Student Life and Service

The Student Body

The student body of the seminary is an international community of future church leaders. A large number of countries are usually represented in the student body (e.g., Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Palau, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, Sudan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, USA, Vietnam, and Zaire). The rich fellowship among the students encourages them to expand the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth. God’s goodness to ITS is displayed in the ministries of ITS graduates. ITS graduates in previous years have filled leadership positions upon return to their home countries to serve their churches.

Chapel

ITS provides chapel services from 10:00 to 10:45 am daily. Fulltime students are required to attend the chapel services minimum four times a week and part-time students, minimum twice a week. The chapel times play an important role in molding Christian characters and promoting unity among students and faculty. Student worship leaders are often encouraged to sing in their mother tongues to share with others the diverse cultural aspects of Christian worship. The chapel services are conducted by the members of the faculty, selected students, and local pastors who are invited to speak.

Small Groups

The entire student body is divided into five or six small groups that are led by faculty members. Students in the small groups meet once a month to nurture one another with their testimonies and to pray for the issues collected among them. Outdoor activities such as a picnic or one-day trip are sometimes arranged in the small group meeting using weekends or holidays.

Student Government

In each school year, the student body elects a student body president and chaplain. The work of the president involves service to the student body in various capacities, including representation of the student opinion before the Faculty and Administration, organizing student activities, and coordinating student involvement. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in student government, especially, the various student activities that are offered. The chaplain is responsible to prepare and organize the monthly chapel services in consultation with Dean of Students. The activities of the student body are supported by a student activity fee which is to be allocated by Dean of Students.

Housing

The dorm rooms on and outside the ITS campus are to house only single students. Married students are on their own in securing housing. Due to immigration requirements, students on F-1 visas may not arrive earlier than one month prior to the beginning of classes, but married students must plan how to secure housing at least one month before the beginning of the fall quarter. If they have children, they should plan even earlier. Students who do not stay in the rooms after the spring quarter must vacate their rooms or pay a monthly rent if they leave their belongings in the rooms. The seminary does not provide financial support for scholarship students during the summer months.

Health Insurance

All fulltime students and their dependents are required to have health care coverage. The seminary pays for the health insurance of full-scholarship students but not for their spouses and other family members. It is important to know that, when a full-scholarship student brings his/her family to the US, the scholarship status of the student changes from full-scholarship to tuition scholarship. Securing health insurance for the family members of any student is the responsibility of the student. Health insurance plans at student rates are available through the seminary.

Employment

Immigration laws do not permit international students to work while studying in the United States. Fulltime students who suffer from economic hardship may apply for a work permit from the government after completing one academic calendar year (or after three quarters of study).