online format was one of the decisive factors when I was searching for a study programme. However, I genuinely appreciated that throughout the MLSF programme we had several opportunities for on-campus training, and I tried to make the most of them whenever I could.” As a part-time online programme, with on-campus aspects, the MLSF was perfect for Iuliia’s needs.

And ensuring the actual programme content and structure is the right fit for you is vital. Professor Himanshu Rai, Director of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore, suggests that “students should approach online education with a clear outcome orientation rather than a passive consumption mindset. Begin by defining specific goals, like career transition, skill acquisition, or advancement; and select programmes aligned with industry demand.”

And Vijayalakshmi agrees; “Don’t make the decision based on the name on the degree alone. Make it based on whether you’ll actually belong there. Choose the programme where you’ll genuinely fit in, not just the one with the most recognisable name.”

Dr. Tanja Ohlson, Programme Manager of the MLSF at Frankfurt School, emphasises the importance of ensuring an online programme is right for you – and to take advantage of any flexibility a programme may offer.

“Importantly, students can shape the programme around their own personal and professional context. They can choose from a wide range of courses and use the thesis to explore a topic that is academically rigorous but also highly relevant to their professional practice. My advice is to be selective, be curious, and use the flexibility of the programme to build a learning journey that really supports your career goals and personal development,” says Dr. Ohlson.

Manage your own time effectively

Online education should never be considered an “easy option”. In fact, the flexibility an online programme allows might mean you need to be even more disciplined with managing your own time.

“My advice would be not to be overly sceptical of the online format and not to underestimate the difficulty of balancing coursework, webinars, assignment deadlines, and exams with a full-time job and a personal life. It is far from easy, but with the right amount of dedication, discipline, and time management, it is absolutely doable,” shares Iuliia.

Amarjeet Ghatak, student of the Master of Management Studies (MMS) at IIM Indore, says; “Only choose remote education if you are ready to be disciplined and consistent with it. The flexibility is a big advantage, but it can also become a challenge if you are not managing your time properly. It is important to go in with the right mindset and not treat it as an easier option than in-person learning. In many ways, it requires even more commitment.”

And Dr. Hemlata Wadhwani Bhatia, an Online MBA graduate of Durham University Business School, agrees.

“Approach online learning with the same seriousness and commitment as an in-person programme. Time management and self-discipline are essential,” shares Dr. Bhatia. “Students should actively participate in discussions, networking opportunities, and group projects rather than treating the programme as entirely self-paced. Choosing a programme that offers opportunities for practical engagement, peer interaction, and occasional in-person experiences can make a significant difference.”

Build and maintain connections with peers

Research from NEOMA Business School found that remote workers’ feelings of isolation related to being away from the social environment of the office. Coined ‘techno isolation’, this involves digital tools making it harder to have spontaneous interactions or share useful information, and find experts or pull groups together to resolve issues quickly, the study explains

Based on in-depth interviews with employees and human resource directors at French companies, Dr. Agata Mirowska, Assistant Professor of Human Resources Management and Organisational Behaviour co-authored a study which finds this seclusion leads workers to describe their roles as “difficult”, “frustrating”, “strange” and “boring.” Interviewees said they felt “cut off” from co-workers and admitted to being “less committed” to their work at times.

Substitute “remote workers” for “remote students”, and might they feel the same when studying from home behind a screen?

Research from Sichuan Normal University finds that loneliness in online learning leads to burnout, which can be relieved through social presence – feeling connected to real people in an online learning environment.

“Students have never learned only from official lectures or textbooks. They have always also relied on peers, shared notes, explanations, and informal support networks,” explains Riccardo Ocleppo, founder and CEO of Docsity, a note-sharing and collaborative study platform. Ocleppo is also founder and director of OPIT – Open Institute of Technology, a 100% remote education institution.

Docsity, Ocleppo explains, brings that layer online and makes it global, allowing students to access study resources, exchange knowledge, and feel part of a wider learning community beyond their own institution or country. “This is even more important for online students,” he says. “A strong digital community can reduce isolation, support motivation, and complement the formal learning experience. With AI, these platforms can now go even further, helping students study more actively and personally.”

And Amarjeet agrees with the need to keep connected with a student community; “Stay engaged. Attend classes seriously, participate, interact with your peers, and try to apply what you learn. That is what makes the experience truly worthwhile.”

Simplest of all: good internet connection

When the Durham University Business School launched its Distance Learning MBA in 1998 – one of the first globally to do so – physical study materials had to be mailed to distance learning students for them to complete and return.

Almost thirty years later, things have thankfully advanced enough that you won’t need to do all that. Dr Bhatia stayed connected to her classes and classmates by making full use of digital collaboration tools that Durham offered as well as WhatsApp to stay actively engaged in discussions and group work.

But remember the most vital aspect of all: good internet.

Saunak Tarafdar, student of the MSc in Responsible Artificial Intelligence at OPIT, warns, “Have a reliable internet connection and a distraction-free setup. And maintain a disciplined schedule, as it is easy to fall behind without in-person structure. Remote learning can be rigorous and screen fatigue is real, especially if you already have a computer-based job. So, plan your time well and make the most of evenings or mornings, weekends, and days off.”

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