Frequently asked questions
“The university became part of my life, I have known God more than ever before through the teachings and the Bible.” Carmen Rojas. Peru.
DOCTRINAL SECTION
Why study theology? If I can read my bible by which, the Holy Spirit give me the Revelation!
Yes, our duty is to read the Holy Scripture every day and at every moment of our life as a Christian's duty. Theology is a more in-depth study about the history and biblical-historical context that includes branches such as geography and biblical archeology, history of Christianity from its beginnings to date, eschatology (of the end of time), homiletics (the study of such as preaching), hermeneutics and biblical exegesis (interpreting books and epistles), Greek, Hebrew (brushstrokes to understand the historical-cultural context of the original language), Christian life, pastoral counseling, soteriology (understanding how we are saved), among others. We see then that it is not only to read the bible and receive divine inspiration through the Holy Spirit, but also we obtain a deeper knowledge of books inspired by God, which the author of the book or epistle meant, as Christianity began, the persecutions In history, what is the end of the world as we know it, why save ourselves, for what purpose are we on this earth, how the general compendium of the Old and New Testaments, among others, was formed. All in a sound doctrine without changing or adding words to what has already been established from the biblical canon and in the original writings as a generalized study.
Why do I have to pay for theology studies if I can read my Bible and the Holy Spirit gives me Revelation for free?
As we established previously, Biblical Theology are studies that delve into the history of Christianity, methods to understand in a more rational way the original historical language of the author and his culture in ancient and present times, studies of how we can evangelize others in based on biblical texts, transmit ethical, moral and Christian support through pastoral counseling, among many other personal and ecclesiastical purposes. As a Christian theological organization, we also have administrative costs necessary for its operation, such as website payments, payments to teaching employees who transmit their teachings to students around the world, among others. Then we understand that we are not ignoring the general rule of the Christian in which he must read and scrutinize with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but we are imparting intellectual resources and material for Christian theological study to understand and deepen our doctrinal base such as The Holy Scriptures Therefore, we should not take biblical texts for our convenience, but understand the theological purpose of Christian teaching.
Why do I have to pay if the reading of the biblical teaching should be free?
Again, we have established that the reading of the Holy Scriptures differs from a theological teaching that delves into history in ancient times within the Christian realm. These are taught by Christian professors who also paid during their ministerial career, for Christian theological courses receiving degrees from bachelor to master's degree in Christian theology either in a Christian theological university, institute or biblical seminary, as well, there are university professors with degrees of graduates and master's degrees in educational management, who also paid the amounts established by their educational institution during their careers based on their academic goals during their years of study like any other person either within the ecclesiastical field or secular career. Also, our organization is not a church so there are no religious preaching, sermons or speeches. Therefore, we are not charging for reading the bible and we reject people, institutions or organizations that carry out these types of attitudes and methods that are not ethical or morally valid.
What are your beliefs or what church do you come from?
Our organization is not a church but an institution that provides historical-biblical (Judeo-Christian) teaching of courses in biblical theology. Please read our Doctrinal Statement.
STUDENT ACCEPTANCE SECTION
I'm a freshman. Can I enter having started the trimesters or on what date can I enter?
The studies within the pensum of the bachelor's and master's degree in the faculty of theology are per trimester. So, yes, you can enter but you must know the following. If someone wishes to enter during the year between the second and third registrations that are understood as the second and third trimester, they would be entering the courses of the first trimester because the courses have a prerequisite and you cannot skip courses that have a prerequisite. So, if that were the case, the second trimester would be completed at the end of the year and the third trimester at the beginning of the first trimester of the following year, the trimesters would run without having an order and so on. You can enter the university during the year, but you would not be following a trimester in a orderly manner in the year.
Can I register if I'm catholic, mormon, atheist, religious, I belong to the universal church, or some other religion?
The teachings of our Christian theological organization are within the belief of Protestantism, for which we accept interdenominational students such as Baptists, Pentecostals, Neopentecostals, Amish, among others. Once you belong to Protestantism. If you do not profess any religion within the Protestant belief and wish to enter our theological university, you are subject to a virtual personal interview and also sign a letter of commitment with UTELASA in which you agree to respect our mission, vission, regulations, doctrines and beliefs of faith so that there are no misunderstandings between students, professors and university authorities. Thus, the student, according to the signed letter of commitment, can study with the same rights as others and create an environment of respect.
What age of students can enroll?
Any person, man or woman who is of legal age between 18 years to 100 years can register in our Christian theological organization once you share the Protestantism. Or, sign a letter of commitment with UTELASA.
Do I need to have a previous study to enter?
Our careers in practical theology do not need previous studies within the Protestant Christian realm. They differ completely from secular studies from universities, colleges or institutes because they are based to work in the secular realm but not in the ecclesiastical realm. A bachelor's degree from a secular university career can enter leveling their theological studies by completing 1 year of course to continue to the master's degree in theology. A student who has studies of secular high school, must enter the first year in practical theology and can continue even up to the master's degree in theology.
I have studies in theology from an international or local university, college, institute or seminary. Can I make equivalences?
