The Australian College of Theology was established in 1891 by the General Synod of the Church of England in Australia. In 1899, there were four awards of the College - the Associate in Theology, the Licentiate in Theology, the Scholar in Theology, and the Fellow of the College of Theology - and about 30 students.

Today the College offers a wide range of accredited higher education awards catering not only for the specialised needs of ministerial and missionary candidates but also for the needs of lay people interested in an understanding of the Christian faith and its implications for contemporary life. We have almost 20 higher education awards and approximately 2000 students around the world enrolled with us.

Affiliated Colleges
The Australian College of Theology exists as a partnership between the Anglican Church of Australia and a confessionally diverse, national network of 20 Bible and theological colleges delivering the awards of the College on its behalf. This relationship is given expression in the ACT's Institutional Approval Procedures (PDF) and a Memorandum of Understanding signed by each affiliated college and the Board of Directors, which is the governing body of the College.