Pre-Registration for Incoming Students

Incoming Students for Fall 2026

Step 1 of 3

Name*
First Last
BU ID*
If you are an incoming student and do not know your BU ID number, enter, "Unknown"

Address*
Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

BU Email*
If you are an incoming student and do not have a BU Email address, please enter an alternate email address

Date of Birth*
Click on icon to select date
MM slash DD slash YYYY

Marital Status*
Gender Identity*
Degree Sought at STH*
Please select “Certificate Program” only if you are not pursuing a degree at the School of Theology. If you are pursuing a certificate while completing your degree, please choose your degree program instead of “Certificate Program” or “Special Student.” “Special Student” means a non-degree-seeking, non-certificate-seeking student.
Are you pursuing, or considering pursuing, a certificate while at STH?*
If you are pursuing a certificate while completing a degree program, please select your degree program under “Degree Sought at STH” above, and answer “Yes” here.

To view the School of Theology certificate programs, please click the link below:
STH Certificate Programs.

Yes

No

Unsure / Considering
Which certificate(s) are you pursuing or considering?
Anglican & Episcopal Studies
Faith & Ecological Justice
Music Ministry
Religion & Conflict Transformation
Religious Education
Spirituality Studies
Theology & Latinx Studies
I am unsure which certificate I may pursue at this time.
MDiv Track*
Month you will enter STH*
Year you will enter STH*
Anticipated Graduation Month*
Please select your anticipated graduation or program completion date.

If you are a Special Student, please select “Not Applicable — Special Student only”.
Anticipated Graduation Year*
Please select your anticipated graduation or program completion date.

If you are a Special Student, please select “Not Applicable — Special Student only”.
Registration Status*
International students in the residential programs must be full-time.
Religious Affiliation*
Religious Affiliation if "Other"*
If your religious affiliation was not included in the list above and you selected "Other," please indicate your affiliation in the text box.

United Methodist Annual Conference*
Annual Conference, if other

Do you intend to serve, or are you already serving, as a Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church?*

Yes

No
Ordination status*

I intend to be ordained as an elder

I intend to be ordained as a deacon

I am ordained as an elder or a deacon

I am not seeking ordination
Have you completed and signed your candidacy application in Passage UMC or through your Annual Conference’s candidacy process?*

Yes

No
Have you completed any required candidacy-related payments or fees, if applicable, such as background/credit check or psychological assessment fees required by your Annual Conference?*

Yes

No
Are you a certified candidate?*

Yes

No

Proposed Course List for the Term*
Please add the courses you plan to take (use the plus sign to add more courses).
Course Number (e.g., STHTF 701) Course Title Course Units

Online MDiv First-Term Course Registration
Online MDiv First-Term Course Information

Online MDiv students should review the required first-term course pattern below. Your available options are based on whether you selected Full-time or Part-time registration status earlier in this form.

Required Course Pattern

Full-time students: 4 courses / 13 credits

STHTF 700 OL: First Year Formation

STHTH 701 OL: History of Christianity

STHTO 704 OL: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

STHMR 704 OL: Religion and Public Engagement through the Arts

Part-time students taking 3 courses: STHTF 700 OL: First Year Formation + STHTH 701 OL: History of Christianity + STHTO 704 OL: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

Part-time students taking 2 courses: STHTF 700 OL: First Year Formation + either STHTH 701 OL: History of Christianity or STHTO 704 OL: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

Part-time students taking 1 course: STHTF 700 OL: First Year Formation

Online MDiv First-Term Course Meeting Times and Descriptions

STHTF 700 OL: First Year Formation

Class meeting time: Mondays 5:30-6:30pm, online

Description: This course will center and strengthen the spiritual and relational formation component of first-year MDiv and MTS students. It provides robust frameworks and practices aimed at identity formation in community and takes seriously the holistic formation of students throughout the span of their OMDiv program.

The course will address formational competencies identified by the faculty, including:

Naming commitments to communities of concern

Student identity formation and worldview recognition

Listening and talking respectfully across difference

Approaching conflict in the STH learning community constructively

Vocational discernment

Interdisciplinary research on spiritual formation

Spiritual formation and spiritual practice while at STH

Exploring self-care and mental health resources for healthy stress management and well-being

Identifying one's place in dynamics of power and privilege

STHTF 700 OL fulfills the First Year Formation requirement.

STHTH 701 OL: History of Christianity

Class meeting time: Wednesdays 5:30-6:30pm, online

Description: This course surveys the interconnected global history of Christianity, starting with the second-century Mediterranean world and moving chronologically through Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the European Reformations, including the emergence of Wesleyanism, through the rise of modern missions, down to the twenty-first century. The course gives particular attention to the role of women in the Christian movement, the movement of Christianity across cultures, and the encounters between Christianity and other religions.

