Grants and Scholarships

In order to qualify, students must:

• Be an active attender/member of New Life Church and receive an endorsement from the Church's Elder board
• Be enrolled in a master's degree program at the Portland location
• Intend to serve the local church, parachurch, or other form of lay ministry upon successful degreee completion

In order to be considered, students must:

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Complete the Need Based Grant Application
• Complete the Named Scholarship Application
• Submit an endorsement from the Elder Board of New Life Church, confirming eligibility, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

If awarded, students must:

• Write a thank you letter to the donor, providing information about family, calling, and program of study.
• Remain a student in good standing

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 for a single term. Students must re-apply for grants every semester. All degree programs are eligible. 

In order to qualify, students must:

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Have an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) less than $6000 as determined by the FAFSA

• Need Based Grant Application

The President's Pathway Scholarship recognizes a student's leadership in ministry and seeks to provide access for students with significant need. President's Pathway grants may range from 20–35 percent of tuition, based on the application. This is a renewable grant; recipients must reapply every semester.

• President's Pathway Scholarship Application

In order to qualify, students must:

• Be newly admitted to one of the following programs: Master of Divinity, MA in Counseling, MA in Marital and Family Therapy, MA (Biblical and Theological Studies), MA in Ministry and Leadership, MA in Global Leadership, Master of Theology, Doctor of Intercultural Studies, or Doctor of Education.
• 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) less than $1000 as determined by the FAFSA and show significant financial need.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.33
• Be in good academic standing (may not have been on an Academic Warning or Probation) while in attendance at Western
• Be in good financial standing (no delinquent payments) while in attendance at Western

Students who are staff members of Venture Church Network (formerly CBA) churches or ministries may be eligible for a grant of 10–20 percent of tuition costs. Contact the Financial Aid Office for details and eligibility. Grants are awarded for a single term. Students must re-apply for grants every semester. This grant does not stack with the Need-Based grant. 

• Venture Church Network/Ministry Grant

Thanks to the strong partnership between Western Seminary and the organizations and churches listed below, eligible staff/volunteers  may be eligible for a partnership grant. Grants are awarded for a single term. Students must re-apply for grants every semester. In order to apply, fill out the FAFSA, the Need-Based Grant application and the Partnership Grant application. Most partnership grants offer a discount range (e.g. 10-20%), with each eligible student receiving at least the lower percentage, with the possibility of increase up to the higher percentage based on financial need. This grant does not stack with the Need-Based grant.

Important Note: Eligibility criteria and discount percentage varies by partnership

The following is a list of participating churches and organizations:

Parachurch

• Cru
• Navigators

Church Partnerships

• Acts 29 Network Churches
• Calvary Global Network (CGN)
• Church on the Move // Tulsa, OK
• Grace Church // Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina
• Van City Church // Vancouver, WA
• Venture Christian Church // Los Gatos, CA
• Venture Church Network (formerly CBAmerica)
• Westgate Church // San Jose, CA

Graduates of a Western Seminary masters program are eligible for a 20 percent tuition scholarship for their doctoral program at Western Seminary. The awarding process is automatic, so no application is necessary. Scholarships are awarded for a single term. This scholarship does not stack with the Need-Based grant. 

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.

• Alumni Audit Opportunity Information and Application

The Visit Scholarship is valued at the dollar amount of one credit of master's-level tuition. See this page for more details.

• Visit Scholarship

Most International Students are not eligible for other institutional grants or scholarships, and should complete the form below. Students coming to study residentially in the USA will need to apply by April 1 each year. Students planning to remain abroad are subject to the standard financial aid application deadlines. International Student Scholarships are awarded one year at a time, so the application form only needs to be completed once per academic year. 

• International Student Scholarship Application

International Students that are eligible for a Partnership Grant should This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss whether they should apply for the International Student Scholarship or for the Partnership Grant. If the tuition discount percentage is greater through the Partnership Grant, students should submit the Need-Based and Partnership Grant applications. Since International Students cannot complete the FAFSA, other means will be used to assess financial need, if required for the grant in question. 

If you are the spouse of a currently enrolled student in a Master’s or Doctoral Degree program, you will qualify for The Learning Together Program. Spouses are invited to audit one on-campus course per semester at the regular audit rate, and depending on the enrollment-level of the student, may qualify to receive a scholarship. The spouse of a full-time (8+ credits) degree student will receive a 75% scholarship. The spouse of a half-time (4-7 credits) degree student will receive a 50% scholarship. The spouse of a degree student taking 3-1 credits will not be eligible. 

The Learning Together Program cannot be combined with the Advanced Studies Certificate Program or Partners in Ministry Programs. Please note: The LTP does not include online or coaching courses.

To register:

1. Set up an S.I.S. account for enrollment and registration.
2. The waivers and tuition adjustments for participating in Learning Together are applied through Financial Aid. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to notify Financial Aid that you have registered. Please include the degree student’s name in the email.