South African Theological Seminary Bursaries

Why study at SATS?

When you study with SATS you meet a team of educators and administrators who are creative, innovative, dedicated and passionate about the way they teach and deliver their courses. We are aware that it is crucial to balance business, careers, home and studies. With this in mind we believe we offer many advantages to any person who would like to study via the distance learning method.

Is SATS Accredited?

The South African Theological Seminary is registered by the Department of Higher Education (registration number 2001/HE08/005) and accredited by the Council on Higher Education to offer the following programmes:

Higher Certificate in Christian Life
Higher Certificate in Christian Counselling
Bachelor of Theology
Bachelor of Theology Honours
Master of Theology
Doctor of Philosophy in Theology

SATS is registered as a Section 21 Company, registration number 2002/005184/08
Our accreditation and Department of Higher Education registration provide assurance that the quality of our programmes is of the highest standard. Our programmes are therefore nationally and internationally comparable and the credits earned with us are truly “portable”, i.e. they can be transferred to other accredited, registered institutions. The increasing number of international students confirms the acceptability of our programmes around the world.
Recently our MTh and PhD programmes were submitted to two of the most frequently used and highly recommended evaluators in the USA, namely the International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (ierf.org) and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers’ International Education Services (http://ies.aacrao.org), and both confirmed that these degrees represent attainment of a level of education comparable to the equivalent degrees from a regionally accredited university in the United States. Our degrees are also recognised by the German website anabin.kmk.org/ which provides information about the evaluation of foreign qualifications.
The IQAS (International Qualification Assessment Service) in Alberta, Canada, an independent, secular assessment service used by many Canadian universities to establish the quality of foreign qualifications, has evaluated the SATS B.Th. as the local equivalent of a “three year Bachelor’s degree with a focus in theology”.

Modes of Instruction?

All our courses are presented online only.
Students residing in South Africa may purchase their workbook(s) in printed format. However, all assessments must be uploaded to the MySats site regardless of the format of the workbook. The price of the printed workbook includes the courier delivery fee.

Can you get credit for previous studies and life experience?

This is referred to as Recognition of Prior Learning. Yes, you can! You need to provide us with details of what you have done, so that we can evaluate your prior learning in the light of our programmes and advise you as to your study options. When you apply to SATS, we conduct an assessment of your prior learning. If you undertake additional ministry or studies after your initial evaluation, you may apply to have a new assessment of your prior learning.

What is a Credit?

One credit equates to approximately 10 hours of time on task. At the undergraduate level, all courses are 12 credits, requiring approximately 120 hours of work; this includes research, writing of the assignment(s), and the examination. Since the courses at SATS run in 12 week term blocks, an average student should study between 8-10 hours per week

When and how do I enrol?

You can enrol at SATS at any time of the year. You will slot into whichever term is open at the time of enrolment.

Does SATS offer bursaries or scholarships?

We offer a limited number of bursaries. As a private tertiary institution, we receive no subsidies from the government. Therefore, we are totally dependent on donor funding for these bursaries. As and when funds become available, bursaries are awarded to deserving applicants. For more information contact bev@sats.edu.za

How does the term system work?

We offer most undergraduate courses within a term-based timetable (for exceptions, see the discussion of ‘Year Courses’ just below). The academic year begins on 1 February and is divided into four terms: Term 1, 1 February to 30 April; Term 2, 1 May to 30 July; Term 3, 1 August to 30 October; and Term 4, 1 November to 30 January.

What are Year Courses?

Year courses are courses that do not run according to the term system. They are open year-round, and do not have fixed submission dates for their assignments. You have 365 days to complete the course from the day that you registered.

What is MySats?

MySats is a website that integrates all your academic information. By logging into MySats, you are able to access all your course materials, interact with the tutor and other students, submit your assignments and keep track of their status, and receive feedback on your assignments.

Do I need textbooks?

Most of the first, second, and third year courses are self-contained, and therefore do not require textbooks. We provide a reader containing all the required readings for each course.

Does SATS have residential facilities?

No, SATS is an online institution.

Does SATS have a library?

Yes. We also have an excellent library, containing 20 000 physical volumes, as well as nearly 200 000 fully online, full text volumes. You can also contact library@sats.edu.za to request assistance with remote access to all the resources. The full catalogue is available on MySats.

Does my denomination recognise the SATS qualification?

There are a number of denominations currently enrolling students at SATS for their theological studies. You will need to contact the head of your denomination in order to find out if the SATS degree is sufficient for their denominational requirements. SATS does not ordain ministers.

Will my SATS qualification be acceptable overseas?

South African degrees are well respected overseas and, since SATS has the highest level of accreditation in South Africa, most foreign institutions will admit our graduates to further studies (see Accreditation and Registration). However, each institution is sovereign with respect to which applicants it admits, so no institution—local or international—is obliged to admit a SATS graduate (or, for that matter, a graduate from any other institution.)

How long it will take a student of SATS to complete a programme

Click here to see a brief video explaining how long it will take a student of SATS to complete a programme.