Admissions FAQ

What are the deadlines for submitting applications?

December 15th:  Doctor of Theology and Doctor of Ministry applications must be completed by December 15th for fall admission and consideration for tuition scholarships and/or doctoral fellowship awards.

February 1st:  Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Sacred Music, and Master of Sacred Theology applications must be complete by February 1st to be considered for fall Priority Admission.
Students accepted under Priority Admission are given generous tuition scholarships upon admission into the program.  In addition to tuition scholarships, eligible applicants who apply by the February 1st deadline can be considered for Scholarships for Merit.  (Domestic applicants to the Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies or Master of Sacred Music degree programs, who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above, are eligible to be considered for Scholarships for Merit.  See “Financial Aid” section of the Bulletin for more information.)

May 15th:  Final deadline for all master’s level applications for fall admission with the possibility of tuition scholarships.  Prospective students applying after May 15th, if accepted, will not receive tuition scholarships for the fall semester, though some financial aid (ex. loans) could be available.  Students without tuition scholarships in any given semester may re-apply for financial aid in subsequent semesters, but such support is not guaranteed.

September 15th:  Final deadline for all master’s and doctoral level applications for spring admission.  Financial aid for spring semester admissions will be determined upon availability.

If you have any questions about the deadlines, please be in touch with the Admissions Office (sthadmis@bu.edu).

Do I really have to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?

All domestic applicants to the School of Theology must submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), taken within the past five years.  The only exception to this rule is when an applicant to any degree program already has an earned doctoral degree.  Such an applicant may be able to waive the GRE requirement upon consultation with the Director of Admissions.

These scores are only one part of a person’s entire application materials.  There is no minimum GRE score required for admission to the School of Theology.  Though the test should be taken seriously, GRE scores will not alone “make or break” one’s application.  The scores are simply one indication of a person’s ability.  A person’s letters of reference, personal statement, and transcripts are other indicators of an applicant’s ability.  All of these credentials are viewed together, and in light of each another, during the application process.

How long should my Personal Statement be?

The Admissions Office does not have a page number requirement for applicants’ Personal Statements.  Applicants should express themselves as briefly or as lengthily as they feel is necessary to answer the guideline questions listed on the School of Theology’s online application.

If I do not attend a place of worship regularly how can I submit a reference from a clergy member?

Applicants who are not involved in a faith tradition, or who have not had a recent church home, should alert the Admissions Office to this fact.  Such an applicant likely will be instructed to replace the “clergy member” Letter of Reference with someone else who can speak to that applicant’s leadership ability and character.  One’s faith tradition, or lack thereof, does not have a negative bearing on admission to the School.

Can I be of a different faith and still come to the Boston University School of Theology?  Is it a Christian seminary?

The School of Theology is supported by the United Methodist Church, but is both ecumenical and inter-faith.  There is a wide variety of theological opinion and expression represented in the student body.  Though the vast majority of students are Trinitarian Christian (as would be the case at most seminaries), there are students who are of different faiths—particularly Unitarian Universalists who do not identify as Christian, but also Muslim, Buddhist, and Jewish students.  Even within the Christian population there is vast diversity of theological opinion from fairly conservative to very liberal.

As much as the School celebrates its theological diversity, it also celebrates an authentic sense of community through that diversity.  Community life is a unique aspect of the School of Theology because, though holding very different theological opinions, students are open to one another as people.

All that being true, it is important that non-Christian prospective students realize that the introductory classes they would take at the School of Theology present the Christian church and its theologians throughout history.  Courses in biblical studies, church history, and philosophy/theology will focus on the Judeo-Christian tradition.  Students are often able to negotiate what course papers and personal project topics will cover; however, they will have to dialogue meaningfully with the Christian tradition.

What is the minimum TOEFL score for each type of the test?  What happens if I do not have the minimum score?

All students, for whom English is not a first language, must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score taken within the last five years. The minimum TOEFL score for master’s level degrees (MDiv, MTS, MSM) is 570 on the written test, 230 on the computer-based test, and 89 on the internet-based test. Applicants for advanced degrees (STM, DMin, and ThD) should have considerably higher scores than these. Applicants for the ThD degree program must also submit scores from the Test of Written English (TWE). When sending your scores to Boston University School of Theology, use Institution Code 3233 and Department Code 99.

Boston University is pleased to have a fine Center for English Language and Orientation Programs (CELOP:  www.bu.edu/celop), which provides several English language and culture classes throughout the year.  International students who do not reach the minimum TOEFL requirements often study at CELOP for a semester or more to increase their English language capabilities.  If an applicant’s score is very near the required minimum (within a couple of points) and the rest of their application is exceptional, they may be considered for the “Bridge Program,” where admission to the the School is granted with the stipulation of one course taken at CELOP.  A few international students each year participate in this arrangement, studying at CELOP during the summer and matriculating into the the School in the fall.  CELOP programs also are available throughout the academic year.

Do I have to interview in person before being accepted to the School of Theology?

It is not necessary to interview in person before being accepted into a degree program.  However, many prospective students find that a trip to the School of Theology provides invaluable information while making the decision of whether or not to pursue graduate theological study here.  Only in person can one familiarize oneself to the School, its community of scholars, and its surroundings.  For this reason, applicants to the School of Theology are always welcome to visit.

Can I transfer credits?  How can I be assured that my previous classes will transfer into a School of Theology’s degree program?

