Studying online: how it works and what matters

An online degree follows the same structural rules as any other degree in Germany: it is divided into modules, each module carries credits according to workload, and it ends in a bachelor's or master's degree. What changes is the place of learning. Instead of in a lecture hall, students learn with digital materials, videos, interactive exercises and in virtual seminars.

Most programmes combine asynchronous and synchronous phases. Asynchronous means everyone learns at their own pace, for example with lecture videos, scripts and exercises. Synchronous means meeting live at set times, for seminars, office hours or group work. Good programmes give both phases a clear structure so that nobody gets lost in the material.

Legally yes, if the conditions are right. What matters is not whether learning happened online but who awards the degree: a state or state-recognised university whose programme is accredited. Under the states' study accreditation ordinances, accreditation checks formal criteria such as programme structure, modularisation and credits, as well as subject-related criteria such as learning objectives and the assessment system.

Be careful with offers promising "certificates" or foreign titles without clear recognition. For foreign degrees, the database of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers on the evaluation of foreign higher education qualifications helps; for German programmes, the Accreditation Council's database shows whether accreditation exists.

The biggest difference from on-campus study is not technology but the social side. Those who are not on campus miss conversations in the corridor. Good online programmes compensate deliberately: named contacts, office hours, study groups, forums and virtual rooms for group work.

New formats are emerging. Avatar-led courses present content in alternation with questions and respond to follow-up questions; AI tutors answer comprehension questions around the clock. Such tools help but do not replace subject support. They should be labelled as AI and tie their answers to reviewed sources.

How examinations work is set by the examination regulations. Common are term papers, project work, presentations, oral examinations by video and written exams — online with proctoring or in test centres. Online exams with camera proctoring are demanding under data protection law; universities must make clear what is recorded, how long it is kept and who sees it.

Formats that test understanding rather than memorisation are often more robust online: case studies, open tasks with reasoning, oral follow-up questions. Theses are submitted as written work anyway and assessed against a transparent guideline.

An online degree demands self-organisation. Under the states' study accreditation ordinances, one credit equals 25 to 30 hours of work; a full-time semester of 30 credits therefore means 750 to 900 hours. Anyone studying part-time alongside work should plan realistically.

Online study needs no special technology, but reliable technology: a computer or tablet, a stable internet connection, a headset and, for live sessions and oral exams, a camera. Many learning platforms also work on a smartphone, which makes short learning units on the go easier; term papers and exams are still best done at a proper desk.

On the university's side, what counts is that the platform is accessible, data-minimising and reliably available. Students should be able to read where their data are processed, how AI features are labelled and what data are collected in online exams. The university's privacy notice answers these questions; if anything is unclear, it is worth asking the university's data protection officer.