{"id":514,"date":"2019-08-06T15:34:42","date_gmt":"2019-08-06T19:34:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sth\/?page_id=514"},"modified":"2025-11-12T16:49:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T21:49:40","slug":"tuition-financial-aid","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sth\/academics\/tuition-financial-aid\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuition and Financial Aid"},"content":{"rendered":"

The School of Theology seeks to support all its students in accessing transformational theological education. We do so by offering generous financial aid packages to masters students, full funding to our PhD students, and competitively priced online and hybrid program options for students who seek to learn alongside our renowned faculty via more flexible modalities. We also seek to keep tuition expenses low, and are proud to have the lowest cost of tuition of any graduate program at Boston University. We allocate financial aid funds offered by the University, the United Methodist Church, and individual donors as widely as possible to benefit the most students. Additional merit scholarship funds are set aside to reward academic excellence and extra-curricular distinction.<\/p>\n

Scholarship & Fellowships<\/h2>\n

See our Scholarships & Fellowships<\/a> page for more information about scholarships and fellowships available at STH.<\/p>\n

School of Theology Financial Aid Policies<\/p>

To be eligible for School of Theology and federal student aid funds, a student must make satisfactory academic progress each term. For a description of what satisfactory academic progress entails for each degree program, please see the STH Bulletin<\/a>. The following policies were developed in consultation with the Federal Student Aid Handbook.<\/em><\/p>\n

Length of Time for Financial Aid Coverage<\/h3>\n

The length of time a student is eligible for School of Theology financial aid depends on their degree program. Generally, a full-time term of aid can be split into two part-time terms of aid. However, students must also abide by the time limitations of each degree<\/a>. A full-time or part-time term of aid may be used in the summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Degree<\/th>\nFull-Time Terms of Aid<\/th>\nPart-Time Terms of Aid<\/th>\nTime Limitation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
MDiv<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n5 Academic Years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MTS or MSM<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n4 Academic Years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
STM<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n2 Academic Years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
PhD<\/td>\n10<\/td>\nN\/A<\/td>\n10 Academic Years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

It is also important that a student track the number of units remaining to complete their degree requirements. While number of terms remaining is the most common method for tracking financial aid eligibility, the School of Theology also reviews the number of units remaining to complete degree requirements. The School of Theology does not provide financial aid to students past the number of units they need to meet their program requirements.* Therefore, if students apply for a course overload in one or more terms or transfer in units from another institution, this may leave them with a small number of units to complete in their final term and they will only receive financial aid towards the number of units needed. In both of these circumstances, the number of units remaining supersedes the number of terms of financial aid eligibility. The student has the option to enroll in additional courses past the number of units required to complete the degree, but they will be at the student\u2019s own cost. Transfer units do not count against the calculation of remaining terms of financial aid eligibility if they are making up units for terms when a full-time student took fewer than 12 units.<\/p>\n

Students taking fewer than 12 units per term may end up using all of their terms of financial aid eligibility prior to completing their degree requirements. For these reasons, students should be cautious in keeping in mind their maximum number of terms of financial aid eligibility and their remaining units when planning their registration each term. In addition, please review the STH Leave of Absence\/Withdrawal Policy carefully because taking a leave of absence can impact a student\u2019s remaining terms of financial aid eligibility as well.<\/p>\n

*Full-time School of Theology MDiv, MSM, and MTS students may take Seminary Singers (up-to 2 units) and\/or Spiritual Companioning (up-to 2 units) without counting them toward their degree program free electives. In that case, the units do not count toward a student\u2019s financial aid eligibility. Students, however, may count those units toward degree program free electives if they wish, in which case they would count toward a student\u2019s financial aid eligibility.<\/p>\n

Impact of Failed Course on Financial Aid Eligibility<\/h3>\n

If a student receives a failing grade in a course, the School of Theology will not provide additional financial aid to replace financial aid that was used for the failed course. Students can never receive more financial aid than they were awarded upon admission to the School of Theology. \u00a0The impact of this policy is felt at the end of student\u2019s program. For example, if a student is progressing through their program at the expected rate and fails a course in the first term, in all likelihood, they will not have enough financial aid eligibility remaining to cover their last course.<\/p>\n

Financial Aid Warning<\/h3>\n

If a student fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress according to the appropriate student review committee for their degree program and are placed on Academic Probation, they will receive a financial aid warning which applies to their School of Theology financial aid and, if the student has it, their federal financial aid. For example, if a student fails to make satisfactory academic progress in the Fall term, they may be placed under a financial aid warning in the Spring term. The warning period lasts for one term during which the student will continue to receive School of Theology and federal financial aid funds.<\/p>\n

