Student support

Student support for online courses has similarities to support offered on in-person courses but there are some extra tasks that need to be considered

It can be difficult to support students when they are physically removed from the classroom. You will need to consider aspects of student and course administration like enquiry management, fee collection, enrolments, pastoral care, IT support, assessment and grading, and on-going alumni and advocacy relationships.

Student support guide and downloadable resources

At the end of this student support phase, you will have: 

  • Identified the level of support students require 
  • Considered the use of various student record systems.

Reflect on each of the following questions with your team and use the downloadable resources to aid your planning. 

When supporting students who are studying fully online and at a distance, it's helpful to be aware that they are often studying alongside professional and family commitments, and are based in a diverse range of geographical locations and time zones. Clear communication is essential; you should provide predictable rhythms for announcements, timely responses to queries, and explicit guidance on expectations, deadlines, and assessment criteria. A strong teaching presence—through welcome messages, short videos, or regular check-ins—helps reduce isolation and builds trust, particularly for students who may never set foot on campus. 

For award-bearing courses, support must align with institutional regulations and quality assurance requirements. Academics should be familiar with formal pastoral pathways, including academic advising, wellbeing services, accessibility support, and processes for extensions, mitigating circumstances, and academic integrity. Signposting these services clearly within the LMS is crucial, as distance learners may be less aware of available support. Consistency, fairness, and appropriate record-keeping are essential to meet regulatory and accreditation expectations. 

In non-award courses, while regulatory requirements are lighter, student support remains critical. Participants often engage as fee-paying professionals or lifelong learners with clear expectations of value, relevance, and flexibility. Responsive communication, respectful tone, and practical support can strongly influence satisfaction and willingness to re-enrol. Sensitivity to workload, professional pressures, and cultural differences, alongside prompt resolution of issues, helps ensure a positive experience and reinforces the perceived value of the learning offer. 

Download template: List of potential student support needs (Word)

Download template: List of potential student support needs (PDF)

Universities rely on a range of interconnected platforms to support students effectively, particularly for online courses that recruit at scale and run multiple cohorts across the academic year. At the core is the formal student registry, which holds authoritative records on enrolment, status, assessments, and progression. At Oxford, this function is fulfilled by SITS eVision, which provides a single source of truth for student data and underpins reporting, compliance, and regulatory requirements. 

Beyond the registry, many institutions use Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to manage the student lifecycle more holistically. CRMs support both pre-enrolment and post-enrolment engagement, helping teams track enquiries, applications, communications, and indicators of student satisfaction. Departments may start with lighter-weight tools such as HubSpot, while larger operations often adopt enterprise solutions like Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce to manage complex recruitment pipelines, automate communications, and monitor engagement across cohorts. 

To support day-to-day student needs, universities also rely on ticketing systems such as ServiceNow or Zendesk. These tools help log, route, and resolve technical, administrative, or IT queries in a transparent and auditable way. Together, registry systems, CRMs, and ticketing platforms enable institutions to coordinate support, avoid students 'falling through the gaps', and maintain a consistent, high-quality experience at scale.