Online learning

With the University of Stirling's online courses, you can study at your own pace anywhere in the world. Boost or change your career by studying an online short course or online Masters degree.

Reasons to study an online course with the University of Stirling

World-class expertise

Our online courses are taught by renowned experts in their field. At the University of Stirling, you will be taught by thought leaders informed by the latest cutting-edge research. 

Flexible online university courses

Our online university courses are flexible, and you can study anywhere in the world at a time that suits you. With our online degrees and online short courses, you can fit your learning around a busy lifestyle and continue working while you study.

You will learn through online lectures, seminars, and guided independent study delivered via the University’s virtual learning platform.

Access university resources

When you enrol on your online course, you will receive a digital student card that will grant you access to the facilities available to all University students, such as the library and student support services. Online postgraduate degree students can even attend a graduation ceremony when they complete their course.

Join our global community

By studying an online course at the University of Stirling, you will be part of a global community of fellow students and academics. There are many opportunities to meet and network with peers in live sessions, online forums and social media groups.

Online learning: explained

The University of Stirling has decades of experience providing distance and online learning courses. Find out more about what it's like to study an online course with us.

How you will learn online

You will access your online course materials through a virtual learning environment (VLE). Depending on your course, you may have online lectures, seminars and guided independent reading. You can connect with your classmates or contact your course tutors with any questions as you study.

Cost

Costs vary depending on the course you would like to study. Our individual online postgraduate degree and online short course pages will clearly state the charge for each course. There is a wide range of postgraduate loans and scholarships to help you fund your studies. 

If you live in Scotland, you may be able to study one of our short courses free of charge with a fully-funded place from the Scottish Funding Council. We will update our website with places as they become available.

Flexibility

University of Stirling online courses are incredibly flexible. You can study the learning material anywhere in the world, at a time that suits you.

Most of our online courses have live sessions. You should attend these to make the most of your course, but most sessions will be recorded so you can catch up if you need to.

Our courses are structured around self-paced study with occasional assessment and assignment deadlines to ensure you keep making progress.

How much time you will need to complete an online university course

The length of study depends on each individual course. You will find the duration of your course clearly stated on your chosen course page.

Online short courses generally last around 10-12 weeks, while a full postgraduate online course could take 1-2 years or longer.

Part-time online courses typically require 10-20 hours per week, while full-time courses require a full-time commitment of around 40 hours per week.

Access our highly-ranked on-campus facilities

When you enrol for your online course, you will receive a digital student card which will grant you access to all the facilities available to all University of Stirling students, including:

Meeting other students

You will join a global network of like-minded students and academics when you start your online course. Students can meet in our live sessions and online forums and connect on social media. 

Your graduation

Online postgraduate students are welcome to attend an on-campus graduation ceremony when they complete their course.