If a Dean\u2019s Fellow does not meet the required 3.3 cumulative GPA, they will receive a financial aid warning, which applies to their School of Theology financial aid. ** The warning period lasts for one term during which the student will continue to receive their Dean\u2019s Fellowship.<\/p>\n

The academic progress of the student is evaluated at the end of the warning period.<\/p>\n

** From Fall 2022 through Spring 2025, Dean\u2019s Fellows who do not receive a stipend only need to maintain a 2.7 GPA to maintain their 100% tuition scholarship.<\/p>\n

Grace Period for STH Financial Aid<\/h3>\n

Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress after the financial aid warning period and are placed on a second term of Academic Probation will continue<\/em> to receive their School of Theology financial aid for the following term as a grace period. The financial aid warning period and the grace period do not need to be consecutive. Once a student is placed on a second term of Academic Probation, they are placed on a grace period for the following term.<\/p>\n

If the student is able to raise their cumulative GPA to meet satisfactory academic progress at the end of the grace period, the student\u2019s scholarship will be automatically reinstated for the following term. If the student does not achieve a cumulative GPA to meet satisfactory academic progress by the end of the grace period but achieves a high enough term<\/em>\u00a0GPA they may appeal to the STH Academic Services Team to retain their financial aid moving forward.<\/p>\n

If a Dean\u2019s Fellow does not meet the required 3.3 cumulative GPA at the end the Financial Aid Warning period, the student will receive their Dean\u2019s Fellowship as a grace period for the upcoming term and the tuition scholarship pertaining to their degree program for the term following the grace period.** If the student is able to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.3 or better at the end of the grace period, their Dean\u2019s Fellowship will automatically be reinstated for the following term. If a student does not achieve a cumulative 3.3 GPA by the end of the grace period but achieves a 3.3 term<\/em>\u00a0GPA they may appeal the STH Academic Services Team to retain their scholarship moving forward.<\/p>\n

** From Fall 2022 through Spring 2025, Dean\u2019s Fellows who do not receive a stipend only need to maintain a 2.7 GPA to maintain their 100% tuition scholarship.<\/p>\n

Appealing for a Grace Period of Federal Financial Aid<\/h3>\n

Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress after the financial aid warning period and are placed on a second term of Academic Probation will lose<\/em> their federal financial aid eligibility. However, student may appeal to the School of Theology Academic Services Team to receive a grace period of federal financial aid. A student may appeal on the basis of injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress and what has changed in their situation that will allow them to make satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation. The grace period of federal financial aid lasts for one term and means that the student\u2019s eligibility for federal financial aid is reinstated for that term. The student\u2019s progress will be evaluated at the end of the grace period. If based on the student\u2019s appeal, the STH Academic Services Team decides that the student should be able to meet satisfactory academic progress by the end of the following term then the student may be placed on a second grace period of federal financial aid with or without an academic plan. If an academic plan has been devised for the student (by the appropriate student review committee for their degree program) and they are meeting its requirements, they are eligible to receive federal financial aid as long as they continue to meet the plan\u2019s requirements.<\/p>\n

Disciplinary Probation and Financial Aid<\/h3>\n

If a student is placed on disciplinary probation and they are either a Dean\u2019s Scholarship, Dean\u2019s Fellowship or Merit Scholarship recipient, they will instead receive the tuition scholarship that pertains to their degree program, unless otherwise determined by the Academic Policies, Procedures, and Fellowships Committee.<\/p>\n

Suspensions and Financial Aid<\/span><\/h3>\n

Students who are suspended from the University will have their tuition scholarship for the term withdrawn, unless they successfully appeal to the Academic Dean to retain their scholarships. Students must submit their petition within two weeks after their suspension is finalized.<\/p>\n

If a student\u2019s petition is approved, the financial aid utilized that term counts as part of a student\u2019s total financial aid eligibility.<\/p>\n

Defaulted Federal Student Aid<\/h3>\n

If a student is currently in default status on any federal student aid (Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans (where the student was the borrower), Direct Consolidation Loans, or Federal Perkins Loans), the student cannot receive any further federal or institutional student aid funds until they have resolved the default in accordance with the Federal Student Aid Handbook.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Merit Aid for Part-Time Students<\/p>

<\/p>\n

The School of Theology recognizes that many students have obligations in addition to their academic studies. Therefore, if a student needs to enroll part-time (6-8 units\/term) and the student is offered a Dean\u2019s Fellowship, Ordination Scholarship, or Named Fellowship, the School of Theology is committed to awarding the full award according to the policies below:<\/p>\n