Admission Information

ADMISSION POLICY

Asbury Theological Seminary, within the purpose and confines of its mission, Statement of Faith, tenets and principles, is dedicated to the concept of equal opportunity. Subject to the foregoing, Asbury Theological Seminary will not discriminate as to any qualified person on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, physical impairment, or gender in its admissions, treatment of students or in its employment practices.

The applicant must meet the requirements for admission set forth below as well as the requirements for the program to which the applicant seeks admission.

SPIRITUAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

ATS recognizes that students entering seminary represent a wide range of experiences and backgrounds, and welcomes students from Christian communities outside the Wesleyan tradition. ATS seeks in every aspect of its life and programs to represent the commitments expressed in its Statement of Faith.

The applicant must, therefore, demonstrate that personal integrity, spiritual maturity, and theological conviction meet the standards expected of applicants called by God to undertake study in an institution whose mission is "to prepare and send forth a well-trained, sanctified, Spirit-filled, evangelistic ministry." The applicant must demonstrate compatibility with the Seminary's Statement of Faith and Statement of Educational Mission, and commitment to observe the Seminary's Ethos Statement. Applicants must further genuinely testify to their personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When, during the application process, questions arise regarding any of these matters, the Seminary may arrange an interview with the student.

The Admissions Committee shall, in its prayerful discretion, be the sole judge of the extent to which the applicant meets, or fails to meet, the standards and criteria for admission.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

The following is a list of the requirements and procedures for admission to any degree or non-degree program at Asbury Seminary. Refer to program of study for additional or specified admissions requirements or procedures.

Accredited baccalaureate degree for graduate programs; accredited Masters of Arts or Master of Divinity degree as specified for postgraduate programs. Accreditation is required by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or holding membership in the Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada. Applicants whose baccalaureate degree is from a college not accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency must have one complete year of work at an accredited institution before being considered for admission to Asbury Seminary.

As many as 10 percent of the students in the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts (excluding MABS and MATS) programs may be admitted without possession of the baccalaureate degree, or its educational equivalent. Those persons must demonstrate possession of knowledge, academic skill and ability generally associated with persons who hold the baccalaureate degree.

Application for admission must be made on the form furnished by the Admissions Office. The application is available online at www.asburyseminary.edu. In addition to the information required on the application form, the applicant must send or arrange for the following:
a. Official transcripts of all postsecondary schools attended. Applicants must provide the Admissions Office with all official transcripts, even if the overall college transcript reflects a transfer of hours. These documents must be sent directly to Asbury Seminary by all institutions attended.
b. A non-refundable application processing fee of $50 (U.S.). (The fee includes processing of the application and a personal background check.)
c. Four references, on forms supplied by the Admissions Office. Reference source determined by academic program.
d. A cumulative grade point average of 2.75/4.00 is required for admission in good standing to all graduate degree programs except for the M.A. (with specialization in Biblical Studies) and the M.A. (with specialization in Theological Studies). Applicants whose grade point average falls between 2.50 and 2.75 may be admitted on a "reduced load" basis. Applicants whose grade point average for all baccalaureate work is below 2.50, a report of the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the general aptitude section of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score is required. The Admissions Committee expects to see a minimum score of 500 on the verbal section of the GRE or a Scaled Score no lower than 410 on the MAT. The grade point average as calculated by the Admissions Office at Asbury Seminary shall be considered the official grade point average for admission. Therefore, applicants with marginal averages are urged to check with the Admissions Office. Students needing to complete the MAT or the GRE will not be considered until the official scores are received. Information concerning these examinations is available from the Admissions Office.
e. The Admissions Committee may request the applicant to submit additional materials and/or schedule an interview with a representative of the Seminary.
When all of the above materials have been received, the Admissions Committee will act on the application for admission. The Admissions Committee will give prayerful consideration to each application and accompanying materials and will in its sole judgment and discretion determine whether the applicant meets the standards and criteria for admission.

ADMISSION CATEGORIES

Applicants who are admitted will be notified and placed in one of the following categories:

a. Degree student: one who meets entrance requirements and follows a curriculum leading to a degree.
b. Unclassified student: one who meets entrance requirements and takes courses for credit but does not work toward a degree. Students may pursue up to 12 semester hours in this classification after which they must consult with the Registrar to justify continuation.
c. Reduced Load admission: Reduced Load is defined as a maximum of 10 hours/semester. In order to be removed from Reduced Load status, students must complete at least 25 hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 after one semester.
d. Academic Probation: Students admitted on academic probation are removed from probation as soon as they have completed at least 25 semester hours of work with a cumulative GPA of 2.00/4.00 or higher.
e. Provisional admission: one who applies to the Seminary without the completion of the baccalaureate. This admission requires that 10 semester hours or less be needed to complete the bachelor's degree and restricts the academic load at the Seminary. The student has one year to complete the remaining undergraduate hours. A transcript verifying completion of the degree must be received from the institution or the student will not be allowed to enroll the semester following the one-year provision and a statement will be placed on the transcript indicating that the student did not meet the requirements for full admission.
f. Auditor: one who studies without credit. Admission policies for auditors are as follows:

