Are you looking to go back to school this year? Choosing to further your education can be a big decision. It can take up a lot of your time, energy, and come with a price tag. So, it’s safe to say that you need to make the right decision about where you want to be. However, when you’re a busy professional or you’ve got commitments and responsibilities outside of your studies, you may not be able to commit to a full-time schedule on campus. Yet, this shouldn’t hold you back.
When you want to focus on furthering your career, opting for online study is often a good idea. It gives you the ability to focus on your education in your own time, on your own schedule. Rather than having to be on campus, you can learn from wherever you are in the world. And, in some cases, you can study at your own pace, on your own time too. But, how do you decide what to do?
Choosing an Online Graduate Study Program
Just as if you were to be applying for grad school on campus, making a decision on where you should study online is just as important. Choosing the right school, the right course, and even the right format is always going to be important. To ensure you’re on the right track, understanding what schools offer online study is key. So, in this blog post, we’ve drilled down into the details to help you do exactly that.
Read on to discover the best schools for graduate study online in 2025 and how they operate.
1. Best Overall: UNSW Online
Up first, we have a strong contender that ticks boxes in every area. UNSW Online is one of the top 20 universities in the world for a reason. Their strong academic prowess and commitment to student success have helped them to rank high globally for three consecutive years running. But there’s more to UNSW Online than its accolades.
UNSW Online offers strength and depth in its academics, with courses spanning subjects such as analytics, finance, cybersecurity, management, psychology, and so much more. Because of this, they’ve always been able to achieve the status of most employable students at the AFR Top 100 Future Leaders Awards for the past six years running. Their graduates achieve some of the highest salaries for graduates across Australia. So, if you’re looking for employability and future success, you’ll find it with UNSW Online.
2. Best for Global Prestige: University of Edinburgh
While employability and future career prospects are always important, prestige can also be alluring for some students. If you’re looking for a university that has a longstanding academic history, as well as being world-renowned, the University of Edinburgh might just be for you.
Another of the world’s top universities, hitting the rankings in the top 50, the University of Edinburgh offers a strong online learning option spanning a range of postgraduate studies. With over 300 taught programs, 70 online courses, and over 180 areas of research, there’s a lot to choose from. Whether you’re interested in medicine, law, social sciences, or anything in between, there will be something for you at the University of Edinburgh.
3. Best for Research: University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is big on research. So, if you want to study with an institution that is heavily focused on its research and public service, opting for the University of Texas at Austin could be perfect for you. With a selection of comprehensive and challenging master’s subjects, inclusive of doctorates, students have a wide selection of programs to choose from.
Studies at the University of Texas at Austin have been created to offer a combination of intellectual stimulation and real-world thinking. They pave the way in the area of high-tech learning tools, but also offer a range of discussions, labs, guest lectures, panels, and more, to really offer a varied style of learning. Popular subjects among students include engineering and computer science.
4. Best for Extensive Variety: Johns Hopkins University
The world of online learning has certainly come a long way in recent years. From having limited options that couldn’t rival the world’s best educational establishments, to some of the greats focusing on accessibility more than ever. This is certainly the case with Johns Hopkins University.
America’s first research university offers a wide range of online programs to students. With over 88 degree programs and a selection of free courses available through partners, students get a variety of options to choose from. Johns Hopkins University is paving the way in terms of accessibility and flexibility by appealing to a wide range of locations, experience, and even income brackets. With classes in everything from economics and biotech to humanities and international studies, there’s something for everyone.
5. Best for Collaboration: University of Manchester
Finally, we have another of the world’s top-ranking universities for you to consider. The University of Manchester provides a range of fully online and hybrid courses to give students full control over their learning experience. Students also get the option to study at their own pace and schedule, or work with a fixed syllabus program.
When you study at the University of Manchester, there’s a strong emphasis on collaboration. Even when you’re studying fully online, group work and interaction are highly encouraged. You’re also given the opportunity to network with professionals to enhance the overall experience. Courses cover subjects such as business, criminology, engineering, law, and health, among others.
Making the Right Online Study Choice for You
When it comes to investing in your professional development, getting a graduate degree or studying for a postgraduate certification is always a strong option. However, choosing the right school and course is key here. With UNSW Online, you have access to expert education with high employability rates. The University of Manchester offers professional acclaim, yet you can get access to Johns Hopkins University’s strong research foundations. Finally, there’s also the University of Texas at Austin to consider for a wide range of educational choices, or the University of Edinburgh if networking and collaboration are high on your list.
