The tuition costs and time commitment of the St. Phoebe School are both designed to be affordable and sustainable for working adults.
Whatever your financial situation, we will work with you to be able to participate fully in the St. Phoebe School. Please don’t let the idea of tuition deter you. We strive to keep our costs minimal and Diaconal Formation Grants are available through the Fund for the Diaconate (application link and description below). You will also be surprised by the generosity of parishes, bishops, family and friends to provide–for God to provide.
Tuition
Beginning in July 2024, the annual cost to students of St. Phoebe School (who must be accepted as Postulants in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia or the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia) will be $620 payable to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia which covers costs of the summer retreat and programming, plus an additional $25 per course taken payable when registering through CALL at CDSP.
Please note that tuition is subject to change, but the commitment to affordable diaconal education will remain a priority for all involved in the St. Phoebe School partnership.
Costs of Books and Materials
St. Phoebe School (and CALL at CDSP) are committed to keeping added costs down for its students. As much as possible, CALL uses free, open source educational materials. In some classes the students may be asked to purchase a few books or other resources, depending on the material covered in the course. Support is available to offset these costs. Requests for assistance with book costs may be directed to the Local Formation Director.
Financial Aid Support
The Fund for the Diaconate is now offering a Diaconal Formation Grant for eligible postulants and candidates. Grantees may receive up to $1,500 each year for costs associated with formation requirements including registration, books and fees. Through the structure of our costs and the availability of these resources, it is possible to have low and no tuition pathways to the diaconate.
Application and additional information is available at Formation Grants – The Fund for the Diaconate (fundfordiaconate.org).
Commitment
Coursework through CALL at CDSP (Years One & Two)
In fall, winter and spring of Year One, students will take at least one required course through CALL at CDSP. Two courses per quarter is generally a good pace to complete the program in two years, but St. Phoebe School is designed to allow people to complete diaconal formation over a time that works with their lives and families.
Each course runs about seven weeks. In addition to assigned readings, students can expect to devote 2-3 hours of engaged online discussion work per course, per week.
In Year Two, students may choose to take one or two courses through CALL at CDSP, depending on individual formational needs and in order to allow time for each student to participate in a parish/community internship.
The program of study often lasts beyond the third retreat into a third year to accommodate additional course completion and/or additional time engaging in parish/community internship. The program of study is flexible enough to accommodate individual needs and pacing.
Each summer, all of St. Phoebe School will engage together in local learning around an emergent theme. Learning will take place in-person at the retreat as well as through additional readings, discussions and/or field trips. Local summer learning is topical and changes yearly on a three year cycle. Participation in all three summer retreats is a required component of St. Phoebe School’s curriculum.
Daily Prayer, Quarterly Liturgical Events, Yearly Retreats
Students engage in daily prayer and enrich their spiritual discipline through engaging with the Virtual Chapel of St. Phoebe.
Local liturgical learning days are scheduled quarlerly and focus on spiritual support and prayerful grounding in diaconal ministry for the students. We meet at various parishes, offering a visible presence for the diaconate across both participating dioceses.
Parish/Community Internships (Year Two)
Parish and community internships offer practical, hands-on experience with mentor deacons in a host parish and/or community ministry setting during the final year of study. During parish/community internships, students meet virtually in a small group to discuss their experiences and encourage each other’s growth.
This comprehensive plan of local formation supplementing academic formation involves groups gathered for prayer, for study, for planning and participating in liturgy, for mutual support and for mentoring. Spiritual, practical and relational formation activities are all facilitated by the Formation Director.
The St. Phoebe School for Deacons 