The relevance of the presented article is determined by the widespread use of online distance learning technologies in the educational space of higher education in Russia. This process is supported and initiated, among other things, by the modern Russian authorities, whose actions are based on the presumption of the ability of online education to provide the same quality of the educational process that takes place in the classroom-contact format. The authors ‘ hypothesis is based on the fact that the widespread introduction of online education cannot be evaluated positively, since its quality has not been tested empirically. Institutionalization should be carried out only after it is scientifically confirmed “where”,” for whom”,” by whom “ online education can be implemented. For this purpose, the authors study the types of online education, its content, and assess the readiness of students to study online. The goal is formulated as determining the segments of the educational process in higher education in which online education will improve the quality of training of qualified specialists.