Many thanks to the two users who replied.
I have the option of putting in more hours in the summer because my wife volunteers to be with the kids. Without her support, I would be in a worse situation than during school terms, as you suggest.

What makes me more inclined to take the full time option is that I am now 42 years old. The years available to me for changing my situation are becoming thin on the ground. I would appreciate knowing exactly what Ph.D learning entails because I have two particular areas of interest. I have been studying these areas of interest in my own time for twenty-two years; in other words, I have already read extensively off my own back. When I think about a 21 or 22 year old about to embark on a Ph.D about which they have limited background knowledge I wonder whether I can do it. Twenty-two years of study surely count for something, even if they have not been structured. I have authored books, so I know how hard editing can be (I actually quite enjoy it, though it demands tremendous focus).

So, I wonder, how does Ph.D study differ from simply studying something over several years in one's own time, and knowing the subject well.

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I am seriously thinking about embarking on a Ph.D in English Literature by resarch, by a distance learning route. I currently reside in a non-English speaking country and work about 22 hours a week. I also have a family with kids.

I found a university and a possible supervisor but they only offer full time enrollment via distance learning. What I am wondering is whether I can study as a "full time" Ph.D student for three to four years in my current situation. My kids are at school in the mornings, which gives me about 4 hours each day to study. I can also arrange to put in about 6 hours at the weekends, for a total of about 26 hours. Also significant, I think, is the fact that each summer my work ends for three months, so I have a full three months every year where I can put in much longer hours. I wonder if this will serve for full time. I have the option of extending the doctorate into the fourth year, of course.

The other thing I am wondering is what exactly Ph.D study means. This probably sounds silly. I am interested in the writers I plan on studying, have read quite extensively on them already, and have my own library of books. I would be reading them and reading about them and forming my own theories regardless of whether I was following any academic programme. So how will the Ph.D differ? I have tried discussing this with the potential supervisor but he seems unable to engage in much conversation regarding the Ph.D until the research proposal is handed in (he doesn't seem willing to help me even with the proposal).

Any advice for either of these questions would be greatly appreciated.