Students at tertiary institutions encounter many challenges beyond academic performance, for some these challenges entail the acceptance of their sexual identity alongside their religious beliefs. For centuries, the acceptance of homosexuality within the Christian religion has been a contentious issue. Whilst some Christians believe that Christianity and homosexuality can coexist, others advocate that the notion is contradictory to the basic tenets of the Christian faith. Homosexuals and bisexuals are generally considered marginalised groups in society, which have experienced discrimination in many ways. Drawing on social identity theory and utilising a qualitative approach this phenomenological research study aimed to explore the individual experiences, views and opinions of ten students about their sexuality and their religion. All participants acknowledged that they were either homosexual or bisexual and considered themselves to be Bible-believing Christians. Snowball sampling was used to identify and invite potential participants to be part of the research study. The researcher used a semi-structured interview schedule to guide the interviews which were recorded with the participants' consent. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The main findings of the research indicated that participants experienced the church as a very unwelcoming environment and fellow Christians as extremely judgemental. Feelings of rejection and of isolation were reinforced by people and a system that participants felt should have been supportive. This study holds potential benefits for educators and counselling practitioners at university institutions as it provides the opportunity to learn about the dynamics and views of this often marginalised group whose religious experiences may adversely impact on their studies.