Time commitment
The most important question before a distance course is rarely the content, but the time. This report shows in figures how many hours per week realistically arise and what most people struggle with.
What you should expect
The effort depends on the degree and the pace. As a guide for studying alongside a job, these values have become established.
In short: A distance course alongside a job costs on average around 15 to 20 hours per week, more during exam phases. What matters is not the total number, but the regularity.
How much time each format costs
The effort depends above all on the degree and the study format. An overview of the common guideline values.
In short: For a part-time distance course, 15 to 20 hours per week is the guideline value, for a master's rather 20 to 25. Anyone studying full-time by distance must reckon with 35 to 40 hours.
Time commitment per week by study format
Guideline values, hours per week; bar length shows the midpoint of the range.
Data as a table
| Study format | Hours per week |
|---|---|
| Part-time distance study | 15 to 20 h |
| Bachelor's alongside a job | 10 to 30 h |
| Master's alongside a job | 20 to 25 h |
| Full-time distance study | 35 to 40 h |
Not the material, but the calendar
The most common cause of dropping out is not the difficulty of the material, but the time. Anyone studying alongside a full-time job has a narrow reserve. If it disappears through an intensive work phase, illness or a change in the family, the plan quickly starts to slip. The figures show: the average effort is quite manageable, the strain comes from the peaks in the exam phases.
Two things demonstrably help: fixed, protected study times instead of leftover moments in between, and the option to stretch the course if needed. Many universities allow free extensions, which takes the pressure out of the peaks. How the duration affects the costs is shown in the report on costs.
Goes well with time commitment
Study and work
How many work on the side and how they finance their studies.
To the reportCosts and funding
Why a longer course becomes more expensive and who uses funding.
To the reportDistance learning in numbers
How many study remotely and which subjects lead.
To the reportFurther reading
Background on why study success hangs on the time budget.
Frequently asked questions about time commitment
How many hours per week does a distance course cost?
As a rule of thumb, studying alongside a job takes around 15 to 20 hours per week, more during exam phases. What matters is less the total number than the regularity. Those who protect fixed study times get by well with the average.
Why do many people drop out of a distance course?
Usually not because of the material, but because of the time. Alongside a full-time job and family, the reserve is narrow. If it disappears through a demanding phase, the plan starts to slip. Robust dropout rates are hard to measure, because many only pause instead of dropping out for good.
What does ECTS mean for the time commitment?
One ECTS credit stands for around 25 to 30 hours of workload, including self-study, not just lectures. A bachelor's with 180 credits therefore corresponds to an order of magnitude of several thousand hours over the entire duration of the course. This allows the effort to be roughly calculated in advance.
Can I stretch the course if time gets tight?
At many distance universities, yes. Free extensions and leave semesters are common and take the pressure out of exam phases. Before enrolling, check how long the course can be stretched for free and from when extension fees apply.
Sources, method and download
Where the numbers come from, how they are compiled and how you may reuse them with a source reference.
How these numbers are compiled
The time commitment cannot be measured officially, but it can be estimated well. The basis is the ECTS workload definition of the German Rectors' Conference, under which one credit equals 25 to 30 hours, and established reference values from study guidance. Where the workload varies by pace and degree, we give ranges instead of a single number of hours.
Sources: HRK nexus: modules, ECTS credits and workload · studieren-berufsbegleitend.de, study portal
Last updated: 02.07.2026. The figures are updated as soon as the sources publish new data.
Is your time enough for a distance course?
How the course fits into your weekly schedule is best clarified in a personal conversation. At Studienflüsterer the initial consultation is free and without obligation.