Online degrees are a great choice if you have a full-time job or other responsibilities and still want to boost your education level. However, where you study can still make a difference, even on a remote programme. So, what are the best universities for online studies?
Online degrees are rising in popularity. More and more students now want to gain a high-quality education on their own terms. But even when you’re studying online, your university of choice will affect your curriculum, study opportunities, and your professional network – so it helps to choose somewhere that’s rated well.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the best universities for online studies. All these institutions offer innovative ways of learning and are highly rated by students on EDUopinions.
10 Best Universities for Online Studies
10. University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa ranks among Canada’s best universities, and its online programmes have a strong focus on cutting-edge research – so you’ll be at the forefront of your chosen industry. The institution offers the only 100% online Masters in Engineering Management in Canada, as well as other programmes focusing on business. Each degree has a flexible format, while the University of Ottawa Telfer School of Management has triple-crown accreditation from AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
9. Athabasca University
Athabasca University is Canada’s answer to the Open University in the UK. It is a pioneering accessible online university for students across Canada and the rest of the world. Course schedules are fully customisable and timelines are open-ended so you can take as much time as you need to finish a degree. There is a wide range of full degree programmes and short courses to choose from, across everything from business, IT, nursing, and design.
Student Review

8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MIT is known for being one of the best technical universities in the world, so you can bet that its online programmes are equally rigorous. As well as fully online degree programmes that come with tuition fees, MIT also offers free short courses through its MIT OpenCourseWare portal – so you could develop an entirely new skill set for no cost at all!
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley has an entire catalogue of 100% online courses for students around the world to take, including courses in technical subjects like AI and business analytics to healthcare and legal studies. Berkeley is regularly ranked one of the best universities in the US and can take advantage of some subject matter experts in Berkeley’s international faculty.
6. Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University is a prestigious institution located in Paris. However, the school also offers online programmes both through its own online learning portal, Sorbonne University Online and through a collaboration with edX. On this platform, you can study a wide range of French and English-language short courses to boost your career.
5. IU International University of Applied Sciences
IU International University of Applied Sciences is a distance-learning institution that is recognised by accreditation schemes around the world for the quality of its teaching in its online programmes. The school pioneers innovative solutions for remote learning, and students can also combine their studies with on-campus learning at one of their German campuses.
Student Review
University has well-structured program available
Online course and course material are well structured and easy to understand, videos of topics are also available, which contains an example which helps us to understand topics clearly
Videos of every module are my favourite part of my online studies
Everything is very systematic from exams till the result
The deadline for everything is followed
I strongly recommend my university
This I would like to change is the result declaration
It must be reduced to 2 weeks instead of 6 weeks
4. University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is known for its top-ranked business school, where most of the institution’s online programmes are housed. Warwick Business School’s innovative Distance Learning MBA has been at the top of the Financial Times Online MBA ranking for the last five years, but the university also offers short courses with Future Learn.
3. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge has its own online learning portal, Advance Online, where prospective students from around the world can study courses in everything from biotechnology to medicine and intrapreneurship. Considering the university is one of the best in the UK, you can expect the quality of your teaching and learning to be very high. Each course lasts for up to 8 weeks, with just a few hours of study required each week.
2. University of Oxford
A rival to the University of Cambridge, it’s not surprising that the University of Oxford also has its own online learning platform. There is a huge range of short courses on offer that are sometimes as short as one day and as long as two months. However, if you’re looking for a full degree programme, you can also study Oxford-standard undergraduate and postgraduate part-time courses.
1. OPen University (OU)
The Open University has been pioneering distance learning in the UK for over 50 years, and today is one of the largest universities in the UK. Students can choose from over 200 qualifications and 400 independent modules, which encompass undergraduate and postgraduate courses. All courses are fully flexible, which means you can work wherever and however works best for you. Just some of the online master’s programmes available include a Master’s in Computing, a Master’s in English Literature, and a Master’s in Engineering.
Student Review

I chose The Open University because I needed to be able to do distance study whilst also working. As a parent that was very important for me.
The OU is an institution that puts emphasis on the students. The tutors are very supportive and the way the modules are built up makes it easy to grasp even if you’re not studying in a classroom setting.
Another attractive part of The OU is the fact that they offer free modules so you can see what the structure of studying is really like.
I recommend The OU for people who juggle other things in their life such as a job, children etc.
Conclusion
So, those are the best universities for online studies, based on student reviews and rankings. Hopefully, our list has given you some inspiration for where you might pursue your online studies in 2023.
Thinking about doing an online Master’s degree but not sure which to choose? Check out our article on the 10 Most Affordable Online Master’s Degrees in the UK in 2023.
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