Courses Offered at Cape Town Baptist Seminary (CTBS) for 2027

Cape Town Baptist Seminary (CTBS) is a Baptist theological college in Bridgetown, about 12 km from the Cape Town city centre. The Baptist Union Assembly approved a seminary in Cape Town in 1972, the seminary was established in 1974 according to its prospectus, and it moved to its current property in 1979. It operates as a non-profit company and describes its aim as training the head, the heart and the hand, so that graduates become servant leaders who lead like Christ.

Accreditation: CTBS is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution (registration certificate no. 2000/HE08/005) and its degrees are accredited by the Council on Higher Education.

Qualifications and programmes:
- Bachelor of Theology (BTh), NQF Level 8, 480 credits
- Bachelor of Ministry (BMin), NQF Level 8, 480 credits
- Master of Theology (MTh), awarded by the University of Pretoria, with CTBS support
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), awarded by the University of Pretoria, with CTBS support
- Pulse programmes: non-credit short courses delivered on campus or in local churches

What makes the bachelor's degrees unusual is that they are four-year degrees that exit at the level of an honours degree. This means graduates meet the minimum entry requirement for a related master's degree without needing a separate honours year. The BTh places more weight on biblical languages (especially Greek), while the BMin leans towards practical ministry, but the two share most of their modules.

Study modes: the bachelor's degrees are taught through contact classes. Full-time students take up to five modules a semester, while part-time students attend evening classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 18:00 to 22:00. The MTh and PhD are research degrees done by distance, with no need to attend the University of Pretoria in person.

Campus life: the Bridgetown campus has lecture halls, a chapel and a library with more than 30 000 volumes and access to indexed journal articles. Three apartment blocks house around 25 students and their families, with secure parking, laundry and gym equipment. The Student Representative Council runs peer support and mentoring, the Dean of Students provides spiritual and emotional care, and professional counselling is available through faculty members who are clinical psychologists.

Fees and funding: in 2026, bachelor's modules cost R4 900 each, with a minimum payment of R8 500 at registration and an application fee of about R350 to R400. On-campus accommodation ranges from about R2 350 a month for a single room to R7 800 for a three-bedroom family unit, excluding electricity, internet, furniture and meals. Bursaries are available to qualifying students when funds allow, and the seminary encourages students to build a support team of sponsors or use study loan providers such as Fundi.

How to apply: complete the online application form, send the required documents, attend an admission interview (in person or online) and register once you are accepted. CTBS accepts applications throughout the year. International students need their school qualification verified by SAQA.

Useful documents (official PDFs):
- download: https://www.ctbs.org.za/index.php/programmes/prospectus/ctbs-prospectus-2026/download