Full-time, part-time, online - which study mode is right for you?

Choosing your major is important – but there’s one more big decision ahead: how do you want to study? Full-time, wpart-time, evening, or online? Each mode has its pros and cons, so it’s worth understanding the differences before you commit.
5/26/2025

Here's a quick guide to help you find the format that best fits your lifestyle.

Full-time studies

If you have just graduated from high school and are thinking about further education, full-time studies may be the most natural choice for you. it The most frequently chosen form of study, which will allow you to fully focus on your studies and fully enter the academic environment. Classes are held Monday through Friday, usually in the mornings and afternoons. Your weekly schedule can be very diverse — one day you have four lectures in a row, another just one presentation. This requires good organization and self-discipline. While some lectures may be optional, attendance at exercises, laboratories and projects It's going to be necessary — and very developing.

If you choose to study full-time, you will gain daily contact with the university and other students, and this gives you the chance to do much more than just earn a degree. You'll have access to everything academic life has to offer — from workshops and guest lectures to cultural and sporting events.

You can engage in:

  • international exchange programs (e.g. Erasmus+),
  • internships and internships organized by the university,
  • drawing on the infrastructure of the university, for example. libraries, student houses or gyms,
  • scientific circles, student self-government or university organizationsthat support your personal and professional development.

While full-time studies assume that you will focus primarily on learning, many people — perhaps you as well — opts for casual work. With flexible forms of employment, such as freelance or remote work, you can successfully combine academic responsibilities with professional development. However, keep in mind that this requires good logistics and responsibility. Full-time studies are not only a path to education — it is also full experience of student life: integration, learning together, unforgettable events and friendships that can stay with you for a lifetime.

Full-time studies — summary

Part-time studies

If you are looking for a way to get a higher education without giving up your job or other responsibilities, part-time studies (part-time) They may be just right for you. It is a form of learning designed for professionally active people who need more flexibility. Classes are usually held every two weeks, on weekends Saturdays and Sundays, sometimes also on Friday afternoons. Thanks to this, you can reconcile study with work and the daily rhythm of life, although you need to be prepared for intensive blocks of classes and self-absorption of material between reunions.

Part-time studies are chosen by people who do not have the opportunity to attend college every day — full-time employees, entrepreneurs, parents or residents of smaller towns. This mode allows you to develop educationally without having to give up your professional career. However, you need to keep in mind that contact with faculty and other students is less frequent than during the day mode, and extracurricular studies are usually paid, even at public universities. In return, you gain greater independence, flexibility and the ability to learn at your own pace, which for many turns out to be more comfortable.

Part-time studies give you specific advantages:

  • possibility Simultaneous study and work professional,
  • Chance for practical use of acquired knowledge immediately in everyday duties,
  • larger freedom in planning private and professional life,
  • saving time per weekbecause you don't have to commute to college every day.

This is the ideal mode if you are an independent person, well organized and know where you are going. You combine theory with practice from the very first class, you develop competencies at your own pace and build a professional future without turning your whole life upside down.

Extra-curricular studies - summary

Evening studies

If you want to study during the week, but you can not attend classes during the day, evening studios may be the solution just for you. Although they are less common now than they used to be, some universities still offer this mode — especially in practical majors such as management or computer science. Classes are held on weekdays, most often from 16:00 or 17:00, which allows you to combine study with work on a standard hourly system, without having to sacrifice weekends.

It is a mode that is willingly chosen by working people, parents and those who run their own businesses — that is, those who need constant rhythm, but do not have time for morning classes. Unlike part-time study, this is where you meet faculty and a group several times a week, which favors systematicity and facilitates the assimilation of knowledge in smaller doses. However, you need to know that the offer of evening studies is severely limited, and learning after work requires a fair amount of commitment and the ability to deal with fatigue.

Why is it worth considering this mode? Here are its most important advantages:

  • you can study without giving up work or weekends,
  • you study regularly, in a constant rhythm of the week,
  • the material is spread over more days, so learning is less intense than in absentia,
  • easier to maintain a balance between study and private lifeif you tolerate evening hours of mental work well.

If you are an organized person who values order and predictability in the schedule, evening studies can be a good compromise between study and daily chores. This is a demanding solution, but in the right conditions — very convenient and effective.

Evening studies - summary

Online studies

If you are looking for the greatest possible flexibility In studying, online studies may be just what you need. This mode of study has gained immense popularity among people who work, raise children, live abroad or simply lead a non-standard lifestyle. Classes are mainly held via the internet — in the form of recordings, webinars and live meetings that you can play at your convenience. In the hybrid version, some classes or exams may take place on a stationary basis, e.g. once a semester. Thanks to this You can learn from anywhere, at any time, without the need for daily commutes.

This mode is ideal if you need to fit the studio into your life, not the other way around. You can study in the intervals between shifts, while your baby is napping, or even traveling. This is a solution that requires — independence, consistency and good organization of time are absolutely crucial here. Contact with lecturers and peers is more limited than in stationary or part-time modes, so you need to be able to act independently and not wait for “outside motivation”.

Advantages of online studies that may be particularly important to you:

  • full flexibility of place and time of study,
  • the ability to combine study with work, family, travel,
  • saving money and time on the commute,
  • 24/7 access to materials, which allows you to learn at your own pace,
  • openness to students from small towns or from outside Poland.

If you are a motivated person, independent and do well with learning on your own terms, Online studies can be the perfect choice. Importantly, the offer of courses implemented in this mode is constantly expanding — although not everything can be studied remotely (e.g. medical or engineering courses requiring laboratories). But if you care about gaining knowledge without giving up other important areas of life, then it is this form that can provide you the best balance between education and everyday life.

Online/Hybrid Studies — Summary

Which mode is right for you?

It all depends on your life situation and plans. If you have time, you want to feel the fullness of student life and take advantage of the offer of the university — full-time studies may be the best choice. If you need to work or want flexibility — consider part-time studies. And if you value independence and can learn on your own, online options can be a hit.

Remember — each mode of study gives you the chance to earn a degree and develop, only the path to this goal may look different. The main thing is to choose a mode that fits into your life, not the other way around..

Planning to study in Krakow?

If you are planning to study in Krakow and are looking comfortable, modern place to live, check StudentSpace — private dormitory designed to meet the needs of today's students. It offers a great location, a high standard and an atmosphere conducive to both learning and integration. Regardless of the mode of study, StudentSpace is a space where you will feel at home — and you will gain complete freedom to organize your student life.

Questions? Write to us at hello@studentspace.pl

Book your space in a private student dorm in Krakow. Close to your university.

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