Admission Requirements

We are delighted that you are thinking about applying to the MDiv Program! Please review the Eligibility and Admission Requirements below as you prepare to apply to our program. For a list of application deadlines, or to start your online application, visit the Apply Now page.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

• Baccalaureate degree: A four-year degree from an accredited United States institution, or its equivalent from an institution outside the U.S.
• Undergraduate GPA: The entire student profile is considered during the admissions process, including the GPA, which should be at least 2.50.
• English proficiency: Applicants whose language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting a minimum TOEFL score of 85 (IBT) and  MELAB score of 81. We are no longer accepting the TOEFL (ITP) exam.
• Church membership: Applicants typically hold membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
• Personal qualifications: Prospective students should represent high moral integrity with a character, lifestyle, and spiritual commitment reflective of the beliefs and practices of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They should also show promise of usefulness for ministry through personal maturity and adequate experience in the Church. (Persons of other faiths who are willing to live in harmony with these standards are welcome to apply).

Application Requirements

• Online Application Fee: $60 (No fee waivers are available)
• Official transcripts: From the institutions where all post-secondary coursework was taken.
• Recommendations: Three recommendations are required.

1. Church Board Recommendation from the church where the applicant is a member.  Must be voted by the church board and signed by the church clerk.
2. Religion Department Recommendation is only for applicants with a theology or religion undergraduate degree from an SDA college within the past five years.  All other applicants need two General Recommendations.
3. General Recommendation could be from a church administrator, pastor, or recent employer.

On the on-line application, you will be asked for the names and email addresses of your recommenders. When you provide this information, your recommenders will receive an email with a direct link to the form.

• Resume or professional history: Information about your employment, research, or special projects.
• Personal history: Submit an autobiographical history and statement of purpose reflecting your family and religious development, sense of calling to ministry, experience in church work, and future goals in relationship to the MDiv program. (If married, the spouse of the applicant is also asked to complete a statement in regard to her or his feelings and relationship to the partner's aspirations for future ministry).
• Interview: Meet with a representative of the MDiv program, if required. The interview can be in person or by telephone or Skype.
• Personality Questionnaire (Fee: $25): After Graduate Enrollment receives your completed application, you will receive an e-mail containing the link to the Personality Factor Questionnaire with all the necessary information needed to complete the questionnaire.