Check any search engine for online training and you'll find thousands of results. Distance learning or 'studying from home', has become a huge trend for those seeking certifications, especially as IT professionals. Online courses make the experience of experts in their fields accessible to anybody with an Internet connection. Consider these great reasons to study online:

Check any search engine for online training and you'll find thousands of results. Distance learning or 'studying from home', has become a huge trend for those seeking certifications, especially as IT professionals. Online courses make the experience of experts in their fields accessible to anybody with an Internet connection. Consider these great reasons to study online:

1. You don't need to live near a campus. One is even able to study from another country without the worries of visa applications.

2. Study material is constantly updated online, ensuring that you are always learning the newest information - especially in IT, where there are changes from month to month.

3. Transport and room and board when studying online is unnecessary - this saves time and money. There is therefore less of a financial outlay (especially for families of school-leavers) when taking the decision to gain a qualification.

4. You are able to achieve more of a balance between work and family with online studies. There are no fixed class schedules, so one can arrange one's own time to achieve all life's objectives.

5. If there is Internet, you can study. There is nothing stopping one from studying - even when on vacation!

6. With an online college, you can work at your own pace and level of motivation. This allows you to allocate as much time as you feel you can to your studies.

7. The injured, elderly or handicapped are able to gain qualifications online. Those with mobility problems needn't attend classes.

8. There are always new subject options for online studies - it is a growing phenomenon.

9.You have constant 24-hour access to course materials and online lecture videos. Student chat rooms and subject expert email contacts are readily available for the convenience of distance learning schools.

10. Online colleges are well-respected and reliable way to achieve qualifications. More than 80 percent of academia at educational institutions agree that online learning is equivalent to learning at a traditional campus.

11.BONUS reason: Many online training institutions include printable e-books in the course cost. This alleviates the extra cost of textbooks, which can be extremely expensive.

Research by Sloan's Consortium found that in 2005, more than 3.2 million learners were pursuing online qualifications in many different fields. Many people around the world are realizing their dreams of achieving certifications through online education.