A different kind of school
for a different kind of student.
Get an education that combines next-level
academics with real-world training.
Experience-Driven
Next-Level Academics
Half the Price
Don’t Pause Doing to Start Learning
If the idea of being stuck in a classroom or struggling through disconnected online courses for several years makes you question pursuing a degree… we’re with you! At Anchor Christian University, we believe doing fuels learning. That’s why we created a new education model that takes learning out of the classroom and places it into real-life ministry and leadership settings.
Not Your Parents’ University
Our world has changed, and college education should change with it.
Unlike most universities, we’ve eliminated some things, and improved others, so you can have what it takes, with nothing holding you back from making a real difference in the world. Anchor will help you:
Move Forward Debt Free
Earn a recognized degree at half the price of most other schools.
Make an Impact, Today
Use your gifts while receiving instruction in a ministry setting.
Graduate Resume-Ready
Fill a resume with everything you need to get the job you want.
Develop Real Connections
Get support from a growing network of mentors and employers.
We Don’t Like Classrooms Either
The way we make knowledge and experience work together will help you get the best out of what college and ministry can offer – at the same time.
Our classes are customizable
and delivered within the context of the ministry where you are serving.
Our professors are mentors
who are active ministry leaders making a real difference in the real world.
Our students are doers
learning to overcome challenges and seize opportunities in real-life scenarios.
You’re a difference-maker. Let us help you go further.
We combine next-level academics with real-world training to empower you for deeper impact. The idea of putting your life on pause for several years can make you question whether pursuing a degree is the right option for you. But with Anchor Christian University, you don’t have to stop doing to start learning.
We’ll keep you engaged in ministry while you train for ministry. It’s everything you need to go further with God and his purpose for your life.
Which program is right for you?
We developed a proven curriculum into an immersive experience designed to give you everything you need to succeed.
Certificate Programs
Earn a certificate in Biblical Foundations, Integrated Biblical Worldview, Ministry Leadership, or Applied Ministry
Associate Degrees
A two-year program for those interested in Biblical Studies or Christian Leadership.
Bachelor Degrees
Pursue a degree in Biblical Studies, or in Christian Leadership, with concentrations available in Camp Ministry, Missions, Youth Ministry.
Master’s Degrees
Earn a graduate degree in as little as one year, with a focus in Biblical Studies or Christian Leadership.
They Got More Out of Their Education.
For most ACU students and graduates, the typical university experience — on campus or online — just wasn’t for them. They wanted something different, something more. And with Anchor, they got it!
Empower your today.
Talk to Admissions
During a short get-to-know you call, you’ll share your passion, goals and dreams with us. And we will walk you through the degrees designed to help you get there.
Build a Custom Plan
We’ll help you customize a plan around the purpose God has for your life. You will be able to choose the right degree pathway with full assistance every step of the way.
Launch faster. Go further.
Once you’re happy with your plan, you can apply, enroll, and start fulfilling your calling with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still scrolling? You probably have some more questions for us:
All Anchor Christian University courses use an online learning management system (LMS) as an essential part of delivery. But the unique learning framework we developed flips the approach. Your ministry role — whether you’re a volunteer, an intern, in a church residency program, or a professional already — becomes your live classroom. The LMS simply provides a dynamic platform and framework for the learning you will engage in the real world of ministry and leadership. It’s transformative. It’s effective.
You can see our current tuition rates here. Students enrolled via an Eleven:6 frontline ministry partner program — usually a Christian gap year, a ministry internship, or a church residency — will automatically receive a discounted tuition rate.
Note that our approach to tuition is strategic. We intentionally make tuition accessible for those serving in ministry and preparing for ministry, to help everyone graduate without debt. And we don’t do fees. Other than books — which are not wrapped into your school bill — most students only see tuition and discounts/scholarships on their school bills. It’s simple. It’s straightforward. It’s designed to keep your energy and effort focused on learning, growing, impacting others, and building your resume with real-world value.
Not yet. As a newer institution, Anchor Christian University recently became eligible to begin the process of accreditation. We take that very seriously, and built our institutional processes from the beginning with accreditation in mind. Presently, our leadership team is evaluating various accreditation options for alignment with our mission, purpose, and organizational trajectory.
For students pursuing professions that fall outside our current degree offerings, or that may need accredited degrees to meet requirements in their chosen profession, we’ve built transfer agreements with several amazing regionally accredited Christian universities with just about any degree available. And we love helping our students build ideal pathways to wherever God calls them.
That depends. Anchor Christian University does not have a residential campus. So your living situation will vary based on the ministry context and role you decide to engage. Many frontline ministry partner programs in the Eleven:6 network have programs that provide onsite housing or housing options in their community. This is true flexibility, and keeps your cost of education down dramatically.
We do have limited scholarships available. Check them out online here. Rather than inflate tuition and hand out “scholarships,” we just set tuition at a transparent rate allows us to focus the mission we’re here to accomplish.
In life, where you live and work is where you learn and grow. Our approach to education models that reality, helping you build real-world competency (skill), capacity, and character, that has real-world impact. It’s not just bolted on as an afterthought. It’s built in. We require every student to actively serve in a ministry and/or leadership role while they are enrolled in Anchor Christian University courses. Why? Because every course is built to take advantage of the roles, relationships, rhythms, and dynamics (context) of real-world situations. Content (information) is important. But when we add context and coaching, learning happens at an entirely different level.
We will absolutely work to help you find and connect with ideal opportunities once you graduate. Through the Eleven:6 frontline ministry network, we have a growing global pool of faith-driven organizations that know and value what an Anchor Christian University degree indicates. At the same time, students that serve in ministry organizations while pursuing their degree will build their own network of relationships, and will develop resume-ready ministry pro fans that can serve as powerful references when it’s time to take the next step.
Launch Faster. Go Farther.
Start making the difference only you can make. We promise to match your passion and fuel your drive with: