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Your seminary training will carry value that lasts for a lifetime of
Christian service — and it will also carry some costs. Fortunately, Western tuition rates
are lower than the national average for evangelical seminaries and private graduate schools. We
also offer various types of financial aid such as scholarships, loans, and payment plans to help
make your training affordable. Our experienced financial aid staff are also available to help you
make responsible decisions about paying for school today so that your future in ministry won’t
be hindered.
- In order to qualify for
most kinds of financial aid below, students must be enrolled
at least half-time (4 hours) and be admitted to a degree or Graduate
Studies program.
- Non-degree students are not eligible
for financial assistance.
- Most eligible students may
receive more than one grant or scholarship but only up to a maximum
of 20% of tuition for a term.
- Occasionally, an
eligible student may qualify to receive a scholarship for an
even greater percentage of tuition, up to 100%.
Institutional
Aid Outside
Aid Federal
Aid Monthly
Payment Plan Financial Aid Policies
Grants will be based primarily on financial need and will
depend in large part on the amount of money available and the need of the applicant.
Grants are awarded on a fall-spring-summer academic year. The Church Partnership Grants
and Need-Based Grants are funded by the endowment and restricted scholarships shown
in the Seminary catalog. Eligible programs include Certificate, Diploma, Master's, ThM,
and Doctor of Missiology. Please see Community Service information below.
The President’s Pathway Scholarship program recognizes a student’s potential for leadership in ministry and ensures access for students
with significant need. President’s Pathway grants may range from 21-100 percent of tuition, based on the application. This is a
renewable grant; recipients must reapply each year.
In order to qualify, students must:
- Be newly admitted to one of the following programs: Master of Divinity, M.A. in Counseling, M.A. in Marital and Family Therapy, M.A. (Biblical and Theological Studies), M.A. in Ministry and Leadership, Master of Theology, or Doctor of Missiology.
- Register for at least 4 credits per semester, and at least 15 credits over the course of three semesters
- Serve in a ministry leadership role (may be paid or unpaid)
- Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Have an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of $0 as determined by the FAFSA
President's Pathway Scholarship Application
Students who are staff members of CB churches, CB agencies
or supporting churches may be eligible for a grant of up to 20% of tuition
costs. Contact the Financial Aid Office for details and eligibility. Please
see Community Service information below
Visiting Western Seminary when you live at a distance can be expensive!
We would like to reward you for visiting our campus by offering you a $300.00 grant..
Please see Community Service information below.
Degree graduates of Western Seminary are invited to audit
one course per year at no charge. Degree graduates include those who have completed
a full master’s or doctoral degree program.
To download the request for financial aid under the Spouse
Tuition Policy, please click
here.
COMMUNITY SERVICE REQUIREMENT
In an effort to enable the Seminary to enhance the grant/scholarship
program, Portland students who receive certain kinds of scholarships or grants will
be required to assist the Recruitment or Advancement Office up to four hours per term
during the terms in which the aid is received. (This is commonly referred to as
"Community Service.") This service will probably be something like stuffing
envelopes for a seminary mailing, telephoning prospective students, making calls for
the alumni department and/or donors in a "phoneathon,"
or helping with a school-sponsored
event.
Federal Stafford loans are interest loans obtained through a lender
of the student's choice. Western Seminary recommends that students limit their borrowing to $13,333
in any 12-month period and total graduate/undergraduate borrowing to $40,000 at time of repayment.
This applies to subsidized, unsubsidized Stafford loans, consolidated and Perkins loans. These
recommended loan limits are based on the expected income of a Western Seminary graduate. Students
wishing to borrow in excess of these recommended limits will be asked to provide additional information
regarding financial resources and future repayment. Repayment begins six months after you graduate
or cease to be at least a half-time student. The Stafford loan process can take six to eight weeks
and should be started as early as possible. (As a graduate institution, students are not eligible
for federal grant programs such as Pell.)
Helpful Links
Western Seminary works with veterans and active duty armed
forces personnel in the receiving of VA and other educational benefits. A student’s
ability to qualify for and receive these benefits is determined by the government and
not Western Seminary, though a VA Certifying Official on Western staff is available
to counsel students that may qualify to receive these benefits. That official
will assist eligible students by certifying and tracking students’ enrollment
and progress in their degree program. Students receiving these types of benefits will
need to partner with their certifying official each semester to ensure full understanding
and clear communication about enrollment.
If you are eligible to receive VA or TA benefits, please follow these
steps:
| 1. |
Speak with the VA certifying official at the appropriate
campus:
For TA Benefits, please contact:
Katy Shaw
503.517.1888
kshaw@westernseminary.edu |
| 2. |
Please research and apply for these benefits
online at:
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Some denominations have scholarships and loan programs
to assist seminary students. Many local churches also have established scholarship funds
for students who are members of their congregations.
Some students have been able to secure scholarships or
grants from trusts and civic organizations.
You may wish to do the following:
- Contact your local library to research grant books
- Although the majority of aid is for undergraduate
level, other scholarship sites include:
For students who are not able to pay their tuition in full
at the beginning of the term, a monthly payment plan is available. This plan
is administered by Academic Management Services and payments are made directly
to AMS, not to the seminary. There is a per-semester or per-year charge for this
service but, if payments are made on time, there are no interest or other charges
for using this plan. For more information about how the plan works or to sign
up for the plan, visit the TuitionPay
section of Tuition and Fees page.
Or you may call the Business or Financial Aid Offices if you have additional
questions.
If you have any questions about these or other financial aid programs, please
contact:
*Please note that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is not an application for
financial aid in itself,
but it is a need analysis document required for programs such
as the Western Seminary Grant and for student loans.
Click outside this box to close the calculator.
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