ADMISSIONS

Requirements for admission for the Master’s Programs

To be considered for admission, applicants to any master’s program must follow these steps:

1. The applicant must have earned a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an approved university or college.
2. The applicant must have earned the minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 on a 4.0 scale for admission to an Urbana Theological Seminary program.
3. The applicant must complete an application file that includes the following:
   • A student information form.
   • A written autobiographical statement that includes personal spiritual journey, sense of calling, and future goals (approximately 2-3 pages).
   • Recommendations from a pastor, a teacher/faculty member, and an employer or business acquaintance.
   • Transcripts sent from all schools attended since high school from which the applicant received a degree or completed coursework that is prerequisite to the degree sought. In addition, a transcript is required if the applicant completed at least three classes at any school.
   • A $25 one-time nonrefundable application fee.
   • Results from TOEFL if English was not the primary language of instruction in previous schools, or not the applicant’s native language.

If an applicant does not meet these prerequisites, we encourage contacting the admissions office for a fuller evaluation of the abilities of the applicant.

Applications to the Master of Divinity program are encouraged to complete at least a year of undergraduate Greek (more advanced coursework is desirable) before beginning study at Urbana Theological Seminary. Admission without Greek is possible, with the understanding that Greek should be taken early in the program of study.

Students may begin their studies at the start of any term. Though we encourage applying as early as possible (6-12 months in advance), the following deadlines should be met:

For Fall Semester	May 1
For Spring semester	November 1

Applications received after these dates are subject to a $10 late application fee.

Requirements for admission for the Graduate Certificate of Christian Studies

To be considered for admission, applicants to any master’s program must fulfill the following:

1. The applicant must have earned a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an approved university or college or apply to be accepted as a mature learner. For qualifications as a mature learner, preference will be given to the student who is over 30 years of age, has earned 60 hours of college credit, demonstrates ability to do work at the graduate level, and is restricted from pursuing completion of an undergraduate degree by job ad family commitments. The prospective student must make a written application in order to be considered for this status. No more than 20% of the students in any entering class will be given this status.
2. The applicant must have earned the minimum undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 on a 4.0 scale for admission to an Urbana Theological Seminary program.
3. The applicant must complete an application file that includes the following:
   • A student information form.
   • A written autobiographical statement that includes personal spiritual journey.
   • Recommendations from a pastor, a teacher/faculty member, and an employer or business acquaintance.
   • Transcripts sent from all schools attended since high school from which the applicant received a degree or completed three or more classes.
   • A $25 one-time nonrefundable application fee.
   • Results from TOEFL if English was not the primary language of instruction in previous schools, or not the applicant’s native language.

Certificate students may begin their studies in any term. Though we encourage applying as early as possible (6-12 months in advance), the following deadlines should be met:

For Fall Semester	May 1
For Spring semester	November 1

Applications received after these dates are subject to a $10 late application fee.

Visiting Student Status

A student who wishes to enroll in courses without pursuing a degree, or to explore what seminary education is like, may register as a Visiting Student. A visiting student can accumulate as many as hours as desired in this status. However, to use the credits towards a degree, the visiting student needs to apply for the proper degree program. If accepted into that program, only 50% of the hours for the degree can be counted from courses taken while a visiting student.

To apply for visiting student status, the student must complete the following:

1. A visiting student application form.
2. A $10 one-time nonrefundable application fee.

Potential Students without a Bachelor’s Degree

If you are interested in pursuing theological studies, but lack a Bachelor’s degree, you are encouraged to talk to an admissions representative about possible options.

Nondiscriminatory Policy

Urbana Theological Seminary does not discriminate based on age, race, disability, gender, and national or ethnic origin in any circumstance. All programs and privileges will be equally accessible and offered to all people affiliated with the Seminary. Urbana Theological Seminary will strive for diversity across all levels of the student body, the staff, and the faculty.

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