Study Recommendations

 

Gulf Coast Bible Institute offers the student the opportunity to obtain superior level Bible training without stepping foot inside a classroom. Because students work at home, they have the added responsibility of structuring their study time around their busy work schedule. GCBI offers the following study recommentations in hopes of helping the student make the most of his at-home Bible training.

  • Faithful, weekly, systematic study is critical to success. Pick a time and place to study and be faithful to that time, unless emergencies arise. It is easy to set down your studies for some other thing that comes up. Just be sure to pick up your studies again as soon as possible. The #1 biggest problem with correspondence students is waiting till the last minute to complete the work.
  • Set down a program for the UNIT, organizing the study materials into your time frame. Do this for every UNIT, as some require more time than others.
  • You will have approximately 10-11 weeks of study time per UNIT. This allows for time to mail your UNIT back in for grading. Divide your UNIT work into ten work-weeks, checking yourself periodically to see if you are still on schedule. Make adjustments as needed to finish on time.
  • All work should be mailed in at least 10 days prior to the end of the quarter to ensure your next UNIT is mailed on time for the next quarter.
  • GCBI is very gracious about granting extensions when students require more time to complete a UNIT. We understand that circumstances do arise which make it difficult to turn in the UNIT. We only ask that students do not abuse this privilege.
  • Do not set down your studies for more than a few days. You will begin to get behind, and the farther you get behind, the more frustrated you will become.
  • Enjoy the courses. Bible study is very rewarding. Use your school time to absorb the Word of God. Concentrate on retention while you complete your study guides.
  • Begin as soon as you receive your materials.

Quarter Calander

The GCBI correspondence program is designed to provide study year-round for the student. The year is divided into calendar quarters:

QUARTER START DATE MAIL-IN/COMPLETION DATE
JAN-MAR (1st Qtr.) January 1st March 31st
APRIL-JUNE (2nd Qtr.) April 1st June 30th
JULY-SEP. (3rd Qtr.) July 1st September 20th
OCT.-DEC. (4th Qtr.) October 1st December 21st


Even though we operate on calendar quarters, students may enroll in GCBI any day of the year. Adjustments can be made to help the student line up his schedule with the calendar quarters as he progresses through his studies. GCBI is also quite gracious in working with students should circumstances make it necessary for the student to request an extension to complete his current UNIT. There are NO financial penalties for granted extensions. Students should contact GCBI as soon as possible if an extension is needed.

Admission Information


Admission Requirements


Gulf Coast Bible Institute will admit any born again believer that desires to know God's Word better. A clear testimony of salvation is the primary requirement for enrollment. Unless a satisfactory testimony of salvation is given on the enrollment application, the perspective student will not be considered for enrollment. Though advisable, a high school diploma is not a prerequisite to admission. If the perspective student is born again, can read and write, and has a desire to learn the Word of God, we believe he can develop the personal disciplines to succeed.

Student Conduct


Gulf Coast Bible Institute is a CORRESPONDENCE school. That means we cannot observe the personal habits of our students. It is our desire that each student of GCBI maintain a Christian testimony, attend his local church faithfully, live an exemplary, dedicated, and separated life for our Lord Jesus Christ, being a faithful witness for Him.

Credit Transfers


GCBI accepts academic credit from institutions of like faith, practice, and program. Students wishing to transfer credits from another Bible institute or college must provide GCBI with a transcript (in English) sent from the school as well as a doctrinal statement from the school (also in English) in order for us to evaluate any potential credits to be transferred. In addition, if the student already has earned degree(s), photocopies of those degrees must be submitted to GCBI. At all degree levels, there are certain courses we require all transfer students to take in order to graduate from our school.

See Specified Studies for more information on this.

Graduation Information



Graduation Requirements



Gulf Coast Bible Institute requires each student to complete his course of study with a minimum 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA). Our GPA schedule is as follows:

SCORE GRADE GPA
100-94 A 4
93-87 B 3
86-79 C 2
78-70 D 1
69-0 Failed* 0

*Any student who fails a course will be required to retake the course. The student will be charged $5.00 to cover the cost of sending another Study Guide to the student. The failed study guide WILL NOT be returned to the student.

All tuition and graduation fees must be paid in full before the student will be permitted to graduate from GCBI. Upon completion of all required work the student will be awarded the proper degree for his level of study.

Diploma Fees



The diploma fee is sent in when the students last UNIT is mailed in for grading. If the student plans to attend the GCBI Graduation held in Florida, the diploma fee must be sent in before May 15th. The diploma fees are as follows:

Diploma Size Cost
Graduate of Theology 8.5" X 11" $40.00
Bachelor of Biblical Studies 8.5" X 11" $40.00
Master of Biblical Studies 8.5" X 11" $60.00
Doctor of Biblical Studies 8.5" X 11" $60.00


Graduation Exercises

Graduation exercises are held the first full week of June each year at the home church of GCBI, Gulf Coast Baptist Church, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. GCBI does not require students to attend the annual graduation exercises. We fully understand the costs and inconvenience associated with traveling to graduation and we do not wish to create an unnecessary burden on GOd's people. For those graduates who are not able to attend graduation, GCBI mails the diploma to the student upon meeting all the graduation requirements.

Graduation week is an exciting time at Gulf Coast Baptist Church. Church members and GCBI staff get to meet students and share in their blessing of graduation from school. Great Bible preaching, singing, and testimonies Monday through Friday culminate in graduation Friday night. It can be a real time of revival for the graduates, their spouses, and family.

Students attending the graduation may do so at their own expense (travel, motel, meals, etc.). A banquet is given in honor of the students on Friday afternoon. Students may bring their spouses, parents, grandparents, and pastor to the banquet. Children are not permitted in the banquet hall. Nursery workers are available to take care of the children during the banquet. Students who wish to attend the banquet on Friday afternoon must return their banquet RSVP no later than May 15th.

Transcription Services

Gulf Coast Bible Institute provides transcription services to all current and former students. The cost is $3.00 to cover processing and mailing fees. If a student needs GCBI to send his transcript to another school, he should send a letter to GCBI with the name and address of the requesting school and a check or money order made out to FOUNDATION MINISTRIES to:

GULF COAST BIBLE INSTITUTE
Student Transcription Services
P.O. Box 1451
Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32549

GCBI will send the students transcript to the requesting institution. Students requesting a transcript for their own use may receive a transcript from GCBI but the transcript will be stamped "Not An Official Transcript." The only difference in the transcript is the stamp mark. We do this to guarantee the authenticity of student transcripts sent from GCBI.