Baptist churches and individual donors across the UK have raised £90,000 to support students affected by the sudden closure of Spurgeon’s College last year.
It follows the swift launch of an emergency appeal by the Baptist Union of Great Britain (BUGB), The Baptist Times reports.
Spurgeon’s College, one of the UK’s oldest theological institutions, closed with immediate effect in July 2025 after trustees cited “significant” financial pressures, the dwindling number of students, and abrupt termination of a key funding partnership.
Founded in 1856 by renowned Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the college had trained generations of ministers and mission workers over its 169-year history.
The closure left up to 200 students facing uncertainty about their studies, finances and accreditation pathways.
In response, BUGB moved quickly to stabilise the situation, establishing a temporary Student Support Office run staff who previously worked at Spurgeon’s College.
Within four weeks, the team made sure outstanding academic work was assessed, certificates issued and essential student data secured to protect ministerial accreditation and assessment processes.
Alongside this, the remaining five Baptist colleges and regional associations across the country coordinated efforts to help students continue their training.
Nearly all Baptist students on ministerial pathways have now transferred to alternative providers, The Baptist Times reports.
A majority were enrolled into the recently established London hub of Bristol Baptist College, which meets weekly at Westbourne Park Baptist Church, while others were welcomed by St Hild Centre for Baptist Ministry, Luther King Theological College and Regent’s Park College.
Despite these arrangements, many students experienced financial strain. While some students had prepaid tuition fees for the 2025–26 academic year with no certainty of reimbursement, others were confronted with extra travel and accommodation expenses as their training was relocated.
These pressures prompted BUGB to launch a targeted appeal in September and a total of £90,000 was raised by early November when the appeal concluded, reports The Baptist Times.
The funds have enabled BUGB to fully reimburse students who had already paid fees to Spurgeon’s College and to provide additional financial support to Baptist students continuing on ministerial training pathways.
Ministries Team Co-Leader at BUGB Tim Fergusson said: “We have been delighted and humbled by the generosity and compassion of Baptists across our Union that is expressed in the donations made. The total enabled us to help more students than we initially thought would be possible, and to a higher level.”
BUGB continues to assist ministerial formation through an annual bursary scheme worth £140,000.It is also encouraging continued prayers for students and staff impacted by the closure.
