RIVER COLLEGE

RELEASING LIFE-CHANGING LEADERSHIP

River College is a one-year programme for those who want to go deeper in their discipleship, grow in their leadership, and gain first hand experience of ministry.

Applications are open for River College 2025-26 including full-time and part-time pathways!

Apply now or click ‘find out more’ chat to one of our team about the programme!

We can’t wait to hear from you.

At River College we want to help release life-changing leadership in our students. Over our one-year course, through a mixture of classroom teaching in theology and Biblical studies, training in leadership, mentoring from our senior staff team, and practical experience on one of our internship streams, River College students will discover and develop their God-given gifts, ready to transform our church, our town, our nation, and beyond.

Students will also benefit from teaching from a wide variety of expert contributors, have opportunities to train and serve as baristas at our Coffee Shop, and receive free books and team tickets to HTB Focus (our annual church festival). River College is completely free because we are passionate about investing in young Christian leaders.

Choose from one of our seven River College streams!

  • KIDS

    Help to raise up the next generation of world-changers for Jesus

  • COMMS AND MEDIA

    Develop your creative gifts to capture and share what God is doing.

  • OPERATIONS

    Hone your admin, finance, communications and media skills.

  • SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

    Transform our town for the better through our Love Ipswich ministries.

  • STUDENTS AND YOUTH

    Help love and serve youth and young adults across Ipswich.

  • WORSHIP AND PRODUCTION

    Develop your gifts in music, worship leading, and production.

  • SPORTS

    Help to share Jesus through sport with River Active and Bridge the Gap Football.

FULL-TIME

A typical week for a full-time River College Student will involve serving at our Sunday services, everyone has teaching on a Monday, on Tuesdays you will be getting involved with Alpha, as well as staff meetings and 7am Prayer. You will also be serving a day a week with a focus on your selected College stream. You will have two days off a week.

Every River College student is different, so talk to us about finding a flexible pathway which works for you.

Check out what a typical term-time week at River College looks like!

River College FAQs

 

Do I have to write many essays?

There are two short book-review assignment each term. This isn’t marked formally, but you will receive feedback which helps inform your teaching and mentoring.

Can I work while I’m at River College?

Yes! We encourage you to find part-time work to help you make friends and cover your living costs.

How much does the course cost?

River College is completely free because we want to invest in young Christian leaders.



What days is River College on?

You’ll need to be available on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and either Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays, stream-dependent.

Is financial support available?

Depending on your circumstances, some limited support may be available. Get in touch to find out more.

When is the deadline for applications?

The deadline for applications for River College 2025-26 is 13th July 2025, but please apply sooner if you can.

Where is River College based?

We are based at River Church Ipswich, Key Street (IP4 1BZ). You’ll need to live in Ipswich to make the most of the year.

Got more questions for us?

We would love to hear from you! Get in touch with our team by email.

Our Story

 

500 years ago, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey had a dream of a college in Ipswich, which would raise up young Christian leaders to transform the church, our town, and our nation. The college would draw students from across Suffolk and further afield to study, pray, and do life together, and equip them to become influencers and leaders in the Church, and every other sphere and industry. This college in Ipswich would be up there with Oxford and Cambridge, and play a part in the seeing God’s kingdom come in this incredible community. Wolsey’s College once stood right here on the Waterfront, next to where River Church is based today, but sadly it was shut down by Henry VIII before it ever really began, and only the red brick gate remains. 

Today we share Cardinal Wolsey’s passion, to release life-changing leadership. Our dream at River Church is to see Ipswich overflowing with life, and to do that we need to raise up, train, and send out leaders—new leaders, young leaders, diverse leaders—who love God, love Ipswich, and love life. We are so excited to have launched River College in September 2022. We believe that River College will build on Wolsey’s legacy, and pick up where he left off, in the same location 500 years on, by training 18-30s in theology, biblical studies, and Christian leadership, and sending them out to make a difference at River Church, in Ipswich, and beyond. Be part of this incredible, historic story, and spend a life-changing year at River College.