Getting back into work is hard, and getting back into study can seem harder. However, I'm really enjoying my online program at the moment. I'm going through a stage of getting to know my fellow students better, and indeed there are several living fairly nearby, so we have decided to meet up one evening a month to start an informal tutorial group. Its even possible that the university may send a tutor on an ad hoc basis if we request it.
I do find that the university is very helpful, and although they cannot grant every request they try hard to find solutions to our problems. One of the really encouraging aspects is that if we find a way of going part way to a solution, the university seems to be willing to go some of the rest of the way, so we problem solve together.