Youthworks College Online offers the Diploma, Advanced Diploma, and Associate Degree of Theology or Ministry. This means you can fit study around your other commitments as you grow in your understanding of the Bible and sharpen your ministry skills where you already are.
Why Study Online?
Whatever the reason – whether you live too far away, have to work or raise children – if you’d like to study at Youthworks College but can’t make it to campus, you can study online!
This provides an excellent option for those in regional or remote areas who want to enrich their knowledge of God through his word while continuing to serve in their local church.
Using specially prepared audio and lecture content, you interact with fellow students and expert tutors online. With a generous amount of time to complete the diplomas, you can choose the number of units each year that enable you to complete the award at the pace which best suits you.
Study Hub
Online learning doesn’t need to be isolated learning. You can study online together with a friend, a colleague, or with other members at your church. If your location is more remote perhaps you can arrange to catch up with another online student once a fortnight in a town nearby?
We urge you to consider signing up to study online units with a friend, or gathering a group of people together at your church. You can have the convenience and flexibility of learning by distance with the benefit of a study partner IRL!
Summer Study
Each year we offer a summer (late November-early February) online unit between semesters 2 and 1 for those looking to grow and equip themselves in this season of life.
The unit offered will be a core foundational unit for all the courses offered at Youthworks College. They are fully accredited through the Australian College of Theology.
Enquire here to speak with someone about these study options.
How It Works.
Learning online is flexible and communal. All students join an ‘online class’, which enables interaction with other students, lecturers and tutors.
Limited to 20 students per class, interaction takes place via bulletin board discussions, forums, real time messaging and file sharing. Tutorial style discussion questions help the students think more deeply about what they are learning, and students work with expert tutors to explore the answers.
When you study online, you receive high quality content, delivered via the best available technology.
All ministry units are delivered over regular Zoom sessions to provide more personal discussion with your tutor and ministry peers. Zoom sessions are scheduled around 5PM (AEST) on a weekday afternoon so our students from Sydney to Western Australia, Africa, Asia, and New Zealand can join together in class.
All other units (Theology, Biblical Studies, Church History etc.) are taught asynchronously (without any set “class” time) so you can fit study into any timetable and timezone.
Your online study will incorporate:
· Audio recordings of lectures and expert discussions
· Set readings and assessments
· Regular interaction with lecturers, tutors and fellow students via the online classroom
· (For ministry units) there will be a weekly or fortnightly Zoom class session
A typical week.
You can choose how to structure your week. As a guide, you should allow one study day per week for each subject. This time will be spent:
· Listening to a recorded discussion for each subject
· Reading the allocated study notes and set readings
· Online forum interaction with your tutor and classmates
· Working on assessment tasks
Next Steps:
Step 1 - Send an enquiry to start the process: Enquiry Form
Step 2 - Fill out the College application form
Step 3 - After being accepted into College, enrol in course
Important ACT Policies for prospective students include: Academic Integrity policy for Coursework awards, Course Progress Policy, Coursework Course Enrolment Policy, Credit Transfer Rules, Grievance Resolution Policy – Students, Prior Learning Policy, Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Policy, Tuition Fee Refund Policy, Unit enrolments and results policy, Whistleblower Policy.
Admission Criteria
Youthworks College welcomes students from all denominations who have a personal faith in Jesus Christ and are active church members. Applicants should understand that as an organisation of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Youthworks College operates under the Diocesan Statement of Faith.
Youthworks College expects all staff and students to adhere to the national code of conduct, Faithfulness in Service and the Youthworks College Code of Conduct.
All students over 18 years will require a Working with Children Check (WWCC). This check will give you a WWCC number which should be provided to college@youthworks.net for verification. To apply for your WWCC visit the NSW Kids Guardian. This requirement also applies to all online students residing in NSW.
Youthworks College is committed to the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, therefore you are also required to complete the Safe Ministry training package prepared by the Sydney Anglican Diocese (or equivalent training endorsed by the NCCA's Safe Church Program).
Online Fees.
Youthworks College is an affiliated college of the Australian College of Theology (ACT). The tuition fees are set by the ACT on an annual basis. More information about tuition fees is available here.
Financial Assistance
FEE-HELP:
Students who are Australian Citizens and who are intending to complete the whole undergraduate award (either full time or part time) can pay ACT tuition fees through a FEE-HELP loan from the Australian Federal Government. FEE-HELP is a Government loan that pays for the course fees, and is repaid later through the taxation system when the student earns above a certain amount. Students may apply for a FEE-HELP loan of any amount up to the full tuition fees for their course (the total amount owed to the government will include a 25% administration fee).
Youth Allowance, AUSTUDY, ABSTUDY:
Full Time study or equivalent (75% load equalling 3 units a semester) – is required to access Centrelink benefits.
Students enrolling in 3 or more units of the diploma in theology are able to apply to Centrelink for Austudy, Abstudy and Youth Allowance. Youthworks College (through the Australian College of Theology) is registered with Centrelink as a provider of higher education (YWC Institution code (for YWC units) is 2P488). Students who qualify are able to apply for Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance.
For more information about entitlements and eligibility please visit studyassist.gov.au