Why study online in times of COVID-19

Sometimes life works out differently than you planned, and you have to take a few detours. That’s why you can extend your online studies at IU at any time, free of charge. And it’s all automatic – no application needed! Read your study contract to find out how long the free extension applies.

At IU, every type of exam can be taken online, whether it’s a test paper, an essay or a presentation. This way you can take your exams at any time, 24/7. Whenever best suits your schedule.

Working from home, looking after the kids and then trying to study too? Our Study Coaches will advise you on issues of motivation, exams, planning and time management. Visit the myCampus course, take part in online consultation sessions or book your personal Study Coach appointment

At IU, you can switch to a different time model free of charge – whatever best suits your current situation. You can find the application form and further information here.

Did you know that the costs of your studies are usually tax-deductible?

Do you need time for yourself or have other priorities? Taking a semester off means you get a six-month break from your studies. This means you pay no tuition fees in this period. Find out more here.

Allocate an area (it doesn't have to be a whole room) that you can work in without being disturbed or distracted. The important thing is that you have enough room for your tools and papers. Take advantage of the fact you’re at home and decorate your space, e.g. with a picture or a lamp. A creative environment will help you to study while at the same time feeling relaxed.

More than anything, this has an important psychological effect: your brain automatically switches to “work mode” and it’ll be easier for you to get into the flow of learning. If you sit down at your laptop in your dressing gown, you run the risk of letting things slide. The best thing to do is to go through your normal morning routine, have a light breakfast, and get started!

Where to start? Again, you can take advantage of the fact you’re at home. You decide what pace you learn at, which milestones you’re going to work towards. The important thing is to keep a record of these and not to lose sight of them. Tick things off the list as you accomplish them and make a note of breaks, e.g. “food blog: 10 minutes”

When concentrating on working towards a specific goal, it helps to note down how much you’ve managed every day. This way, you can check how successfully you’re studying at home. Be realistic about prioritising individual tasks and note down what needs to be done by the end of the day. This will help you to be better organised.

It’s important to gather your strength and take longer breaks! This is another instance where having a defined work space is an advantage: When taking a break, leave your study space and relax in a different area, e.g. in the kitchen, living room, or on the balcony.

Set clear boundaries and ask your family to respect your study space. Coordinate with them and agree on times for meals or spending time together. Otherwise you’ll run the risk of losing sight of your tasks, and you’ll have to keep reacquainting yourself with your material.

Thanks to the virtual campus, your mobile phone, Facebook and many other things, you won’t be studying alone. Important: Schedule set times (when and how long) for discussing topics with your fellow students. Give each other tips and creative inspiration to motivate each other to study and learn at home. And: Keep your channels open so you can help others with their questions, for example. Teamwork rules!

Do you get the feeling you aren’t making any progress? Maybe some stimulating background sounds could help, because there are both good and bad sounds. While noise and diffuse noises can distract us, light rainfall or quiet music with calm vibes can make us more productive. Try it out and find your tune, e.g. on noisly.com.

It’s not easy to dedicate the same level of motivation to large or difficult topics. We often end up putting off precisely these tasks. But there’s a trick to it: Dedicate at least ten minutes to every task, no matter how difficult. If you don’t feel you’re getting any further with it after that time, you’re free to stop. But mostly after ten minutes you’ll have familiarised yourself with it enough that you’re already in the flow.

Not everything has to be done digitally all the time. To make sure your study material sticks in your mind, it makes sense to pick up a few classic tools. For example, you can write technical terms or formulae on colourful sticky notes and stick them in places you often stop and spend a bit of time, e.g. on the coffee machine. This change of perspective makes the study material stick in your mind more easily and effectively.

... find a work space in a suitable room or wear headphones to make sure you aren’t disturbed. If the weather plays along: Grab some of your study materials and revise outdoors!

... pick as big a table/desk as possible, so that you have room for all your study materials. Make sure you have enough (sun)light and air the room regularly. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by your smartphone. Put it somewhere you can’t hear or reach it for a certain period of time.

... continuously revise what you’ve learned before you learn something new, e.g. before going to sleep, to make sure it sticks in your mind. Make use of waiting times, e.g. while you’re waiting for a pizza to come out of the oven.

...our students recommend: Focus To Do or ClearFocus for breaks | Freeplane, FreeMind, Brainyoo, Evernote or dictation apps for studying |Trello for organisation | SelfControl or Forest for self-control.