STHTH 701 OL fulfills the requirement for the category of History of Traditions & Institutions.

STHTO 704 OL: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

Class meeting time: Tuesdays 5-6pm, online

Description: In this graduate-level introduction to the Hebrew Bible, students investigate ancient Israel's literature within its historical, geographical, cultural, social, political, economic, and religious contexts.

STHTO 704 OL fulfills the requirement for the category of Sacred Texts & Interpretation – Hebrew Bible.

STHMR 704 OL: Religion and Public Engagement through the Arts

Class meeting time: Mondays 4:15pm-5:15pm, online

Description: Because the arts are fundamental to religious expression and are a principal interface between religious communities and the public, this course provides competencies in a wide range of subjects needed for leadership in this field. Primary competencies include an overview of the history of Christian art and architecture in global context; engagement with several methodological frameworks for self-expression and criticism, including aesthetics, semiotics, the creative process, and theopoetics; and foundational skills in the field of arts administration.

STHMR 704 OL fulfills the requirement for the category of Religious Leadership Practices.

Online MDiv Full-Time Course Plan*
Full-time Online MDiv students are required to enroll in the following four courses, for a total of 13 credits, during the first semester. Please confirm your course plan below.

Full-Time OMDiv Course Package: 4 courses / 13 credits — STHTF 700 First Year Formation; STHTH 701 History of Christianity; STHTO 704 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible; STHMR 704 Religion and Public Engagement through the Arts

Other (please explain below)
Online MDiv Part-Time Course Plan*
Part-time Online MDiv students should select one of the approved first-semester course plans below. Please note that STHTF 700 First Year Formation is required for all first-year Online MDiv students.

Part-Time: 3 courses / 9 credits — STHTF 700 First Year Formation; STHTH 701 History of Christianity; STHTO 704 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

Part-Time: 2 courses / 6 credits — STHTF 700 First Year Formation; STHTH 701 History of Christianity

Part-Time: 2 courses / 6 credits — STHTF 700 First Year Formation; STHTO 704 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

Part-Time: 1 course / 3 credits — STHTF 700 First Year Formation

Other — please explain below
Online MDiv Course Notes or Special Circumstances
Please use this box only if your situation does not fit one of the approved course plans above, or if you need to explain a special registration circumstance.
Course Selection for First Term
Using the form below, please list your preferred courses for the upcoming term. Note course times to make sure your choices do not overlap.
STHTF 700 First Year Formation (3 units)*
All first year students are required to take First Year Formation during the fall term.

A1) STHTF 700 - First Year Formation (Wednesdays from 2:30pm - 5:15pm)
Core Requirement Courses*
Please select at least one course from the list below. Note course days/times to ensure your selections do not overlap.
STHTC 817 Introduction to Christian Worship (TR 9:30-10:45am)
STHTN 807 Women in the New Testament (R, 3:30-6:15pm)
STHTN 829 Enslavement and Early Christian Literature (TR, 8:00-9:15am)
STHTS 805 Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation (R, 6:30-9:15pm)
STHTT 852 Theological Thinking for Everyday Life (W, 8:00-10:45am)
Additional Courses Beyond the Core Requirement Course(s)
Please use this section to add any courses you plan to take in addition to the core course(s) selected above. Use the plus (+) sign to add additional courses.

Registration Guidelines
• Full-time students are advised to register for 12 units per term.
• Part-time students may register for no more than 8 units per term.

To View the Course Schedule
1. Click here to access the course schedule.
2. Select the appropriate term from the first drop-down menu.
3. Select School of Theology from the second drop-down menu.
4. Click Search.

You do not need to enter a subject, catalog number, keyword, or career. Selecting School of Theology will display the STH course schedule for the term you selected.
Course Number (e.g., STHTF 701) Course Title Course Units

Additional Information
If your course selections do not fit within the parameters above, or if you have any additional curricular needs please list them in the box below.

Important: This form has not yet been submitted.

Please continue and complete the Financial Aid Application section. Your registration form will be submitted to the Office of Registration and Financial Aid only after you complete all required fields and click the final “Submit” button.

Financial Aid Application
Are you pursuing, or considering pursuing, a certificate while at STH?*
For Financial Aid Application purposes, please confirm whether you are pursuing, or considering pursuing, a certificate while at STH. You may have answered this question earlier in the form, but this confirmation is needed for the Financial Aid Application section.

If you are pursuing a certificate while completing a degree program, please select your degree program under “Degree Sought at STH” earlier in the form, and answer “Yes” here.

To view the School of Theology certificate programs, please click the link below:
STH Certificate Programs.

