External study has many benefits. It is especially useful if you live a long distance from any campus or work full-time. However, some students find external study challenging, especially if they

Learn best through face-to-face teaching: Some students work best when interacting with others, and can find external study lonely. However, there are plenty of strategies for making contact with other students, such as using the online discussion forums on your course websites, connecting with others via social networking, and making friends at any on-campus events you attend.

Aren't comfortable using computers: The majority of course content is delivered online, so successful study requires regular computer access and comfort using computers. If you wish to study in our programs but are uncomfortable using computers, we suggest doing a computer course offered by your local community library or adult learning centre before you start (e.g. WEA or Adelaide Library Digital Hub for students based in Adelaide).

Don't have the time: While external study gives you some flexibility when deciding your study hours, it won't work if you don't already have time in your week to study. Look at your list of weekly commitments and then consider the time you have left over. A standard course/subject requires 8-10 hours of your time per week to complete set readings, participate in activities, and work on assignments and/or smaller tasks. If you can accommodate one or more courses, then study will be feasible: we recommend studying one course per study period to keep study manageable. But if you don't have sufficient time in your week for study, you might need to reconsider your options.