A place of home while you journey.
Community is at the heart of the Columbia Seminary experience. From the moment you set foot on campus, we create a place of belonging for all – an environment of nurture and support where you can explore and share ideas freely as you pursue your theological education.
Housing and Student Life are central to that experience, as are the diverse life experiences of the students, faculty, and staff who live on our campus. Find your welcome here. Build your community. Add your voice to a conversation that has flourished at Columbia for nearly 200 years.
Welcoming Wholeness.
The Department of Student Formation and Campus Culture (SFCC) creates experiences and initiatives that bind students together inside and outside of the classroom. Their work can be felt through bustling community life events, the strong atmosphere of support, spiritual formation initiatives, and passionate, caring conversations that occur throughout our campus.
Get Involved on Campus
The Center for Academic Literacy provides free access to academic coaches who can help with… well… anything! Schedule one on one guidance on professional skills like time management or analytical writing, meet with an academic coach for advice on your class assignments, or watch a virtual tutorial on your own.
Student Formation and Campus Culture staff can help you discern what happens after graduation, leveraging Columbia’s sterling reputation to find a vocation in which your particular gifts will have the most impact.
We hold chapel two times a week, including communion every Friday when classes are in session. Students frequently lead our services, lending their creativity and talents to create meaningful worship experiences for our entire community.
Campus and community leagues offer opportunities to children and adults who want to play organized sports. A state-of-the-art workout facility in Riggs Commons includes strength and cardio exercise equipment, and the local YMCA offers discounts to Columbia students.
Both staff and student groups organize shared meals, study breaks and community forums throughout the year, providing community members with opportunities to connect with one another on a deeper level. And students frequently get together for movies, dinners, music or ball games.
The SGA partners with the Student Formation and Campus Culture department to foster a cared-for student community. Students can serve as elected officials, volunteer for a committee or even start their own organization.
Student Organizations represent the diverse backgrounds of the Columbia student body. They are easy to form, easy to join and offer practical experience in focused areas of interest.
Student Employment One of the best ways for students to get involved at Columbia is by working on campus. Columbia Student Employment (CSE) provides opportunities to earn professional experience and additional funding for your studies. Responsibilities and duties vary greatly, but all offer opportunities to expand academic, administrative and ministry experience.
DIVERSITY
Belonging isn’t what it used to be.
And that’s a good thing!
Columbia Theological Seminary is deeply committed to the Reformed tradition of ecumenical openness and the holy tensions that clearly highlight where the Spirit is at work. We live into this commitment by ensuring Columbia remains one of the most diverse seminaries connected to the Presbyterian Church (USA).
In this community, there is a place for everyone. There is a place for those who have been minoritized and marginalized. There is also a place for those who have traditionally had a seat, but the place we are creating is non-dominant and more equitable than what we have known. Here, we learn to speak. We also learn to listen to each other with humility, courage, and grace. We also listen for God’s voice in these conversations. Our world-class and extraordinarily diverse faculty embodies both the beauty and the struggle of living and learning in an intercultural environment.
Conversations are not always easy. Truths are sometimes hard to find or hear. But we believe God is pulling us deeper into this way of life, this common struggle together. We believe the world is in desperate need of religious leaders equipped to traverse the increasingly diverse terrain of our communities. And we believe this is the most faithful way to honor the Reformed tradition and Columbia's denominational roots.
A Global Community In The Heart of Georgia
The Columbia community is deeply enriched by the presence of students, faculty and scholars who come from outside the United States. Roughly 20% of each incoming class is comprised of international students, each of whom brings a unique cultural, historical, and theological perspective with them.
If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, we’ve prepared a checklist to help you gather the materials you will need to apply for study at Columbia Theological Seminary.
STUDENT HOUSING
The following housing options
make up our community:
All students are eligible to live on campus. Priority is given to full-time students seeking master’s-level degrees. While not required, first year students are encouraged to live on campus to build strong relationships and networks of support.
Columbia makes study easy for those with families. Students with school-aged children will receive priority status for housing in The Village. The Village is zoned for City of Decatur schools, some of the best performing public schools in the Southeastern United States.
Columbia provides accessible housing for students who require physical accommodations. Contact reslife@ctsnet.edu for more information.
Students who want to live off-campus will find plenty of options in our host city of Decatur – a charming and picturesque hotspot that is a short and easy commute from the Columbia campus.
RESIDENTIAL
COMMUNITIES
Columbia offers four residential communities – two on upper campus and two in Winnona Park. Each offers a variety of living options from efficiency apartments to multi-room suites. There is a comfortable place for everyone to call home – from single students to entire families with children.
Upper Campus Living Communities
Florida Hall
offers students renovated, historic apartments, suites, efficiencies, and individual rooms - all with private baths. Suites are furnished and include two rooms, each with a private bath. All efficiency apartments are unfurnished.
Winnona Park Living Communities
The Village Apartments
is a community of townhomes and apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms. All units include a full kitchen plus washer and dryer. The Village also includes a playscape and picnic area.
Marcia Y. Riggs Commons
provides studios, apartments, suites, and community housing. Units ranging from one to four bedrooms can be split between eligible students. All units include private bathrooms (one per bedroom). Apartments feature full kitchens, which include refrigerators and microwave ovens.
The Friendship House
includes historic apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms. All units include refrigerators. Students have access to a laundry house provided as a courtesy. Friendship House residents also have access to playscapes and areas for community life.
HOW TO APPLY
FOR HOUSING
After you are admitted and pay your enrollment confirmation fee, you will receive an email from the ResLife team inviting you to apply for on-campus housing. Space is available on a first come, first served basis with priority given to full-time masters’ level students, so you are encouraged to apply as early as possible. You can indicate which community you prefer, and the ResLife staff will make every effort to accommodate your request. However, please know that housing placements are affected by a number of factors including availability and family size.
In most cases, you can remain in your initial housing assignments through the end of your studies at Columbia. However, if you wish to move to a different community at the conclusion of an academic year, you may submit a new housing application at that time.
Housing Agreement
All students occupying on-campus housing will be required to sign a Campus Housing License Agreement. Occupancy of campus housing is subject to compliance with the provisions of the Housing License; the Student Handbook; all applicable Seminary policies; and local, state, and federal laws.
Cancellation Policy
Students who need to cancel their housing agreement will be eligible for a refund, provided they contact the Vice President of Business and Finance two weeks before the first day of class.