VST Summer School

Course Expectations

• Summer courses are open to all interested participants. There are no prerequisites or theological training needed to audit a course. Auditors attend and participate in the course but are not required to submit any assignments for grading. It is our hope that all summer school students will be able to participate in real-time in the virtual classrooms, although an asynchronous option for auditors is available if necessary.
• All degree, diploma and certificate students are expected to maintain 100% attendance and be in person (synchronous only if via Zoom).

Equipment Requirements for Synchronous Distance Learning

• A relatively recent laptop, desktop, or mobile device (smartphone or tablet).
• If using a desktop computer, an external webcam will most likely be required.
• A headset with built-in microphone, or a pair of headphones and your device’s built-in microphone (i.e. laptop mic). Headphones are required for the best audio experience.

Continuing Education Certificate Credit

If reading and writing help you engage more deeply with course material, you may want to consider taking a class for Continuing Education Certificate credit. Work expectations include preparation and reading before the start of the course with a graded reflection paper following.

CTS – Certificate in Theological Studies

Degree Credit

Most Summer School courses are also available for 1.5 credits of either basic or advanced graduate degree credit. Current degree tuition rates apply.  A $50 registration fee for summer degree students is also assessed.

If you are interested in taking a course for degree credit towards your VST degree program, or to transfer into a comparable theological degrees elsewhere, please register via your Student Portal or email registrar@vst.edu. (Do not register with the summer online registration form.)

Course Outlines & Required Readings

Course outlines and required reading texts will be posted online as they arrive (likely by end of April). Please refer to each individual course above to find course outlines and required reading.

Textbooks

Please make your own arrangements for acquisition of the Required Texts for your course through your local bookstores. Online bookstores such as Indigo.ca or Amazon.ca have competitive prices with fast shipping to your neighbourhood.

Accommodations

VST is a non-residential graduate school, meaning we do not have housing for our students. However, there are a myriad of options available for students looking for short-term accommodations either on or off campus. Here are just a few of the resources available:

• St. Andrew’s Hall – Across the parking lot from VST (Summer Term only)
• Carey Hall – 2 blocks away from VST
• Triumf House – On UBC campus
• UBC Conferences Accommodations – A variety of options and prices
• UBC Suites – Various locations on campus
• UBC Commuter Student Hostel – Designed for weekday commuters
• UV Rent Line – UBC’s off-campus housing
• Airbnb

Financial Aid

The H.R. MacMillan Fund for Clergy Continuing Education provides funding for Clergy continuing education in British Columbia, or for any clergy person taking courses at Vancouver School of Theology.

Financial aid application information coming soon…

Course Cancellation

In the event of low registrations, some courses may be cancelled. Please register early to avoid disappointment. Information on course cancellation will be available on our website in early June. If VST has to cancel a course, you will be given a full refund.

Withdrawal Policy

If you withdraw from a course, notification must be received in writing to the Registrar by the dates below.  In all cases a $25 admin fee is non-refundable ($45 for degree credit withdrawals). Of the remaining fees, the following are refunded depending on the date of withdrawal:

• 100% is refunded prior to the 1st day of classes
• 80% is refunded by the end of the first day of class;
• 40% is refunded by the end of the second day of class;
• 20% is refunded by the end of the third day of class;
• After the third day of class, no refund can be given.