Submit the application for admission and secure four references on forms supplied by the Admissions Office. (The Personal History is not required.)
Request completed transcript from undergraduate institution verifying the completion of undergraduate degree.
A non-refundable application processing fee of $50 (U.S.). (The fee includes processing of the application and a personal background check.)
The audit fee for currently enrolled degree students and graduates is $20 per credit hour, per credit hour, and no charge for their spouses. Persons unrelated to the seminary in this way must pay 50% of tuition. Credit may not be received at a later date for hours taken by audit. Auditor hours are recorded on the permanent record. Grades and credit are not recorded. Registration is dependent upon space available in the class and instructor permission. Course registration is arranged in the Registrar's Office.

Admission is valid for one year from the term for which the applicant is admitted. If enrollment is postponed by more than one year, the applicant must reapply for admission.
Upon notification of admission the applicant must provide the Office of Admissions with a non-refundable $100 matriculation deposit to reserve the applicant's position. The fee will be applied to tuition payments upon matriculation.
Those who register for courses and subsequently withdraw from school for more than one year must reapply for admission.
Records submitted in application for admission are not returned.
Transcripts from other institutions become a part of the permanent file and may not be copied or released.
More specific admission information is found under the description of each degree program. For application deadlines, see degree program description.

READMITTING STUDENTS

After one year's absence from seminary enrollment, students who wish to attend classes must reapply. Reapplication procedures include:

Completing the application form.
A non-refundable application processing fee of $50 (U.S.). (The fee includes processing of the application and a personal background check.)
Providing an updated personal history.
Securing two new references, preferably persons who are well acquainted with work the applicant has been doing since attending Asbury.Submitted official transcripts of any work done simultaneous with enrollment or after leaving Asbury.

Students who are readmitted are admitted to the catalog that is operative at the time of re-enrollment. Due to changes in degree plans and to time limitations on the completions of degrees, some academic work previously completed at Asbury Seminary may not apply to the degree program to which the student is being readmitted. Readmitted students should contact the Registrar for a review of the former academic work. Course work over ten years old for the master of divinity degree and over seven years for the master of arts degrees will not be accepted.

SECOND OR DUAL DEGREE STUDENTS

Students may apply to receive a second (or dual) degree at Asbury Seminary by:

Completing the application form.
A non-refundable application processing fee of $50 (U.S.). (The fee includes processing of the application and a personal background check.)
Providing an updated personal history.
Securing two new references, preferably persons who are well acquainted with work applicant has been doing while attending Asbury.
Submitting official transcripts of any work done simultaneously with enrollment at Asbury.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students who wish to transfer to Asbury Theological Seminary must meet and follow all requirements for admission, as well as the guidelines outlined below for transfer of credit.

In consideration of transfer of coursework, primary concern is given to equivalence in the level of instruction and, in core and core-elective requirements, comparability in learning objectives, comparing Asbury Theological Seminary expectations and those of the other institution from which transfer of credit is sought.

"Level of instruction" is determined by the level and amount of required reading, and by the quantity and quality of student work expected, particularly with reference to the requirement of graduate-level competencies in critical thinking and reflection, as these are reflected in the course syllabus.
Accreditation by The Association of Theological Schools, a regional accreditor, or by another US Department of Education-approved accrediting agency is a central but not decisive criterion in transfer decisions. Accreditation-related issues must be supplemented by a comparative analysis of course syllabi, comparing Asbury Theological Seminary expectations with those of the other institution from which transfer of credit is sought.
In consideration of distributed-learning coursework, concerns with level of instruction are supplemented by concern for general equivalence with Asbury Theological Seminary expectations regarding a learning environment characterized by student-student collaboration and student-faculty interaction. Equivalence must be documented in course syllabi from the former institution.
When course syllabi are unavailable, catalog descriptions and copies of the student's coursework may substitute.

For Graduate degree programs:

