Is it possible to study for a Free Bachelor of Biblical Studies online? In the past I wrote an article about ways to study for a Free Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies. Since then, this article has consistently been in the top 10 most read articles on this blog.
It seems lot’s of people are looking for a way to study online for free. Especially if money is tight or if you are unable to attend a physical Bible school or college, studying online is a great option.
Most online courses do not offer a degree program for free. Many of them have hidden fees or are Diploma Mills. These courses have no added value, you learn virtually nothing and the diploma or degree they offer is not worth the paper they are printed on. Many of them hand out degrees that are simply illegal.
Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies
An Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies requires a total of 60 credit hours for graduation. It seems it’s almost impossible to study for an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies for free or at a low costs. Although there are some options available.
How about a Free Bachelor of Biblical Studies? Is that possible? Or good and Free Certificate Bible Courses?
Free Bachelor of Biblical Studies
A Bachelor of Biblical Studies is a study program that requires (at least) 120 credits.
“The Bachelor of Biblical Studies (BBS) is an undergraduate academic degree offering a comprehensive curriculum in the different aspects of the Bible including the Old Testament, New Testament and Gospels.” (Wikipedia)
There is almost no free Bachelor of Biblical Studies anywhere to be found. However, there are some exceptions! Global Baptist Bible College is one of them. The college offers an online program for the Bachelor of Biblical Studies and the program is completely free for students outside the USA.
“Only students based outside the USA can earn a Bachelor of Biblical Studies degree through Global Baptist Bible College. Students based in the USA can study to further their spiritual growth, but are not eligible to earn a degree. Instead, they are encouraged to visit the website of our sister school – Master’s Baptist College which is an in-person, tuition-free Bible College.”
The Global Baptist Bible College (GBBC) offers a free English Bible College. It’s a 3-Year, Online, On-Demand video based Bible school, allowing you to study at your own pace and you can earn a 3-year “Bachelor of Biblical Studies” degree online at GBBC.
The program for the Bachelor of Biblical Studies at GBBC is not accredited. Just like many other Bible schools. However, remember that you don’t have to pay a lot of tuition at GBBC, and at many (online) non-accredited Bible schools you do!
Credit transfer
If you are working to get a Bachelor of Biblical Studies, you must complete all of the courses offered. There is no option to transfer credits from ther colleges to GBBC.
King James translation
The GBBC uses the King James translation for the course materials. The advantage of the KJV translation is that it is available everywhere for free online. The disadvantage is that the language of the KJV is sometimes very old-fashioned. I have no problem with that myself. In addition, we have a translation in the Netherlands that is based on the same source texts (StatenVertaling), which I can read well. However, you should be aware of this.
Free Bachelor of Biblical Studies at GBBC
The program offered at GBBC doesn’t allow you to take exames without studying their lessons, so there’s no “fast track”. It doesn’t allow credit transfer, nor does it give credits for work or life experience.
Free doesn’t equal “easy”. I’ve started studying at the GBBC some time ago and you need to put some serious effort into the courses. The level of training is absolutely high and comparable to, for example, Christian Leaders Institute (CLI).
The Global Baptist Bible College can be found at: https://gbbc.net/
Free Certificate Bible Courses
If you do not need formal study for an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies or Bachelor’s degree, there’s always the option to take an online certificate course for free.
There are many Free Certificate Bible Courses available. But what’s the quality of these free courses? I found a good program at Cornerstone Bible Courses that I would like to bring to your attention.
This year I haven’t studied at Christian Leaders Institute. I didn’t know which direction to choose at CLI. That’s why I spent some time on Cornerstone and took the online tests as well. As a result, I obtained the certificates for the programs they offer.
Cornerstone Bible Courses is part of the non-denominational, non-commercial Cornerstone internet ministry dedicated to providing increased understanding of the Bible and principles of Christian living “… so that we may understand what God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12).
The website can be found at https://www.cornerstonecourses.org/
