There are 14 ATPL exams to sit, and you must do them with an approved FTO, who will sign you off to actually sit the exams after having done gound school with them. You may do this this by distance learning, for which you will study usually 7 subjects, followed by 2 weeks ground school then the sign off to sit the 7, then you do the same for the next 7. During your study time, you must complete on-line exams ( progress tests ), or you can do it full time and not having done it this way, I am not sure what it involves, but generally means you get through them quicker, having the benefit of teachers explaining the material to you.....as opposed to you slogging it out at home! once you have completed the ATPLs, ( you have 18 months to finish, with 4 attempts per subject from the day of your first sitting), then you generaly have do go and do some hour building to get you to the stage when you can start your 25hr CPL course ( you will need 70hrs pilot in command time ). Then you will do your multi engine, multi instrument rating, night rating and multi crew course. You may change the order of these however....
It is tough going, but step by step you can get there!
Best of luck
:ok