If you are undertaking the commitment of a graduate course then you may need to think about the way in which you will be studying it. A mode of study that suits you and your circumstances will give you the best possible start.

As an international student, you may be less flexible than students who are studying in their native land, however, there are options open to you so read on to find the study mode that suits you.

Full-Time Graduate Courses

The term 'full-time' can mean various things to various universities, especially when it comes to graduate study.

A full-time course program could ask for an attendance similar to that of a standard working week. This is possible for some PhDs, particularly in the sciences.

Typically for Master's programs, there are a set number of teaching or contact hours per week and a significant amount of self-directed study on top. The contact hours will vary depending on the subject and institution but all courses will expect you to study in the time where you are not at university.

Who Studies Full-Time?

Students who study full-time have usually continuing study following a first degree or have given up work to dedicate time to a graduate course. Others are taking a career break and are studying full-time to complete the course as quickly as possible. Most international students will take up full-time rather than part-time study as study visas might have time and employment restrictions.

Part-Time Graduate Courses

Part-time courses are good for those who want to study whilst remaining in employment. These courses will take longer than full-time programs as the required hours of teaching, contact time and self-directed study are spread over a longer period of time.

Some part-time courses are timetabled to be taken in the evenings or on specific, regular days each week. This makes part-times courses very flexible to those students with family or specific career needs. However, it may not be possible for some part-time courses to be this flexible and you might find that more days during the week are taken up with graduate study.

International students may find that they cannot get a visa to attend a part-time program where study takes place for less than a specific number of hours each week.

If you wish to pursue a part-time doctorate degree, some universities will offer the opportunity of part-time employment at the university in conjunction with study.

However, if you undertake a part-time job at the university, you should agree with the department in advance on the number of hours you can commit to the job to allow enough time for your doctorate.

Both part time and full time study in a department can also offer opportunities for work, including as a teaching or laboratory assistant for undergraduate courses and students.

Short/Block Courses

Some universities offering professionally related part-time courses provide tuition in teaching 'blocks'. This usually means that teaching is offered in a set number of short periods of time, for example on set weekends, or over a number of five-day periods.

For international students wishing to study part-time, this could be an option as these periods of time are known in advance.

Distance Learning and E-Learning

Distance Learning and E-Learning courses are generally studied over a longer period of time, and have a degree of flexibility about when study can be undertaken.

Teaching is delivered through assignments sent by post or email, completed and returned to the course tutor, who then provides feedback and support by post, email or phone.

Increasingly, distance-learning courses include a combination of teaching methods, including e-learning, where teaching is delivered over the internet. However, this is a relatively new mode of learning and some universities will be more experienced in this method of teaching than others.

If you choose to study by distance learning and/or e-Learning you will have greater time flexibility, and will be able to undertake courses offered by universities anywhere in the world.

These courses can be particularly useful if you move around a lot or if you do not have a regular weekly routine.

However, if your graduate course is in a subject where debates and discussions with other students are key then distance learning may not be appropriate for you.