Obtaining an Overseas PhD Without Moving Overseas

****This page is regularly updated****

I love education... I may have missed "my calling" to be an academic dean or professor. Anyway, one of the fascinating developments to watch has been the increased ways to study for a Ph.D. In the past, Ph.D. students would move nearby or live on-campus to undertake their studies. Over the last 10 years, many North American and overseas learning institutions have developed more user-friendly study methods. Modular programs, online classes, cohorts, intensive weeks, independent study classes, partnerships with conferences, and more are just a few of the various study methods.

Whereas most North American Ph.D. programs involve doctoral seminars before writing the dissertation, many overseas Ph.D. programs focus solely on writing the dissertation (commonly referred to as "dissertation only"). Since students have access to a major university library and can Zoom/FaceTime with their mentor professors once or twice a month, many overseas schools allow Ph.D. students to study in their home country. Such programs require either minimal or no travel before graduation.

Below are some overseas schools offering Ph.D.s (in areas like biblical studies, theological studies, religion, ministry/practical theology, philosophy of religion, missions/intercultural studies, and so on) that don't require relocation.

Hope you enjoy the post. Be sure and check out other blog posts in this series: earning an overseas master's degree, where to earn a 100% online master's degree, and Ph.D. distance learning programs in the United States.

ASIA

Asia Graduate School of Theology

AUSTRALIA

Alphacrucis University College

Australian School of Theology

**Students choose one of their schools to study for a Ph.D. or a Th.D. (click on either link and scroll down to see the schools offering the degree).

• Brisbane School of Theology

• Christ College

• Laidlaw College

• Malyon Theological College

• Melbourne School of Theology

• Morling College

• Presbyterian Theological College

• Queensland Theological College

• Ridley College

• Sydney Missionary & Bible College

• Trinity Theological College

Charles Sturt University

James Cook University

Sydney College of Divinity

**Students can earn a Ph.D. or a Th.D.

University of Divinity

**Students choose one of their schools to study for a Ph.D.

• Australian Lutheran College

• Catholic Theological College

• Eva Burrows College

• Morling College

• Pilgrim Theological College

• St. Athanasius College

• Stirling College

• Trinity College Theological School

• Whitley College

• Yarra Theological Union

University of Notre Dame Australia

**Students can earn a Ph.D. or a Th.D.

**Students can study for a Th.D. at the following schools:

• Catholic Institute of Sydney

University of Western Australia

BELGIUM

Evangelische Theologische Faculteit

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

**Th.D. award

BULGARIA

Sofia University- St. Kliment Ohridski

CANADA

University of Toronto

CZECH REPUBLIC

University of New York in Prague

FRANCE

Aix-Marseille University

Université de Lorraine

KENYA

St. Paul's University

NETHERLANDS

Free University of Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

**Students can earn a Ph.D. from the Free University of Amsterdam through:

• International Baptist Theological Seminary

• The Queen's Foundation

• Union School of Theology

NEW ZEALAND

University of Auckland

University of Otago

NIGERIA

Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary

NORWAY

University of Olso

**Students can earn a Ph.D. or a Dr.Philos (Doctor Philosophiae)

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

**Dr.Philos award

PHILLIPPINES

Asia Pacific Theological Seminary

POLAND

University of Opole

SOUTH AFRICA

South African Theological Seminary

Stellenbosch Univeristy

University of the Free State

**Students can earn either a Th.D. or a Ph.D. in Theology

University of Johannesburg

University of Pretoria **Students can earn a Ph.D. from the University of Pretoria through:

• Cape Town Baptist Seminary

University of South Africa

**Ph.D. areas have different departmental websites with information

SWEDEN

Lund University

UNITED KINGDOM

Anglia Ruskin University

Bangor University

Canterbury Christ Church University

Coventry University

Durham University

**Students can earn a Ph.D. from Durham University through:

• Westminster College

Liverpool Hope University

**Students can earn a Ph.D. from Liverpool Hope University through:

• Maryvale Institute

London Metropolitan University

Manchester Metropolitan University

Middlesex University

**Students can earn a Ph.D. from Middlesex University through:

• Oxford Centre for Mission Studies

• London School of Theology

Nottingham Trent University

The Open University

Oxford Brookes University

Oxford University

*Studying through the Department of Continuing Education

Staffordshire University

St. Mary's University

Union Theological College

University of Aberdeen

**Students can also earn a Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen through:

• Trinity College Bristol

University of Birmingham

University of Bristol

University of Cambridge

**Students can study for a Ph.D. from the faculty of Divinity with short trips to the campus.

**Students can also earn a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge through:

• Westminster College

University of Chester

University of Chichester

University of Dublin (Trinity College)

University of Edinburgh

University of Essex

University of Exeter

University of Glasgow

University of Gloucestershire

University of the Highlands & Islands

University of Hull

The University of Kent (apply as an external research student)

University of Leeds

University of Leicester **Students can earn a Ph.D. or the equivalent DSocSci (Doctor of Social Science)

University of London (King's College London)

University of Manchester

**Students can earn a Ph.D. from the University of Manchester through:

• Cliff College

• Luther King Centre

• Nazarene Theological College

University of Northampton

University of Nottingham

University of Reading

University of Roehampton

**Students can earn a Th.D. in Practical Theology

University of Sheffield

University of Sunderland

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David

University of Westminster

University of York

York St. John University