Admission Requirements

General conditions for admission

There are general conditions for admission for the degree programmes that we run — please see the CTF website.  Short courses are open to anyone, regardless of academic background.  The Catholic Theology and Practice Certificate is open to all women.

  1. The Institute admits women and men who wish to study as members of the ecumenical Cambridge Theological Federation (CTF).
  2. Although we are a Catholic house within the CTF, we admit students from all Christian denominations, from other faith traditions, and those of no faith but interested in studying on our courses.
  3. As part of the Institute’s mission, it has made a special commitment to help women in the Catholic Church further their vocations.  We run a MBIT certificate in Catholic Theology and Practice (Level 4) for all women who have an interest in exploring theology together in a female-only environment.

Specific Admission Requirements

The following courses have admissions requirements:

  • DTM (Diploma in Theology for Ministry)
  • BTH (Bachelors of Theology for Ministry)
  • MA in Christian Spirituality East and West
  • MA in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care
  • MA in Contemporary Faith and Belief in the Global Context
  • MA in Contemporary Ethics
  • MPhil
  • DProf
  • PhD

Information about the admission requirements for these specific courses can be found on the CTF website.

Admissions Procedure

MA.  Our Masters degrees are validated via Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge (ARU).  You apply via ARU website.  Once you have submitted your application, you will be contacted to select the House to which you wish to belong. You can then choose the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology (MBIT) and you will then invited you for a short informal online interview with us. (The same process applies which ever House you choose). The links can be found on the CTF website

BTh. The Bachelors in Theology is a Cambridge University degree. The DTM also follows material from the same course.   Please contact the Director of Studies for an application form at apply@mbit.cam.ac.uk.

MPhils/PhDs and DProfs.  These postgraduate programmes are validated by Anglia Ruskin University and the application procedure is via the ARU website. Once you have submitted your application, you will be contacted to select the House to which you wish to belong. You can then choose the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology (MBIT) and you will then be invited for a short informal online interview with us. (The same process applies whichever House you choose). The links can be found on the CTF website . It is advised that you meet with the Director of Studies prior to applying to discuss your subject and supervision arrangements.

For MPhils and PhDs at Cambridge university, please contact the Director of Studies at apply@mbit.cam.ac.uk  who will explain the application process. These are Cambridge University degrees and so applications will need to be made via the Cambridge Divinity Faculty.

CTP.  For the Certificate in Catholic Theology and Practice, please see more information here. If you are new to the course, you then be invited short, very informal interview which will introduce you the course and provide you with information about what to expect and where to find course materials.

Other short course and study days.  These are announced from time to time on our website, newsletter and our Eventbrite page.  Please contact us at info@mbit.cam.ac.uk.

If you have any further questions about our admission process, please contact us at info@mbit.cam.ac.uk.

Visiting MBIT

It is not necessary to make an informal visit to the Institute in Cambridge before you make an application.  Many our courses are offered via blended learning or online and it not always practical for students to visit.  However, if you are taking a course in person and you wish to visit beforehand, you are very welcome to do so.   We do have some courses which are run at MBIT,  which provide an opportunity for our students to meet face to face.   To organise a visit, please contact us at info@mbit.cam.ac.uk.

We are located in Cambridge at:

12-14 Grange Road
Cambridge CB3 9DU

Tel: (+44) (0)1223 741039

E-mail: info@mbit.cam.ac.uk

Fees

Degree Programme Fees.  The fees for all our degree programmes are explained on the Cambridge Theological Federation (CTF) fees page, here.

House Fees.  Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology (as other Houses in the CTF) charge House Fees for students registered for our blended learning or onsite university degree programmes.  These fees contribute towards the costs of running the Institute, including its staffing and maintenance, providing Internet access, library, use of Common Room and other common areas and in some cases tutorials.

The House fees are as follows:

  • University of Cambridge degrees (DTM/BTH):  £1500 per annum full time students; £750 per annum for part time students
  • ARU Postgraduate and Research Degree (PhD/DProf/MPhil/MA) Programmes: £200 per annum for both full and part time students
  • There are no House fees for distance learning students.

Catholic Theology and Practice.  These courses are £220 per 4 week course.    If you take five CTP courses, you attain a Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology certificate.  Bursaries are available, including a 30% discount for religious orders.

Study Days and Short Courses.  The fees for range from £20 to £120, with a 30% discount for religious orders.

International Students

We welcome applications from international students. We appreciate the contribution that students from other parts of the world and other parts of the Catholic Church make to the learning experience and to the community.  Over the years we have had students from Latvia, the United States of America, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Ireland, Nigeria, Poland, Vietnam, Philippines, South Korea, Uganda and Ghana.

International students may also study on online courses with us.   No visa is needed and no extra fees are charged when studying online.

Frequently-Asked Questions

For international students considering study in person at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, here is a link to some of the frequently asked questions about applying which include queries about visa issues in relation to Cambridge Theological Federation programmes: www.theofed.cam.ac.uk/faq

If you are planning to study in the UK, look for these questions:

  • From outside of the United Kingdom, how will I find out about the need for a visa?
  • What type of visa do I need?
  • Will the Federation arrange my visa for me?

