Please refer to our Applications page for information.
Government advice on what type of visa you need can be found here: www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/student-visas
You can check if you need a visa here: www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
The type of visa you require depends on your individual circumstance and the type of course you are studying.
Full-time study on an accredited course:
If you have been accepted for full-time study on an accredited course (Common Awards, Bachelor of Theology, Diploma in Theology for Ministry or PhD) you will require a Student Visa.
For students applying to the Common Awards, Diploma in Theology for Ministry or PhD offered through Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), the Federation will issue you a Confirmation of Studies (CAS) number as soon as your complete application has been approved for admission. Your CAS Number is required in order for you to apply for your Student Visa.
For students on the Bachelor of Theology programme, the University of Cambridge will issue your CAS number.
Please make sure that you complete and submit your full application well in advance of deadline dates, as it can often take some time to go through the Student application process.
Studying on a short course or for a short period in the UK:
If you are coming to the UK to attend a short course (less than six months) with one of our member institutions and this is the main purpose for your visit to the UK, you can come to the UK on a standard Visitor Visa.
Doctoral students on the ARU Professional Doctorate or PhD courses who are carrying out their research overseas and who are coming to the UK for less than six months for a supervision or to attend a research seminar or course can come to the UK on a standard Visitor Visa.
If you are teaching CTF students
If you are invited to the UK to do paid work as an expert in your profession and it is not the main reason for your visit you can apply for a Permitted Paid Engagement visa.
The Federation does not offer bursaries directly to students, but some bursaries are available through the Federation Houses and University of Cambridge. For further information, please see our Fees and Costs page.
Your programme of study will be agreed with the Director of Studies for the House to which you are applying. You will have opportunities to explore and decide on an appropriate pathway according to your previous experience and study.
The amount of background reading you will do for each module is agreed with the course tutor at the start of the module. For most undergraduate modules there will be reading each week to prepare for lectures and seminars. If your classes are delivered via video conferencing, you are expected to do approximately four hours reading and preparation.
The MA modules consist of approximately 24 hours of contact time and 276 hours of student-managed learning, which includes reading and preparation as well as time to complete your assignments.
If this happens, you must speak to your Director of Studies as soon as possible. Postgraduate students should consult the central Federation Offices for information on extensions.
All students enrolled on the Federation’s taught programmes (Certificate, Diploma, Bachelors, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and Masters) are members of a Federation House, where they learn, worship, socialise and interact with their fellow students and tutors in a rich, stimulating and supportive environment. It is not necessary to reside in a House whilst enrolled on your programme; but you can participate in communal dining in Hall, worship, social activities and other Federation-sponsored events.
As a member of a House you can still participate in much of the shared life of the Federation. Federation Worship, the Student Forum and other groups exist to nurture your wellbeing and academic interests. For some courses, there are also online forums for students to share ideas and course inductions where independent students are encouraged to come and meet others.
You may take up to three years to complete the Common Awards full MA. You may take up to 6 years to complete the Professional Doctorate.
You should talk with your Director of Studies about the best choice of modules for your pathway. This is important because if you are training for a specific outcome (as part of ordination training), your academic pathway will need to meet learning outcomes that are formational as well as academic.
Normally, you can transfer your credits from another course of study into a Common Awards course, but there are limitations on how many credits you can transfer. You will need to talk to your Director of Studies and together complete an Accredited Prior Learning Form to establish what can be transferred. It is not possible to transfer credits into the BTh or DTM.
Yes. Many people study alongside those training for diaconal and priestly ministry in order to deepen their understanding of Christian discipleship and to grow in their relationship with God. This learning may also equip people for a variety of different forms of ministry in the church, or it may act as a spur to encourage further reflection about their vocation.
In general, the current undergraduate timetable for Cambridge-based teaching consists of two terms of 9 weeks each (Michaelmas and Lent) and one 6-week (Easter) term. Regional teaching terms and individual House timetables often extend beyond these timeframes. For more details on what your academic year would look like, please speak to the Director of Studies at the House to which you are thinking of applying.
Students currently taking the MA study for two semesters of 10 weeks, from October through to December, then January to Easter. Easter term is 5 weeks. Assessments are handed in from semester one in early January and from Semester 2 in May.
Yes. The Federation and its member Institutions welcome applications from all faiths. You can choose a House based on your religious background, or because you want to study with specific tutors or in a specified format (ERMC, for instance, is dedicated to part-time adult learners). If you need advice about which Institution would best suit you, please contact the Federation Office.
All of our awards are available for part-time study, with the exception of the BTh, which must be taken on a full-time basis.