Of course, Once your diploma or degree is in Christian Biblical Theology. You can make equivalences to enroll. So, if your secular university degree is in theology, you can do a master's degree in our university. If your degree is provided by a theological seminary it depends on what degree of studies you are in, you can do equivalences and enter one of the years of bachelor's degree. The evaluation committee is aware of these decisions.
I'm a pastor, minister, missionary, evangelist, prophet. Can I enroll or perhaps obtain a degree based on my ministerial knowledge?
You can choose a general evaluation of prior knowledge so that the evaluation committee can establish in which theological career you can enter whether is from bachelor's degree to master's degree, to level that knowledge gained from your ministry experience.
ACADEMIC METHODOLOGY SECTION
Do I have to pay for free courses that say "voluntary offering"?
No, this means that you can sign up for free. The voluntary offering is to help the organization to the cause. It means that if it is in your heart to donate the price that the course indicates, it helps us a lot with our administrative costs, but it is not an obligation. This is also detailed in the Privacy and Refund Policies section. * This only applies to free courses that say: "Voluntary Offering" only.
Does the Utelasa's degrees, diplomas or certificates, are valid in other universities, seminars, organizations or institutions?
We could not answer this question 100% because each university, seminary, organization or institution has its own criteria for accepting degrees, diplomas or certificates. Utelasa does accepts degrees, diplomas or certificates within the ecclesiastical and ministerial recognition of other universities, seminaries, organizations or institutions as our own criteria of our university but we cannot establish an acceptance parameter that makes any educational institution in the world accept our theological studies because each educational entity reserves the right of admission. You should also take into account that studies in Christian theology are based for the ecclesiastical and ministerial recognition, not for secular recognition, in addition, the pensum's studies is never the same within an educational entity.
Why should I enroll in your theological organization, if in my country there are several institutions and universities that provide me with equal degrees?
Most people are more interested in a title than their own biblical doctrine, a position is more important than a ministry. Our organization in Christian theology is more interested in teaching a sound doctrine than a monetary charge for any secular title, which is wrong for a person to seek first the things of the world than the things of God. The pensum of our careers are carefully selected to indoctrinate correctly and based on Holy Scripture, Christian theological teaching. Some secular universities may teach Christian theology but they focus more on a philosophical and administrative theology "for all" and our university focuses on a systematic theology focused on the ecclesiastical ministerial recognition. So we understand that degrees may be required as academic recognition. This is fine for the secular purpose but in the ecclesiastical purpose it should be the opposite. Still, we graduate our students with a degree from their Christian theological career.
How do I receive my free courses or theological careers?
Our methodology is 100% Online because we have students from different countries, so we are taking advantage of technology to expand biblical-theological knowledge in the world. The study materials have been made in a way that is enriching in a correct bible doctrine, so it is designed for people who do not have time to connect virtually. So, each person, whether or not have internet connection, can have their studies without connection problems.
What digital mean do you use to teach courses?
Through Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams or any other digital platform that is suitable for online education.
How do I receive my diplomas or degrees?
For students in Guatemala it's locally. For international students it is sent by Fedex, DHL or UPS physically and the cost varies from country to country. Degrees are specifically for careers in practical theology and they will be printed in physical. Participation diploma are specifically for free courses and they are sent digitally free of charge by email.
INTERNATIONAL PAYMENTS SECTION
I'm not from Guatemala, can I register?
Yes you can. We accept Spanish-speaking students from all over Latin America. Even North America or the United Kingdom who speak Spanish preferably. With the exception of countries such as Venezuela and Cuba that due to political-financial problems, online education through digital means such as Google Meet, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, among others, is not possible. We are still analyzing how to carry out this type of Christian theological education at a distance.
Through what services or means do you have to make payments of my registration, monthly payment, offering or donation?
If it is in Guatemala, you can make bank transfers without extra costs. If it is with credit / debit cards, it is possible with Visa en Link (a VisaNet Guatemala service) and may involve extra costs depending on the bank that issued the card. If it is outside of Guatemala internationally, there are bank transfers, but it can also involve additional costs depending on the financial institution. For countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama, there are bank transfers without extra costs by the BI Corporation and its associated banks such as Banco Industrial, BANPAIS and Bi-Bank. You can request this service called "Regional Connection" in your country of residence and you can transfer money without additional costs and immediately between accounts to third parties either from Panama to Guatemala or from Nicaragua to Guatemala or from El Salvador to Guatemala. For international payments with credit / debit cards, you can request a direct payment link from Utelasa specifically in US dollars (USD $) and in countries that have financial entities that issue credit / debit cards for international payments, consult the Privacy and Refund Policies section. We accept PayPal payments through a direct payment link, transfers by Xoom (a PayPal service), transfers by WorldRemit (a service that charges low-cost international transfers) (see available countries) and money transfers by Western Union, Moneygram and AIRTM all over the world. There are only some exceptions in countries such as Venezuela, that payments are by Western Union, Moneygram, AIRTM or bank transfer (consult the additional collection fees that each of these financial entities makes). At the moment Cuba does not have any bank transfer service or card payments available.
Where do I find the data for an international transfer that is required from SWIFT or IBAN to Utelasa's bank accounts?
You can request this information from Utelasa or, by entering here in contact us.