We warmly welcome follow up enquiries to the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology from international applicants, but these frequently asked questions should be checked first so you have a clear idea of what will be involved.

Fees and funding

  • Students from outside the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) are considered international students.
  • International student fees are set by the awarding universities.
  • We have a number of bursaries for good applicants. Please see more about bursaries here.

Visas

  • All international students who wish to study physically in the UK will need to apply for a visa. Before you can apply for a visa you will need to have:
    • Applied and been accepted onto your chosen course
    • Received a formal letter of acceptance from the awarding university along with a letter of admission from the Institute with information about residency and any bursary (where relevant)
  • You will also need to demonstrate that you have the funds to support your period of study in the UK
  • Visa requirements mean that you will need to allow a good six months between application and the start of the academic year. Applications should be made no later than 1 March of the year of study, and you are advised to arrive in Cambridge in the middle of September.

You do not need a visa if you are studying for a course that is run entirely online.

Bursaries

We invite applications from full-time and part-time candidates (both existing students and new) for fixed-term Postgraduate Bursaries.

The Institute has the following types of student bursary:

  • Postgraduate and Short Courses bursaries funded through a grant from the Canonesses of St Augustine
  • MBIT bursaries for postgraduate, undergraduate, short courses or study days

Value of Bursaries

It is the Institute’s policy to retain flexibility about the value of bursaries in order to respond to the needs of an individual student, and to make best use of the funding available in each of the bursary funds.

Term of Bursaries

We consider the whole of a student’s course in allocating our bursaries. This ensures that students on two- and three-year courses have their need for funding throughout the duration of their study considered from the outset.

After the first year, each case will be reviewed annually and the required form and information needs to be submitted each subsequent year.  As long as academic requirements are met to a satisfactory level and outstanding fees are paid, then normally those on two- or three- year courses can have certainty of funding during the entire course of studies.

Use of Bursary Funding

Bursary funding may be applied to the payment of fees and/or student maintenance and in some cases other costs. Each case is considered individually.

Eligibility

  • All applicants must be students at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, studying for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at either Anglia Ruskin University or University of Cambridge, or another MBIT course. Research applicants may also be considered.
  • The main criterion for the selection of eligible students is financial need. This means that applicants must be willing to divulge their financial situation, both income and expected expenditure.
  • They must also be able to show that they have exhausted other avenues for funding, including the advice they will be given by the Institute about other sources of funding.
  • In making a decision, household earnings are taken into account which normally include earnings from employment, job seekers allowance, employment & support allowance, pension, working tax credits, child tax credits, other regular income. This does not include: housing benefit, child benefit, disability living allowance or personal independence payments.
  • Full and part-time students are eligible for bursary funding.
  • Applications may come from students living anywhere in the world.
  • Students may apply at any stage of their course of studies, provided they apply before the cut-off point in any particular year.

Timing of Applications and Decisions

Applications for funding should be made after the normal admissions process has been completed and a place has been offered.  During the admissions process, applicants will indicate any intention to apply for a bursary to the Director of Studies who will advise them on the application process, including the completion of these documents:

Individuals intending to make an application for bursary funding should complete the admissions process as early as possible in the academic year and by 28 August 2023 at the latest. Any applications made later than this date will not be considered and such applicants may have to defer their entry if it is dependent on a bursary.

Students in the second or third years of their programme whose financial situation has changed and are applying for a bursary for the first time should also apply by 28 August 2023, as should students who received a bursary in 2022-23 and would like to apply for continued funding.

We encourage you to discuss your situation with the Director of Studies as soon as possible.

 

Conditions of Bursaries

  • Prospective students who have been awarded a bursary will be expected to show a firm commitment to taking up their place at the Institute.
  • Continuing students must have successfully completed all the requirements of the year before a bursary can be renewed. They should also have paid all outstanding bills to the Institute and/or Cambridge Theological Federation, University of Cambridge or Anglia Ruskin University.
  • The Bursary Panel will determine whether a student receives a bursary. Students in receipt of bursaries from the Canonesses of St Augustine will be expected to provide a brief profile of themselves, using a proforma that can be shared with the donors of their bursaries. They will also be asked to provide a short personal reflection at the end of their course of study.
  • Those receiving a bursary commit to participating in the academic life of the Institute, e.g. research seminars, events

  

Bursary Panel

The Panel comprises members of the Academic team, chaired by the Principal and the Director of Finance.

Appeals Against Decisions of the Panel

The decision of the Panel is final and there is no appeals procedure.

Updated 25th of July 2023

Government Funding and Universities Bursaries

Applicants who have not studied for a degree are eligible to take out a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the cost of your tuition fees.  For more detailed information on tuition fee loans please see here.

You may find the following organisations useful:

Department for Education
The Council for International Education – for international students
Access to Learning

University bursary schemes also apply to eligible students. This means that students accepted for the BTh are eligible for Cambridge University bursaries for Years 2 and 3 of their degree course, but not for the Qualifying Year. The Cambridge Bursary Scheme is a generous one.

Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology offers substantial bursaries for full and part time study.