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Admissions Standards and Procedures

Admissions Standards

In considering applicants, the Seminary assigns a balanced importance to academic ability, recommendations, and commitment to leadership among Third World churches. Accordingly, every applicant is required to submit the appropriate transcripts, academic and ecclesiastical recommendations, and an application with a statement of commitment. Overseas students must pledge to return to their homelands and churches when they have completed their degree program.

It should be understood that admission to International Theological Seminary depends on Christian experience, spiritual growth, call to service and gifts for ministry, as well as the academic records of the applicant. Men and women of God are qualified for Christian ministry by moral character as well as by academic achievement. They are characterized by compassion for individual persons, by sensitivity to the needs of the total community, by a burden that the whole of God's counsel be obeyed on earth, by a readiness to accept correction, a desire for moral growth, and above all, by personal integrity.

International Theological Seminary admits students of any race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the Seminary. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships and loan programs.

Application Requirements

Students desiring admission to the Seminary must apply no later than three (3) months prior to the Quarter during which they expect to begin their study program. However, because the complete admission process may take longer than three months, prospective students are encouraged to submit the following materials to the Dean several months in advance of their expected arrival. Every applicant must address these materials to the Dean.

1. A completed application form, which must include a statement from the applicant giving reasons for wishing to pursue a course of theological study at ITS. A non-refundable application fee of US$ 30.00 (M.A., M.Div., and Th.M.) and US$ 60.00 (D.Min. and Th.D.) must be sent along with the application form.

2. A full academic transcript of a Bachelor of Arts degree or its academic equivalent must be submitted for final approval of admission into the M.A. and M.Div. programs.Prospective Th.M.and D.Min.programs also must submit transcripts of the MA/M.Div.or its equivalent,along with any advanced degree(s)beyond MA/M.Div. for final approval. Preferably all the transcripts should be sent directly to the ITS Admissions Office from the institution(s) attended. Certified copies of transcripts are acceptable.

3. Three reference forms must be submitted. One must be completed by the applicant's minister or the governing body of the congregation. The other two must be completed by applicant's professor(s) and/or colleague(s), attesting to the moral character, general and academic ability, emotional stability and special fitness of the applicant to do graduate studies. Formal letters of recommendation are acceptable.

4. In addition, an applicant whose native language is not English is required to demonstrate his/her ability to use the English language by submitting his/her TOEFL score. The school code for International Theological Seminary to be used in reporting the results of this examination is CA 0375. A minimum score of 550 is required for admission to MA and M570 for Th.M, and Doctoral programs. English is used in all programs and classes and chapel at the Seminary, except for classes in special ethnic programs, such as for Korean and Chinese.

Exceptions may be made by specific approval of the authorized officers stipulated under the provision of the Operation Manual of the Seminary. Under such circumstances, the candidates will be placed under probation. Probation status shall be removed within one year if any of the following is fulfilled:

1. Completion of two courses of Remedial English at ITS or elsewhere approved by the administration with a grade of B or better, or
2. Passing the English test administered by ITS faculty with a grade of 85% or better, or
3. Submission of a new acceptable TOEFL score within the first year, or
4. Earning of a GPA of 3.50 or higher at ITS for the first year. Failure to remove the probation status within one year after admission should constitute the sole ground for dismissal.

5. All admission application documents submitted become the possession of the seminary.

Admission Status

A student may be assigned one of three categories.

1. Regular student: a new student with a satisfactory grade point average (GPA) and TOEFL score.

2. Probationary student: a new student without a satisfactory GPA and/or TOEFL scores. This status will be changed to that of a regular student as soon as evidence is presented that the deficiency has been removed.

3. Degree candidate: a student who has completed one Quarter as a regular student at a satisfactory level.