5 benefits of online learning for uni students
Are you torn between the online and on-campus versions of your course? Discover some surprising (and not so surprising) reasons you should study remotely with your university.
1. You have a more flexible schedule
Let’s start with a hypothetical. You’re a full-time on-campus student, which means you spend at least 10 hours a week in lectures and tutorials. Since your classes are spread throughout the day, you have to fill a lot of your time lingering in the library or downing coffees at the campus cafe, waiting for your next subject to start.
It’s a little frustrating—while you know it’ll all be worth it in the end, that’s time you could be working or hanging out with family. And when you add commuting and studying on top of that, a big chunk of your week is gone.
When you study online, you don’t have to deal with any of that, because you don’t have to attend classes at set times. Instead, you watch your lectures and complete class exercises when it suits you each week. You may have regular check-ins with your teachers or group assignments to do with classmates, but it’s all on your terms. That freedom lets you focus on what you want to during business hours—whether that’s full-time work, family, sports training or something else.
If you study your course through Open Universities Australia, you can even dictate how many subjects you take at once and control when you graduate.
2. You can study from anywhere
Until very recently, you had to travel to your nearest capital city or regional centre if you wanted to go to university. Not only was this expensive, but it often meant tearing yourself away from your nearest and dearest just to pursue new opportunities in life.
Now all you need is a good internet connection and you can study from wherever you live in Australia. You also have the option to study with whichever university appeals to you most, including those based in other states.
And if you want to travel overseas while studying? Nothing’s stopping you. As long as you keep turning your assessments in on time, you can spend your days surfing in Bali, hiking the Canadian Rockies—or chasing your dreams in New York, which is what Bachelor of Behavioural Studies graduate Nathan did.
I did my final exam right here in New York City, and I love that the flexibility [of online study] enabled me to actually finish my studies in a totally different country,” says Nathan.
3. You can get into courses without entry requirements
This benefit is uniquely available through Open Universities Australia, but it’s well worth mentioning.
If you don’t have the right ATAR or a strong academic history, you can still get into university courses through us online. We have an arrangement in place with universities, which means you can enrol in online subjects from certain undergraduate courses without worrying about entry requirements. Once you complete a set number of those subjects, you’ll be accepted into the full degree. It’s a low-pressure way to ease into university, because you can get used to the workload in your own time at home before commencing the whole course.
4. You can earn while you learn
Since you’re not locked into a set timetable, you don’t have to take the casual gigs that are most uni students’ bread and butter, either. You can choose from a wider pool of jobs with fixed part or full-time hours—or stay in your existing job, if you’re already established in your career.
The extra income can be a godsend when you’re a student, especially with the cost of living rising.
5. You’re more likely to get a job after graduating
Not only can you work more hours and earn more money as an online student—you can also get yourself into a better position for the future. The government’s most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey shows that those who study remotely are 6.9% more likely to be employed full-time after their course ends vs those who study on campus.
This makes sense—when you study online, you have extra time to build your industry experience. You can develop relationships with employers, put your learning into practice, and make those all-important connections that lead to new job opportunities.
Plus, you develop skills that matter in the post-pandemic workplace. Remote learners are masters at prioritising, self-motivating and collaborating from a distance. Those abilities are needed now more than ever as hybrid working becomes the norm.
Should I study online or on-campus? A quick decider
Still not sure? Consider which answers describe you best to see where you fall.
| Consider online study if... | Consider on-campus study if… |
| You’re a solo learner | You’re a social learner |
| You’re self-disciplined about study | You need structure around studying |
| You want a flexible timetable | You prefer a fixed timetable |
| You want to work during 9 to 5 hours while studying | You’re happy to work in a casual role |
| You don’t want to commute to university | You’re willing to relocate for the right university |
| You want to save money on commuting, on-campus meals, or accommodation expenses | You’re happy to spend money on commuting, on-campus meals, or accommodation expenses |
Chat with us to learn more about the benefits of studying online. Book a free one-on-one call with a student advisor to ask anything you like.