Yes

No

Unsure / Considering
Which certificate(s) are you pursuing or considering?*
Anglican & Episcopal Studies
Faith & Ecological Justice
Music Ministry
Religion & Conflict Transformation
Religious Education
Spirituality Studies
Theology & Latinx Studies
I am unsure which certificate I may pursue at this time.
Please briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your academic interests and vocational aspirations.*
Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, and Dropped Course Policy*
Students who officially withdraw or take a leave of absence will have their tuition and fees canceled or refunded in accordance with the University’s refund schedule, which is published by the University Registrar’s Office (open in new tab: link).

The School of Theology does not provide financial aid for coursework not completed, which may leave the student owing a balance, depending on that refund schedule.

Thus, for example, the School revokes its financial aid awards in cases where a full-time or part-time student withdraws or takes a leave of absence, once registered.

Financial aid is also revoked or reduced in cases where a part-time student drops one or more courses.

In all such cases where coursework is not completed, the student's corresponding STH scholarship will be canceled and the student will be responsible for all remaining charges (less any refunds that the University allows).

For more information regarding Boston University's refund policy, please review BU’s Withdrawal and Tuition Refund Schedule (open in new tab: link).
I fully understand and agree to abide by the Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, and Dropped Course Policy as described above.
Loans and Future Annual Income*
Click here to read the STH Loans and Future Annual Income page in a new tab.

Click here to review any previous borrowing history I have on NSLDS in a new tab.

Yes, I have read and understood the STH Loans and Future Annual Income page and have reviewed any previous borrowing history I have on NSLDS.

No, I am an international student and understand that I am not eligible for federal loans.
Do you want to apply for Federal Work Study? US Citizens/Perm. Residents Only*
Work study is very limited. Please be aware that you must submit a FAFSA to be considered for Federal Work Study.

Yes

No

Not eligible
Are you a U.S. military service member/veteran, spouse or family member covered by the E.O. 13607?*

Yes

No
Are you a BU employee (or BU employee's spouse) applying for Tuition Remission?*

Yes

No
Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan (U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents Only)*
Loan Request Instructions

Before making a loan request, you must read the following information on Loans and Annual Income: link

List the amount you wish to borrow in the upcoming academic year.

⚠ DO NOT ENTER "YES." AN AMOUNT MUST BE ENTERED.

If you are an international student, not eligible, or do not wish to proceed with federal aid, you may enter $0.

Borrowing Limits

MDiv students may be eligible to borrow up to $50,000 per year.

Students in other degree programs may be eligible to borrow up to $20,500 per year.

Final eligibility is determined according to the FAFSA.

If you do not wish to borrow any federal aid at this time, please enter $0.

Outside Awards and Sponsorships (awards from sources other than STH, e.g. government, a church or denomination - INDICATE WHETHER YOU WILL RECEIVE THE AWARD OR IF YOU HAVE APPLIED FOR IT AND THE AMOUNT/POTENTIAL AMOUNT)*
Please list all awards from sources outside the School of Theology that you have applied for, intend to apply for, or expect to receive, along with their potential or confirmed amounts.

These may include, but are not limited to, awards from a church, denomination, employer, outside scholarship organization, or other external source.

These awards will be recorded in your financial aid package for the academic year and may reduce your eligibility for federal loans.

Please indicate whether each award has already been confirmed, whether you have applied for it, or whether you intend to apply for it.

If you have not applied for, do not intend to apply for, or will not receive any outside awards, please enter “None” or “$0.”

Example:
Denominational scholarship — applied — potential amount $2,000
Local church scholarship — confirmed — $1,000
No outside awards — $0
Authorization Statement: Release of Data
Do you authorize the School of Theology Office of Registration and Financial Aid to release information from your file to other scholarship and loan agencies for the purpose of determining your eligibility for financial assistance from sources other than Boston University School of Theology?
Authorization Statement: Release of Data*
Signature
PLEASE READ PRIOR TO SIGNATURE: I need financial assistance to attend Boston University School of Theology. I will register for at least 6 credits each semester for which I am applying for federal assistance. I will use my financial assistance only to pay expenses related to my education. The information I am submitting is complete and accurate. I will notify the School of Theology Office of Registration and Financial Aid of any changes to this information and of changes in my registration status throughout the year. I fully understand Boston University reserves the right to cancel or reduce financial assistance benefits should this information prove inaccurate, should misrepresentation occur, should I reduce my course load during the year, should I fail to make satisfactory academic progress, or should it be discovered that I am in default on a previous educational loan. I have read all financial aid information in this web site and/or in the Boston University School of Theology Bulletin, and I am aware of regulations concerning my financial aid. I understand that failure to comply with instructions and/or deadlines may result in the reduction or cancellation of my financial aid. By typing my name below I acknowledge that I have read and agree to these conditions.
Applicant's Signature*
First Last
Today's Date*
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