South African Theological Seminary Undergraduate Prospectus 2024-2025
Welcome to The South African Theological Seminary (SATS), a fully accredited and registered online seminary, focusing on equipping you for ministry in ministry.
- Bible-based, Christ-centred, Spirit-led
- Accredited: Our degrees are recognized worldwide.
- Accessible: You can enroll at any time of the year and study where you are.
- Affordable: You can pay for one course at a time.
Our mission is to provide Biblical, Christocentric distance education and training to Christians, and leaders in particular, within their local church environment, to equip them to be Holy Spirit empowered members of God’s household.
Our passion is to prepare Christ-centred leaders for every church. In addition to our three foundational pillars (Bible-based, Christ-centred, Spirit-led), we hold these core convictions about the nature of theology:
- Good theology is God-glorifying: The goal of all theology and all ministry is to bring glory to God.
- Good theology is mission-minded: All good theology is inherently missional, being in service of the mission of God. We believe that theology divorced of its missional ethos is unfaithful to the call of God.
- Good theology is church-based: Theology must always be anchored in the church and in service of the church.
We chose to carry out our mission through distance education because of a heartfelt belief in church-based training as the preferred approach. We believe in ‘training for ministry in ministry’; we are committed to training God’s servants in the context of their ministry.
SEE ALSO: South African Theological Seminary Online Application
SATS stands on a triune doctrinal foundation:
- The unique authority of the Word of God the Father. We believe that the Bible is the only written revelation of and from God and that it is therefore all we need for faith and life.
- The lordship and centrality of Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus Christ is God the Son and the full revelation of the Godhead to humanity. He is the head of the church and the Lord of our lives. As a result, we are to base our doctrine and practice on what he said and did.
- The ministry of the Holy Spirit. We believe that we are to trust and obey God the Holy Spirit and that we are to embrace all that the Scriptures reveal of him and his ministry.
These foundational principles are summed up in our by-line: Bible-based, Christ-centered, Spirit-led.
SEE ALSO: List of Courses Offered:
SATS offers a range of ministry-oriented theological programmes designed to equip thinking practitioners for faithful and effective service. We teach all our programmes 100 per cent online. You need a computer and a good Internet connection, but you never need to travel to SATS. Although our heart is for ministry, our passion for excellence in life and service undergirds a commitment to high academic standards in honour of the gospel.
We offer seven programmes, suitable for different needs.
- Higher Certificate in Christian Life (120 credits, NQF 5). The HCCL is similar to the first year of the BTh. It is ideal for those seeking solid foundations for life and ministry. It doubles as a gateway into tertiary education for students who do not meet the entry requirements for the BTh.
- Higher Certificate in Christian Counselling (120 credits, NQF 5). The HCCL is a comprehensive programme for lay and pastoral counsellors.
- Bachelor of Theology (360 credits, NQF 7). The BTh is a three-year degree in theology. We presently offer a general BTh, which is ideal for pastors, missionaries, and Bible teachers, and a specialisation in Christian counselling.
- Bachelor of Theology Honours (360 credits, NQF 8). The BTh Hons is a first postgraduate degree. It builds on a BTh and prepares students for theological research in the MTh.
- Master of Divinity (240 credits, NQF 9). The MDiv is designed to meet the need of pastors for advanced practical training. The programme is ideal for second-career pastors since access does not require that your previous qualifications be in theology.
- Master of Theology (180 credits, NQF 9). The MTh is a research degree in which you specialise in a particular field of theological studies. It is ideal for those aspiring to teach theology and is the pathway towards the PhD in theology.
- Doctor of Philosophy (360 credits, NQF 10). The PhD is a terminal research degree. Our PhD is dissertation-based,
For more information about the programmes, you can click on the Programmes menu at the top or visit the pages below about Postgraduate (Honours, Master’s and Doctoral levels) or Undergraduate (Bachelor’s and Certificate levels).
SEE ALSO: South African Theological Seminary Online Registration
- Bachelor of Theology (Honours) Timetable
- Bachelor of Theology and HCCL Timetable
- HCCC Timetable
How much does it cost?
Please consult the website for pricing applicable to your region of the world, but please bear the following in mind when assessing the financial implications:
- You pay at the beginning of each phase, so the tuition is spread over 3–5 years (the average time it takes to finish).
- The tuition fees are the total cost of the programme. There are no hidden costs, no travel costs, no accommodation costs, and no prescribed books to purchase. For many PhD programmes, these ‘hidden’ costs can easily double or triple the total cost.
Kindly note that all fees paid to SATS are non-refundable and that prices are increased annually.
The South African Theological Seminary (SATS) Fees Structure 2024-2025 for all New and Returning Students is published. All New & Old Students are expected to check the Fees Structure. See SATS Fees Structure for Undergraduate and Postgraduate below.
The Management of South African Theological Seminary (SATS) has released the Fees Structure for 2024-2025 Academic Sessions. Fees vary based on the programme You are Undertaking.
SOUTH AFRICAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (SATS) FEES STRUCTURE 2024-2025 FOR ALL COURSES
Here is how to SATS Fees Structure is been Schedules:
Student fees are broken down as follows:
- Application fees
- Acceptance deposit
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation fees
- Miscellaneous fees and levies
- Interest
Students at SATS pay tuition fees for every course taken. These tuition fees vary from course to course and cover:
- registration
- all charges for classes, tutorials and laboratories
- ordinary university examinations
- library access
- compulsory personal accident insurance
- the use of general sporting facilities
- in the case of medical students, hospital fees for clinical instruction.
Application and Enrolment Fees
| South Africa | |
| Application Fee (Once-off) | R398 |
| Enrolment Fee (Once-off) | R1 798 |
BTh Courses
| South Africa | |
| Theology Courses 12 Credits | R2 284 |
| Counselling Courses 12 Credits | R2 610 |
BTh Honours Courses
| South Africa | |
| 12 credit courses | R2 690 |
| 24 credit courses | R5 369 |
Certificate Courses
| South Africa | |
| HCCC | R2 610 |
| HCCL | R2 284 |
MDiv Programme
| South Africa | |
| 12 Credit Courses | R2 700 |
| Thesis (60 credits) | R20 690 |
MTh and PhD Phases
| MTh | |||
| South Africa | |||
| Fee per Phase | R7 655 | ||
| PhD | |||
| South Africa | |||
| Fee per Phase | R19 330 | ||
Other Services
| South Africa | |
| RPL Fee (Once-off) | R2 067 |
| Re-assessment Fee* | R441 |
| Special Letters | R113 |
| Official Transcripts | R170 |
| Re-activation Fee | R413 |
*If you are not satisfied with the mark awarded by one of your assessors, you are welcome to request a reassessment