Students with disabilities who are studying for ordination and are sponsored by their churches are eligible for specific support through Ministry Division or their church. Students who are in receipt of the Disabled Students’ Allowance through the Student Loans Company are eligible for support and assistance; more information is available from https://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/products/full-time-undergraduate-education/full-time-disabled-student-allowance/. Your Director of Studies can provide you with more information and details of what support is available to you.
If you are an applicant from the UK taking an undergraduate degree for the first time, you are eligible to take out a Tuition Fee Loan repayable after you have left your course of study. Further information is available on our Fees and Costs page.
The Federation acts as an “umbrella” organisation, bringing together the teaching and learning of its twelve member institutions, or Houses. The Houses are the institutions through which people of different churches, including Anglican, Methodist, Orthodox, Reformed and Roman Catholic, train for various forms of Christian ministry and service. You will receive both academic and pastoral support in your House. Most Houses are very similar to other Cambridge Colleges, in that students live and study here. You can choose a House based on your religious background, or because you want to study with specific tutors or in a specified format (ERMC, for instance, is dedicated to part-time adult learners).
All Federation students (with the exception of students on the Professional Doctorate, MPhil or PhD programmes offered through Anglia Ruskin University) become members of a House. Full-time students can choose to live in accommodation provided by their House; part-time students, whilst members of a House, are not required to live in accommodation. Most part-time students use the House as a base when they are attending classes, dine with fellow students and enjoy the shared sense of community whenever they can.
The Cambridge Theological Federation offers four MAs, validated by Anglia Ruskin University, which are accessible to students throughout the world. They are very flexible, offering a chance to take the entire MA by distance if that is what is required, or to blend distance modules with intensive courses taught in Cambridge. Within the modules taught by distance there are synchronous (live online classes) and asynchronous options (to be followed independently by the student at a time that suits).
Feel free to get in touch to discuss your options…
As well as course fees, you should take into account the cost of accommodation, meals and personal expenses whilst you are a student. The University of Cambridge suggests that undergraduate students allow £8,150 per year to meet living costs.
Further helpful information can be found at the following pages:
For UK Students
For overseas students, please refer to this document (PDF File).
If you are training towards ordination, you will normally receive funding from your sponsor to cover some or all of your living costs.
If you are applying to be a resident student, the House you wish to join can provide details of availability and prices of accommodation.
All students are charged Academic Fees, which vary according to your chosen course of study. Some programmes have additional charges and there is an additional fee for House membership. Further information is available on our Fees and Costs page.
If you are training towards ordination, your course costs may be paid by your sponsoring Church or Diocese.
No, you are responsible for arranging your own visa.
Once you have been accepted onto your course the Federation will issue you
- a Letter of Confirmation if you do not require a visa or are enrolling on a short course,
- or a CAS (Confirmation of Studies) number if you are required to apply for a Student Visa.
Most of the Federation’s students belong to one of its member institutions, called “Houses”. The Federation’s Houses function much the same way as Colleges in the University of Cambridge – they provide academic and pastoral support, libraries and other resources; the majority offer residential accommodation. Most importantly, the Houses provide a stimulating and supportive community where students and tutors learn, worship, socialise and interact with each other as a community. Students studying for Common Awards (Certificate, Diploma, Bachelors, MA, Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma programmes) and students studying for ordination will apply through and join one of the Federation’s Houses. Postgraduate students on the Common Awards programmes who are not sponsored by a church may apply to join their House of choice. Whilst accommodation is available for full-time students, part-time students are not required to live in-House; but all enjoy the many benefits that House membership provides. Students who are studying on the BTh, Tripos, MPhil or PhD programmes with the University of Cambridge will also join a Cambridge College in addition to their House. The Director of Studies in the House through which you are applying will give you more information on this.
In general, applicants will be invited to interview in Cambridge at the House to which they have applied. If you live overseas, alternative arrangements such as Skype interviewing, can be explored.
The Federation’s award-bearing programmes are offered with other universities. The Bachelor of Theology and the Diploma in Theology and Ministry are offered with the University of Cambridge. The Certificate, Diploma, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor, MA, Postgradaute Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma programmes in Theology, Ministry and Mission are validated by Durham University under the Common Awards scheme. The Professional Doctorate in Practical Theology is validated by Anglia Ruskin University.
For applicants applying to undergraduate programmes, the Director of Studies or Admission Tutor in the House to which you are applying will discuss with you which programme will best meet your needs and circumstances. If you apply to the Bachelor or Diploma in Theology for Ministry offered by the University of Cambridge, you must also meet the admissions criteria for Cambridge. The Director of Studies in your preferred House can give advice on this.
You must meet the entry criteria for any programme to which you apply; these are clearly stated on each of the programme pages. If you are applying as an independent postgraduate student (not sponsored by a church), please contact The Federation Office if you need further assistance in making your application.