Overseas Students

QTC welcomes Overseas students and seeks to provide a welcoming environment for them. Courses delivered at QTC are those accredited by the Australian College of Theology (ACT). The Australian College of Theology CRICOS Provider Code is 02650E. See the ACT’s Overseas Students web page for general information about studying with the ACT.

The deadline for applications from Overseas Students is the 15th of October for those starting in Semester 1 the following year, and 15th of April for those applying to start in Semester 2 of the same year.  Applicants from some countries should be aware that as the process of gaining an Australian Visa in their case may take quite some time, they are advised to make application well ahead of this date.  Commencing in second Semester as an Overseas Student is not normally possible – As Overseas Students must remain full-time for the duration of their time in Australia, and some of our first-year subjects offered in Second Semester require first-Semester subjects as prerequisites, it is not possible to study sufficient subjects to be classed as a full-time student in the initial Semester of the course.  The only possible exception to this is some applicants for the Graduate Diploma of Divinity, who in starting in 2nd Semester thereby rule out any possibility of continuing on to the MDiv.

General Qualifications Required:

Competence in English to a level of a 6.5 average on the IELTS scale for Diplomas (Pathway 2) and Bachelor of Theology courses, with a minimum of 6.5 in each subtest.
or competence in English to an average score of 7 on the IELTS scale for Graduate Certificate of Divinity, Graduate Diploma of Divinity and Master of Divinity courses, with at least 7.0 for reading and writing, and 6.5 for listening and speaking.
(Proof of English language proficiency in accordance with ACT’s English Language Proficiency Policy)

Aged at least 18 years.

Completion of year 12 in an Australian High School or its equivalent for acceptance in an undergraduate course and an ACT recognised Degree to be accepted into a post graduate course.

If an Overseas Student has previously studied in Australia, then the applicant must be able to demonstrate:

• They have shown commitment to their previous studies
• They have a good attendance record for those studies
• They have paid all fees that are owing to the provider

Students who have commenced but not completed a previous course in Australia must provide a letter of release from the previous provider attesting to these three matters.

After enrolling, the student will need to obtain a student visa from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). Queensland Theological College will provide an electronic confirmation of enrolment but does not accept any responsibility for obtaining the visa.

In particular, in its relationship with Overseas Students, the QTC will be bound to the education services for Overseas Students (registration of Providers Financial Regulations) Act 2000. For the purposes of the Act, the registered provider is the Australian College of Theology, of which QTC is an affiliated college. Overseas Students enrol through QTC in awards of the ACT.

It is a requirement of entry into Australia that Overseas Students will engage in full-time study. It is therefore expected that Overseas Students will complete the award for which they are registered within the time frame set for that award.

In the case of Overseas Students, attendance at less than 100% of scheduled classes (except for cases of medical or personal issues, with documentation provided to the Registrar), will result in an unsatisfactory report and may affect your student visa.

Please contact our Overseas Student Liaison Officer for additional information.

Courses available to Overseas Students

QTC is approved to deliver the following courses of the Australian College of Theology (CRICOS 02650E) to overseas students:

Applications for Study at QTC

Applications to QTC can be made at any time of the year. QTC regrets that it is unable to admit students to a course where their intended start date (first day of classes) is two weeks or less after the date that their application has been received.

The deadline for applications from overseas students is the 15th of October for those starting in semester 1 the following year, and 15th of April for those applying to start in Semester 2 of the same year. Applicants from some countries should be aware that as the process of gaining an Australian Visa in their case may take quite some time, they are advised to make their application well ahead of this date.

Before we can organise a Skype interview we need to have received the following paperwork – your completed QTC Overseas Student application form, a copy of your IELTS test score results (or other proof of English proficiency as requested by Academic Services), transcripts of any previous study undertaken, a photocopy of your passport, a passport sized photo and a reference from your pastor.

How to Enrol

For information on the enrolment process go to Apply to QTC.

Life in Australia

For information on obtaining health care, the cost of living, education for school-aged children, and other helpful tips for preparing to move to Australia, please visit the Australian Immigration and Citizenship website. For information about general student support, see the QTC Student Support Services page.

Overseas Student Fees

Overseas Students are, by definition, full-time students. They must pay their fees on a semester by semester basis and by the due dates.  Please see the Fee Schedule for the amount currently being charged for approved courses.

In every case 10% of the scheduled fee covers administrative costs and is therefore not refundable in the event that a student withdraws from a Subject(s) or a course.

Specific Guidelines for Refunds:

Some of the specific procedures that apply to Overseas Students are:

• Under government regulations, Overseas Students must study full-time
• Fees are paid on a semester basis and are due by 28th February for semester one and 31st July for semester 2.
• QTC does not offer any assistance, financial or otherwise towards accommodation.
• If for some reason, the QTC is unable to complete the teaching of a subject or course for which a student has enrolled, then the QTC has in place credit agreements with other Colleges. This would enable such a student to transfer credit for work completed to the other College in order to complete the course.
• If a student withdraws from a subject before completing it, he/she will be liable to pay a proportion of the subject fee. This will be equivalent to the proportion of the tuition that has been given plus any exam fees paid on the student’s behalf and for which the QTC is unable to obtain a refund. In any case, a student who withdraws at any time after formally enrolling in a subject, will be liable for a minimum of 10% of the subject fee to cover administration costs.
• Anything stated in the above policy does not preclude a student taking action under the relevant Australian Consumer Protection Laws
• Any dispute resolution processes do not circumscribe the student’s right to pursue other legal remedies.
• Any refund payable will be paid within 4 weeks of the receipt of a written application for refund.
• For further information on the Australian College of Theology Refund Policy for Overseas Students go here.