Have you ever stared at your notes for hours, only to realize you haven't actually learned anything? Or have you wondered if you’re even on the right track with an assignment?
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
Whether you’re in high school, college, or taking online courses after work, your online study group can make learning way less stressful and more fun.
With a virtual study group, you can exchange ideas, keep each other motivated, and stay on track.
1. Find Your People (and Keep It Small)
The best study groups aren’t just random people, they’re made up of your peers who actually want to learn together.
Here are some things to remember when forming your study group:
Form Small Groups
Aim for 3–5 members. This number is big enough for different perspectives but small enough to keep things organized and make sure everyone participates.
Invite Members
Ask around in class or bring it up during lunch to see who’s interested. If you're in an online school, drop a message in your class group chat or course forum to see who’s in.
Choose Reliable Members
Try to find people who show up, respect everyone’s time, and are ready to contribute.
Engineering student Fatima Hussain explains why it’s important to have the right study group partners in the video below:
2. Pick the Right Tools
A good virtual study group needs tech tools that are easy to use, reliable, and of course free!
Photo by Surface on UnsplashYou and your study group partners will need to consider various tech options for online communication and collaboration. Here are some tools that can help you:
Video Conferencing Platforms
Zoom — free plan allows 40-minute calls for up to 100 people
Pros: stable connection, breakout rooms, widely used
Cons: 40-minute limit on free calls
Google Meet — free with a Google account
Pros: 60 minutes for groups, integrates with Google Calendar
Cons: fewer advanced features
Microsoft Teams — free plan with a Microsoft account.
Pros: Built-in file sharing, good for schools already using Microsoft tools
Cons: can feel clunky for beginners
Productivity Tools
Google Docs — free with a Google account.
Pros: real-time collaboration, autosaves your work, easy to share
Cons: limited offline mode
Notion — free personal plan
Pros: combines notes, tasks, and databases in one
Cons: steeper learning curve
Trello— free basic plan
Pros: visual task tracking
Cons: not great for long-form notes
Group Chat Apps
Messenger — free with a Facebook/Meta account
Pros: widely used, file sharing, built-in video chat
Cons: potential distractions from personal chats
WhatsApp — free
Pros: works on mobile, encrypted, supports voice notes
Cons: limited file type support
Discord — free
Pros: channels for topics, voice & video chat, screen sharing
Cons: easy to get distracted in public servers
3. Set Your Group Up for Success
Without structure, a virtual study group is just a hangout that happens to be on Zoom.
Assign a Leader
Pick someone to host each session, send out the link, set the agenda, and keep things moving. You can agree to switch up so everyone will get a chance to lead the study session.
Decide on Frequency & Timing
Once or twice a week usually works best. Keep it consistent so it becomes a habit.
For example:
High school/college: late afternoon or early evening
Young professionals: evenings or weekends work better
Set Goals Before Each Meeting
Decide what you’ll cover (e.g., review chapters, solve problem sets, prepare for a test, etc.). Share it ahead of time so everyone is prepared and no one’s lost when the session starts.
Keep It Focused
Stick to 45–90 minutes. If you need to study longer, schedule short breaks every hour.
Leave Room for Social Time
End with a few minutes to talk about non-school stuff. It makes the group feel more friendly and fun to come back to.
Quiz
You started a virtual study group to review your coursebook, but after two sessions, meetings run long and drift into random topics. What’s the best way to get things back on track? Select all that apply:
Take Action
Ready to start your own virtual study group?
Your feedback matters to us.
This Byte helped me better understand the topic.