Students transferring to the School of Theology from accredited theological schools are allowed full credit for acceptable work done in those institutions. Courses, when accepted, carry the credit value established by the institution at which the work was done. For the first professional degree, grades C and above may be acceptable; for the second professional degree (STM), grades B – and above may be acceptable. Academic work at the graduate level in nontheological schools may be accepted for credit at the discretion of the faculty, if the work is applicable to the desired degree. Undergraduate credit may not apply toward the fulfillment of any degree program requirement at the School of Theology. For the School of Theology’s Doctor of Ministry degree, three courses (or courses totalling no more than 12 semester credit hours) are transferable. In every instance, course equivalents are determined on an individual basis, by petition. For STM and ThD candidates, no more than one course may normally be transferred from previous work, and then only when the work done in that course is of equivalent academic standing to the degree for which the student is currently a candidate.

Transfer credit within Boston University is also a possibility.  It is possible to transfer from one degree to another within the School of Theology and the Division of the Theological and Religious Studies, as well as elsewhere within the University. Work toward the Master of Divinity and the Master of Theological Studies degrees may be interchangeable, depending on a student’s academic credentials, if the degree was not completed. As long as the integrity of the degree is maintained, there is no maximum amount of credit that can be transferred. Advanced standing for the Doctor of Ministry degree is limited to no more than four courses (16 semester credit hours) if the courses have been taken in the School of Theology. One of these courses may be in supervised ministry.

Special students may transfer into the School of Theology degree programs with advanced standing if they were eligible for admission into these programs at the time they became special students. A maximum of three courses taken as a special student are transferable.

What are the codes for the School of Theology used by GRE, TOEFL and MAT testing services?

When taking the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), Miller’s Analogy Test (MAT) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), it is important that prospective students tell the testing service to forward a copy of their scores to the School of Theology.  Please use the following codes for the School of Theology: GRE – R3070; MAT – 4902; TOEFL – 3233, Department 99.

Have all my credentials arrived yet?

The School of Theology Admissions Office monitors its applications regularly.  A system tracks what items have and have not arrived in an applicant’s file.  Once all items have arrived, the Admissions Office considers the application for admission, and word of the decision is sent to the applicant.

It is unnecessary for prospective students to check daily on the status of their files.  The Admissions Office will not contact an applicant when individual credentials arrive.  However, if some time has passed and the applicant’s file is not complete, the Admissions Office will be in touch with the applicant to let her or him know what credentials are needed to complete the application.

May I send my credentials electronically?

The School of Theology must receive original copies of an applicant’s transcripts, Letters of Reference, and GRE or TOEFL scores.  These items cannot be sent electronically by the applicant.  All other application items can be submitted electronically.  As technology allows, transcripts and standardized test scores may be sent to the School directly by the granting educational institution or testing service.  Prospective students who have personal, unofficial copies of their transcripts or test scores may send them to the Admissions Office electronically.  In certain cases this may speed the process of application.  However, a final, original copy of all items must be received by the Admissions Office before an applicant ultimately receives acceptance.

Do I need to complete a separate application form to be considered for scholarships?

The School of Theology’s Application contains a “financial aid” section, in which all interested applicants can check a box indicating their desire to be considered for financial aid, including scholarships.  A “Boston University School of Theology Application for Financial Aid” should be completed by all prospective students as part of their application forms.  There are separate “Application for Financial Aid” forms for domestic and international applicants.  These simple forms contain basic questions, and do not require an essay.  Domestic applicants must also submit the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) once they are accepted to the School of Theology.  If preferred, the FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Who is considered for scholarships?  If I have below a 3.3 GPA will I receive any financial help?

The School of Theology’s tuition is significantly lower than the tuitions of other schools and colleges within Boston University.  Every seminarian benefits appreciably from this reduced tuition cost.  Need-based Tuition Scholarships are provided to nearly all School of Theology students once they are accepted into a degree program, in addition to the already-reduced School of Theology tuition costs.  All accepted students are considered for Tuition Scholarships.

Domestic applicants whose cumulative Grade Point Average from an undergraduate or graduate degree program is above a 3.3 will be considered for Scholarships for Merit, as well.  Scholarships for Merit range from full tuition to full tuition plus a stipend of up to $8,000 annually.  Scholarship for Merit decisions are made each March on the basis of the strength of the prospective student’s application materials.

I am an international student without financial resources.  Is there a scholarship available to cover the cost of my time in Boston?  Do I really have to have documentation of financial support, and how much?

It is necessary to stress the importance of the Letter of Financial Support for all international students who apply.  All international applicants must provide documentation of significant financial resources available to that student during their time of study at Boston University.  This documentation is necessary for the U.S. Government to grant a visa for study.  The letter of support may come in the form of a personal bank account statement showing the amount of funds available, or a letter from a family member, friend, or supporting agency (for example, a church).  The amount of support required for a student to show depends on the current cost of living and the amount of family members the student intends to bring to Boston (more financial support is required for a family to come to the states than an individual person, for example).

The School of Theology makes some tuition scholarships available to its international students; however, the scholarships do not reduce or replace the amount of financial sponsorship required to obtain a student visa.  Ultimately, each international student must have this significant amount of financial support at his or her disposal before being granted a student visa.  This is to ensure that a student does not run into financial difficulty once here in Boston.  This fact should encourage all international applicants, if necessary, to seek financial sponsorship as soon as possible during their application process.