The advancement of computer technologies has brought a plethora of technological innovations in educational settings. It is no exception in teacher training and education programmes around the world as the growth of professionalism has made the distance doctoral programmes possible for mid-career English language teaching (ELT) practitioners. The aim of this article was to probe the perceptions and career prospects of online distance doctoral degree based on the experiences of 12 mid-career ELT tertiary instructors from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Qualitative data were collected and analysed through the interview protocol based on a matrix analysis using a phenomenology framework, which focused on human consciousness as the data interpretation. The results of this inquiry indicated that mid-career ELT instructors generally perceived the doctoral distance learning model positively pertaining to its convenience, accessibility and multiculturalism underpinning the overall experience through technology. However, the limitations of time and distance were further identified influencing their learning process adversely. It was also revealed that the career prospects of obtaining a distance doctorate in ELT might not be as promising as they previously anticipated. This article concludes with several pedagogical implications and recommendations for distance doctoral programme directors, instructors and potential candidates aspiring to pursue an online degree in the future.