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Prof Tim Blackman, vice-chancellor of the Open University, said the absence of maintenance loans for distance learners - those who choose to do a course remotely - was a "major inequity" in plans.

Other distance learners say it’s hard to watch their returned classmates on camera and not feel jealous.

One of the places the family stayed, the luxury Montage Deer Valley mountain resort, now offers “Montage Academy” for distance learners, complete with an all-day monitored “study hall” and access to virtual tutors.

Liberty, which has fifteen thousand students on campus and another eighty-five thousand “distance learners” who take classes online, is one of the largest Christian universities in the country.

Prospective students can also find information on the costs of an online degree and tips for being a successful distance learner.