Spurgeon's College - In Depth

Founded: 1856. Structural features: Private college, affiliated to Wales University.

Site: 8-acre campus in south London.

How to get there: By train to Norwood Junction; local buses.

Special features: Theological college, training men and women for various forms of Christian service, especially as ordained Baptist ministers. Strong vocational bias. Ministerial applicants not accepted straight from school.

Academic features: Postgraduate research, taught Masters' courses, part-time and open learning courses and awards in counselling.

Awarding body: Wales University.

Main undergraduate awards: BD, diploma in theology.

Length of courses: 1-3 years (5-6 years part-time).

Library & information services: 50,000 volumes, over 90 periodical series. Annual expenditure on information provision, £200 per (FTE) student. IT facilities open 24 hours; 5 computers with access to library, mega-stream access to internet. Other learning facilities: Audio-visual equipment.

Accommodation: 14 full-board rooms in college at £2500 pa, term time only; 16 self-catering flats/flatlets, including some for married students, £120-£275 per month, year-long contracts.

Living expenses budget: No College-recommended minimum.

Term time work: College allows term-time work for full-time students, limit of 10 hours per week (20% believed to work).

Tuition fees: £4750 pa for first degrees, home and international students (limited help for international students).