Application Procedures

Applicants for all programs must make formal application through the Admissions Office. Applications may be submitted by one of the following methods:

  1. Complete the online application.
  2. Download the application for all programs.

You may review the status of your online application at any time. A personalized identification number will be given to you when your application is submitted. We urge applicants to apply four to eight months before the anticipated enrollment date, but no earlier than 15 months before that date. All application items must be received by the Admissions Office no later than the following dates: for the fall semester, July 1; for the Wintersession/spring semester, November 1; and for the summer session, April 1. International applicants should submit all documents no later than three months before the start of their study. (Applications, except those for international students, may be submitted after the above deadlines, but will be considered and processed only as time allows.)

Students enrolling in Summer School must be regularly admitted to a degree program or as nondegree students. Those whose applications are received after April 1 forfeit the opportunity to enroll until later in the summer. (This policy applies to all applicants.)

If you need financial aid, you should submit your application packet as soon as possible, since financial aid applications are not considered until applicants are accepted for admission. International applicants desiring to be considered for financial aid for the fall semester must submit the completed application (including TOEFL score) by January 15. (D.Min. applicants are not eligible for financial aid.)

A nonrefundable fee of $50 must accompany the application. A background investigation will be conducted on all applicants. In addition the following credentials must be submitted:

  1. Personal/character references from three individuals. One must be from a pastor. The other two, preferably, should come from a college professor (if currently enrolled in college or recently graduated), and a professional or businessperson. We ask that your references not be related to you such as a parent, brother-in-law, etc. Reference forms are included in the application.
  2. A completed "Validation of Church Relationship" form from the applicant's church. The form should confirm the applicant's membership or regular participation in good standing. In addition, for all applicants except those applying for the M.A.(BS), the form should endorse the applicant's potential for effective ministry. (Note: This is in addition to the reference from a pastor.)
  3. Demonstration of English proficiency. Applicants for whom English is not their native or birth language must submit scores for the TOEFL and TWE.
  4. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Final approval for admission is contingent on receiving an official transcript verifying conferral of the qualifying degree. An official transcript is one issued by the college, sealed in an envelope, signed across the envelope and sealed by the school's registrar. (This does not apply to D.Min. applicants.)
  5. Assessment test scores. Certain applicants are required to submit results of assessment tests to supplement their undergraduate academic record. Assessment test scores are required as evidence of academic aptitude when: (1) the preseminary academic record is questionable (a GPA of less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale), or (2) the applicant does not hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. Scores on either of two assessments can be used for this purpose: the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). (This does not apply to D.Min. applicants.)

The GRE General Test is administered interactively at most Sylvan Technology Centers across the United States and Canada. You can obtain information concerning this examination from the Educational Testing Service, Box 6000, Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000. The institutional code for reporting scores to the Seminary is R6156.

The MAT is administered at colleges and universities throughout the United States. You can obtain information on this exam by requesting the MAT Candidate Information Booklet: The Psychological Corporation, 555 Academic Court, San Antonio, Texas, 78204 (800-622-3231). Contact the Admissions Office to discuss which exam to take.

As an applicant, you will be evaluated on the basis of (1) your academic records, (2) the extent and quality of involvement in Christian service, (3) your apparent gifts and potential for placement into Christian ministry, and (4) the assessment of your references.

Admission is not approved until barriers to future ministry placement have been dealt with, including not only emotional, financial and personal stability, but also issues of character, behavior and lifestyle. Applications are evaluated on receipt of all necessary information. (See the instructions in the application packet.)