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Do you have any questions?

See below for some answers to frequently asked questions. If you have any further queries, please feel free to get in touch.

Trinity College Faculty of Divinity

6 Hoskin Avenue, Toronto ON M5S 1H8

Faculty offices and classrooms are in the Larkin Building, 15 Devonshire Place

Phone Us

(647) 567-8955

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to questions that arise in many prospective students’ minds. Please read through these and let us know if you have any other specific questions.

What do I need to do to take Orthodox courses at the Faculty of Theology of Trinity College?

To take a course for credit, you must be enrolled in one of Trinity College’s graduate theological study programmes, either the Certificate of Theological Studies (CTS, 7 credits), the Master of Theological Studies (MTS, 20 credits) or Master of Divinity (MDiv, 30 credits). Students of other schools at the Toronto School of Theology (TST) may register for the courses as usual through the ACORN registration system.

Admission to the CTS, MTS or MDiv requires an undergraduate degree in any discipline with a B average from a recognised university. For full admission requirements, see the admissions page on the Faculty of Divinity of Trinity College website.

If you do not have an undergraduate degree or do not need to study for credit within a formal degree programme, you can still audit our courses and receive a statement of Recognition for Orthodox and Eastern Christian Studies. See below for more details on auditing.

What month can I start my studies? When do I need to apply?

Students usually begin their CTS, MTS or MDiv in the Fall (September) term, though students may also begin in Winter/Spring (January) or Summer (May).

Applications for admission to the CTS, MTS or MDiv are received throughout the year.

The application deadlines are as follows:

  • admission for fall term –  31 May
  • admission for winter term – 31 October
  • admission for summer term –  28 February

Can I study part-time?

Yes, certainly. It is not uncommon for students to take only one or two courses per term and therefore take more than two years (MTS) or three years (MDiv) to complete their degrees, because of other family and work commitments.

How much do courses cost?

To take a course for credit is approximately $600 plus $200 in student fees. Credits may be used towards a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, MTS or MDiv degree at Trinity College or any college of the Toronto School of Theology, or transferred to another graduate degree programme at another university.

Is there any financial assistance available?

Yes, students enrolled in the MTS or MDiv programme with financial need may apply for bursary assistance, which may cover up to approximately $500 per course.

Can I study online?

Yes, all our courses are offered online as well as in class.

I am not a Canadian or permanent resident of Canada. Can I still enrol?

Yes, certainly. If you apply and get admitted to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, MTS or MDiv programme you can study online or apply for a study permit in Canada and move to Toronto for the courses in class. The Canadian embassy or consulate nearest you can advise you on the requirements for your particular citizenship. You may also wish to consult the international students website of the University of Toronto.

Please note that, while domestic (Canadian or permanent resident) fees are approximately CDN $800 per course (including student fees), foreign tuition fees are three or four times that amount. Bursaries are available, but only up to 85% of the domestic tuition fees, so other external financial support would need to be found by the student. If you do not have an undergraduate degree or do not need to study for credit within a formal degree programme, you can still audit our courses as a non-Canadian. See below for more details on auditing, which costs the same for both foreign and domestic students.

All the courses are in English, of course, so in addition to the normal admissions requirements, we would need evidence of capability of study at the graduate academic level in English. Something like the TOEFL is usually sufficient for that.

What does auditing involve?

Auditing means to take the courses without formal registration in a degree programme. We offer the opportunity to audit any of our courses for $250 each (the same cost applies to domestic and foreign students). Auditing can be in class or online. You can participate as much as you like, including attending lectures or watching them online, participating in classroom or online discussion forums, leading seminars, and even doing some of the assignments if you wish. You may receive informal feedback on your participation, but there are no grades, and the courses neither count for credit nor can they be converted for credit later on.

To audit a course, please fill in an audit form and pay the auditor’s fee for each course.

Can I start in one programme and switch to another?

Upon graduation from any programme, the credits are “used up” and cannot be transferred into another degree programme. Before graduation, however, it is normally possible to transfer (assuming all admission requirements are satisfied) and to apply all course credits to the new programme. Please bear in mind that, when switching into the Master of Divinity programme, there are time-specific requirements to fulfil around field placement and full-time internship: it is not therefore feasible to complete the 20 credits of the MTS, for example, and before graduation switch to the MDiv and complete that degree (the remaining 10 credits) within one calendar year.

How can I support Orthodox Christian Studies?

Trinity Orthodox Theological Foundation has been established to support the work of maintaining and developing Orthodox Christian Studies at Trinity College.

All money raised by the foundation is used to support the school, including funding conferences, public lectures, and other events, as well as equipment and resources for the classroom and scholarships for students. Please give generously to help further Orthodox theological education in Canada.

Trinity Orthodox Theological Foundation is a registered Canadian charity (registration number 79951 4682 RR0001) and an Ontario not-for-profit company (company number 1976338).

All donations from named individuals will receive tax receipts.