Becoming a Distance Learning Student

Getting Started

Students who live more than 120 miles from the Wake Forest Campus qualify as a Distance Learning Student. Students living within 120 miles of the Wake Forest Campus may take online classes by completing an Online Petition Form made available in the Distance Learning Office, Patterson Hall, Suite 210. Online classes are prioritized for those who absolutely cannot attend the Wake Forest campus such as international missionaries and church leaders, those living outside of the southeastern United States, military personnel serving in active duty, and other extraordinary circumstances. The criteria for approving an exception as well as instructions for submitting a petition form may be found here.

Students must submit an application to the Admissions Office 30 days before the first day of class. Students may complete the one page Distance Learning Special Application (DLSA) within 30 days of the first day of class. The DLSA will only allow the student to take classes for one semester; however, the DLSA gives students time to complete the Full Application. Full Applications should be submitted toward the beginning of the semester to avoid any stops from hindering online registration in mid-November and mid-April.

Approved for Admission, what next?

While you wait for your User Id and Password to be emailed to you (5 days from the date on your acceptance letter) please begin to familiarize yourself with the online community of resources made available to you through Campusnet.

• Welcome: download, listen and watch Chapel messages; view events for the current week calendar and SEBTS news
• Student Services: view employment opportunities; upcoming calendar; chapel attendance policies/waiver; general student information (email/address change forms)
• Student Forms & Info: seminary and college forms, graduation information, tuition and fees, payment deadlines, online payments, housing information
• Around Southeastern: weekly RSS feed about campus and community announcements 
• Moodle: Itunes lectures, quizzes, threaded discussions, Writing Center
• Self-Service:online registration, view class schedule, account balance information, view grades, search for courses
• Email: reset password, change email forwarding address
• Help: one-stop help guides to all systems

Congratulations on your admission to Southeastern! Once you have received your password please visit the New Student Checklist and FAQ's section.

"On-Campus" Student taking Online Classes for the First Time

"On-Campus" is anyone who lives within 120 miles of the Wake Forest Campus. You may commute from Raleigh or as far as Winston-Salem - if you live within a 120 miles of campus you may not take an online class without completing an "On-Campus student Petition" Form. Submitting an Online Petition Form does not guarantee approval to take an online class.

Online Petition Criteria

"On-campus" student requests for exception to take an online course will be prioritized by the following criteria:

1. The student is in the International Church Planting Degree program (2+2 or 2+3) and needs an online class in order to complete his or her on-campus requirements before going to the field. The student must get permission from the International Church Planting Degree Coordinator before contacting the Online Classes / Distance Learning department.
2. The class is necessary to complete the on-campus student’s graduation requirements. The student must be eligible for graduation at the end of the semester in which the class is being offered. In addition, the course must not be offered in its on-campus form during that semester or, if it is, there must be an unavoidable schedule conflict with another required course.
3. The student is suffering a physical injury, disease or disability limiting his or her ability to attend on-campus courses.
4. The student has firmly-established plans to move away from the Wake Forest area (more than 120 miles) during the semester in which the course is offered.
5. The appropriate Dean or the Director of Distance Learning determines that the student has experienced some extraordinary circumstance predicating the need to register for an online class. Full-time employment does not qualify as an extraordinary circumstance.

Students who do not meet any of the above criteria and would like to be considered for an exception anyway may submit a petition form and provide a reason for the request.

Online Petition Process

"On-Campus" students may complete a petition form as early as open enrollment in mid-November and mid-April for the following semester. Students will be notified by email no earlier than the first day of class. Please remember that seats in an online class are reserved for Distance Learning students. Once the class has been closed by the Registrar's Office any available seats will be prioritized by the date on the petition form. 

Students approved to take an online class are manually registered for the class and notified by the Distance Learning staff once registration has been confirmed. A petition from must be completed to take an online class each semester.

Disclaimer: Students completing a petition form are responsible for any fees associated with late registration.