Hours/Units completed from other graduate schools may be considered for transfer if the courses were completed within 10 years of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary in the case of M.Div. students, 7 years in the case of M.A. students. Transfer may be considered for biblical language courses completed within 1 year of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary.
For program (free) electives, up to 9 hours of coursework completed outside of religious and/or theological studies may be considered for transfer, provided that a reasonable connection to the student's degree program at Asbury Theological Seminary can be documented. Coursework completed outside of religious and/or theological studies may not be considered as substitutions for core and core-elective requirements.
The last 32 hours of work in the M.Div. and M.A. in Counseling degree programs, and the last 30 hours of work in other M.A. degree programs must be completed at Asbury Theological Seminary.
In order to be considered for transfer, transcripts must list courses with letter or number grades, and the grade achieved must be at least "C," or "75." In the case of supervised ministry or field education courses, a grade of "Credit" is acceptable for consideration of transfer.
From institutions accredited by The Association of Theological Schools, a regional accreditor, or by another US Department of Education-approved accrediting agency, up to 47 hours may be received on transfer into an M.Div. program, 31 hours into the M.A. in Counseling, and 29 hours into other M.A. programs. From institutions that are not accredited by The Association of Theological Schools, a regional accreditor, or by another US Department of Education-approved accrediting agency, up to 32 hours may be received on transfer into an M.Div. program, 21 hours into the M.A. in Counseling, and 20 hours into other M.A. programs. The number of hours received by transfer, combined with the number of hours taken on Asbury Theological Seminary's Virtual Campus, may not exceed 64 hours for the M.Div. program, 32 hours for the M.A. in Counseling, and 30 hours for other M.A. programs.
Although work completed at the undergraduate level may be considered for Advanced Standing, no undergraduate coursework may be received for transfer at Asbury Theological Seminary. Advanced Standing allows the student to opt out of certain introductory-level courses in the seminary curriculum, in order to take more advanced coursework in the same field. Advanced Standing is possible when the student's undergraduate degree program, completed within the past three years, includes content that substantially overlaps with an introductory requirement at Asbury Theological Seminary, as determined by review of the undergraduate course syllabi in question. When Advanced Standing is granted, the student will be notified regarding how to meet the waived requirement.
Procedure for Transfer:

All transfer-related materials, including official transcripts and course syllabi, must be lodged in the Office of the Registrar, together with a formal request that coursework be considered for transfer.
Within the parameters set by the Faculty, the Registrar makes decisions on all transfer requests for M.A. and M.Div. degrees.
Exceptions to faculty policy must be reviewed and approved by the Provost.

For Postgraduate Degree Programs

No transfer hours are allowed for persons enrolled in the Th.M. program.

Persons holding a Th.M., S.T.M., or D.Min. in a related field related may transfer up to 9 hours toward the D.Miss. or Ph.D., provided that coursework was completed within 7 years of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Persons holding a Th.M., S.T.M., or D.Min. in the same field of their ATS program may transfer up to 18 hours toward the D.Miss. or Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies, and that coursework was completed within 7 years of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Persons holding the D.Miss. or an Ed.D. in the same field of their ATS program may transfer up to 24 hours toward the D.Miss. or Ph.D., provided that coursework was completed within 7 years of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Persons entering the Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies degree program, holding the D.Miss. from Asbury Theological Seminary, may apply up to 48 hours of work taken toward the D.Miss., provided the D.Miss. degree is first relinquished, provided that coursework was completed within 7 years of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Up to three hours of coursework completed at the doctoral level can be transferred into the D.Min. program, provided that coursework was completed within 5 years of enrollment at Asbury Theological Seminary.

Procedure for Transfer:

All transfer-related materials, including official transcripts and course syllabi, must be lodged in the Office of the Registrar, together with a formal request that coursework be considered for transfer.

The Director of Postgraduate Studies makes decisions on transfer requests for the D.Miss. and Ph.D. degrees, and communicates those decisions to the Office of the Registrar.

The Dean of the Doctor of Ministry program makes decisions on transfer requests for the D.Min. degree, and communicates those decisions to the Office of the Registrar.

VISITING STUDENTS FROM OTHER SEMINARIES

Asbury welcomes visiting students from accredited seminaries. A visiting student may not become a degree student unless he/she completes the full admissions procedures. Admissions procedures for visiting students are as follows:

Complete the application form and enclose the $50 application processing fee. (The personal history section, references and official transcripts are not required.)
The prospective student's Academic Dean must verify in writing that the applicant is a student in good standing and that credit for courses taken at Asbury will be accepted.
Visiting students may enroll for one term at Asbury for a maximum of 14 semester hours.

NON-MATRICULATED AUDITORS

Spouses of enrolled students may attend classes without charge by permission of the instructor and the Registrar. Missionaries in residence may also attend. No application procedure is required, nor is a permanent record maintained for such non-matriculated auditors. Admission and course registration is arranged in the Registrar's Office. Auditors may not enroll for private instruction.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

In addition to the Admission requirements and procedures, International students are required to submit:

Official course-by-course transcripts (English-translation required; transcripts must include an interpretation of the grading system) from all schools attended since high school,
For students whose first language is not English, who have not completed a post-secondary degree in an institution in which the primary language of instruction is English, a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (213 computer based) or a 7 IELTS score is required for admission to the certificate, master of arts, master of divinity and doctor of ministry degree programs; a minimum TOEFL score of 575 (231 computer based) or 7 IELTS is required for the master of theology and doctor of missiology degree programs; and a minimum TOEFL score of 600 (250 computer based) or 7.5 IELTS is required for the doctor of philosophy degree program. (Information concerning the TOEFL and IELTS tests is available from the Admissions Office.)
Applicants for a limited number of international student scholarships will be considered on a competitive basis in March prior to the beginning of a given academic year.
In the event an international student desires to apply for a second degree at Asbury Theological Seminary, a letter from the student's sponsor supporting the application, or an alternative plan for support, will be necessary before admission is considered.

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