The Student Experience

Student Life

We Are Here to Answer Any Questions.

OneLife is a nine-month Christian gap year program for students who want to grow in their faith, experience genuine community, serve others, and travel while earning credits for college.

A gap year is defined as taking a “break” from formal education, “typically between high school and college, in order to deepen practical, professional, and personal awareness.”

For Christian students, taking a gap year before going to college creates a remarkable opportunity to think more deeply and intentionally about the person God is calling him or her to be. Many students who struggle in college do so because they are not able to articulate reasons or explain the goals for going to college. College has become the assumed next step after high school, with very little thought about why.

OneLife exists because we believe that taking a gap year forces students out of the routine of “schooling” and into a deeper relationship with God. Students who participate in gap year programs have proven to be far more prepared for the transition to college and adulthood.

They do! The NY Times highlighted research from Middlebury College and the University of North Carolina showing that students who took a gap year got better grades than those who did not. Here is a recent article by Time Magazine expressing the great need for Gap Year programs, as well as this article by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

OneLife is a nine month, residential program with 3 desired outcomes:

  • Form Christian Character
  • Develop a Biblical Perspective of Calling
  • Increase Relational Wisdom

OneLife offers 4 locations:

  1. OneLife at Lodestar | Upper Tract, WV
  2. OneLife at Three Springs | Morris, PA
  3. OneLife at Pleasant View | Manheim,PA
  4. OneLife at Sakanaga | Marietta, SC

No, if you can’t believe that OneLife could possibly be as amazing as it sounds, please contact us or visit us ASAP. We would love the opportunity to show and tell you all about it!

No, unfortunately OneLife is for students just out of high school to 21 years old. But we get this question a lot!

OneLife’s starting price is $24,500. This covers EVERYTHING: tuition, books, room and board, and all travel expenses. There are no additional fees. Financial aid is available for those who qualify. Please contact us regarding financial aid and all financial concerns

YES! OneLife students are enrolled as full-time college students and are eligible for government and private scholarships that are awarded based on eligibility requirements.

OneLife is fully accredited, both regionally & nationally, due to its partnership with Cairn University. 

OneLife at Three Springs, OneLife at Pleasant View, & OneLife at Lodestar

Cairn University Credits

  • BIB 202 The Narrative of Redemption
  • BIB 203 The Pentateuch
  • BIB 303 The Gospels
  • CHM 121 Ministry Leadership and Management
  • CHM 221 Spiritual Formation and Disciple-Making Ministries
  • COM 111 Introduction to Communications
  • HUM 141 Christianity and Culture 
  • SOC 202 Sociocultural Studies 
  • THE 111 Life and Calling

Short answer, yes!

Longer answer, all OneLife students will have an official transcript from Cairn University. All credits are transferable. Not all credits, however, will apply to certain programs at other colleges.

This is the Admissions Process:

  1. Pre-Qualify
  2. Spiritual Reference
  3. Interview
  4. Deposit
  5. Complete The College Application to Earn Credit

Start Here

Here is the OneLife student profile:

  • Post high-school to 21 years of age
  • Loves travel and adventure
  • Appreciates learning both inside and outside the classroom
  • Desires to learn and grow in Christian faith & biblical knowledge
  • Demonstrates leadership qualities
  • Expresses a desire to be teachable
  • Exhibits moral character and conduct
  • Maintains a positive attitude toward authority