In the article, the authors consider the latest by-law regulation of the institute of the network form of the implementation of educational programs in the higher education system of Russia. Despite the emergence of normative certainty on several issues, there are still quite ambiguous provisions. Thanks to this study, key ones have been identified and commented on. The popularity of the network form among universities is still relatively low. The authors have systematized several topical reasons for the conclusion of agreements on the network form by universities. Qualitative changes in the popularity of the online form can occur both thanks to new state programs («Priority-2030») and the renewal of development programs for leading Russian universities (for example, St. Petersburg State University). A separate issue is proposed at the sub-legal level as an approximate form of an agreement on the network form. The authors see the legal nature of such an agreement as undoubtedly administrative. But the conclusion of the agreement is accompanied by many nuances discussed in the article, and which must be kept in mind by universities. After the study, the authors highlighted priority issues for continuing to give the network form the expected normative certainty.