• Application for admission form:
Use either the online or printed application form.
• Application fee
Ph.D. $50 (domestic and international); M.A.,
M.Div., D.Min. $30 (domestic); M.A., M.Div., D.Min.
$50 (international); Non-Degree $15 (domestic
and international).
• Personal statement
The Personal Statement is considered a critical
element in the evaluation of your application.
Not only is the statement a way to introduce yourself
to the Admission Committee, it also will help
your faculty advisor guide and evaluate your learning
experience in your degree program. With this in
mind, write a two- to five-page reflective essay
addressing the following questions:
- Why do you want to pursue graduate theological
education at this time? Why Claremont? What is
your career or vocational objective?
- How do you plan to utilize your theological
understanding to inform your response to critical
social issues of today?
- What would you like the Admission Committee
to know about you?
- For M.Div. applicants, how would you describe
your religious experience or perspective, and/or
sense of spirituality?
- For M.A. applicants, what will be your focus
of study?
- For D.Min. applicants, how will your theological
studies be integrated into your practical ministry?
Is there a particular faculty member you wish
to study with?
- For international applicants, describe your
plans for returning to your native country for
service upon completion of study in the United
States.
• Official transcripts
Original transcripts from all educational institutions
beyond high school, must be sent directly to Claremont
from the college, university or seminary where
the work was taken.
• Letters of Recommendation
Use forms provided by Claremont School of Theology.
All forms and letters must be signed by the recommender
and sent directly to Claremont School of Theology.
1. M.Div. applicants: Three recommendations (one
must be a pastoral or ecclesiastical reference).
2. M.A. applicants: Three recommendations (one
must be an academic reference).
3. D.Min. applicants: Four recommendations (including
a person serving in a supervisory capacity within
the applicant's denomination, an academic reference,
a ministerial colleague, and a member of the applicant's
congregation or other constituency group).
4. Ph.D. applicants: Five recommendations (three
must be academic references).
5. Non-degree applicants: No recommendations are
required. (Non-degree applicants seeking to take
Advanced Course of Study classes must supply a
letter of support from their District Superintendent.)
• Sample work
D.Min. applicants must submit an essay in the
area in which they wish to concentrate as a demonstration
of their ability to write effectively and produce
a written doctoral project.
Ph.D. applicants must submit academic papers,
research or other samples of their work to demonstrate
their ability to write effectively, do research,
and produce a dissertation.
• Scores/Tests
1. Ph.D. applicants must submit scores from the
General Section of the Graduate Record Exam. (International
applicants may choose to submit either the Test
of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test
of Spoken English (TSE) or the GRE.)
2. Ph.D. applicants in Pastoral Care and Counseling
must submit a CPE Supervisor's evaluation. (International
applicants living outside the United States may
submit a CPE Supervisor's evaluation after enrollment.)
3. M.Div., M.A., and Non-degree applicants for
whom English is a second language must submit
a Test of TOEFL with a minimum score of 550 (paper-based)
or 213 (computer-based).
4. D.Min. applicants for whom English is a second
language must submit a TOEFL with a minimum score
of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based),
and a TSE score of 40.
Ph.D. applicants for whom English is a second
language must submit a TOEFL with a minimum score
of 575 (paper-based) or 233 (computer-based),
and a TSE score of 50.
• International applicants
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents
of the United States must supply the following
additional documents:
- A photocopy of the applicant's passport verifying
the spelling of the applicant's name.
- A letter of recommendation and approval from
the applicant's denominational official indicating
support for the applicant's plans for study.
- Upon admission and before the visa process can
begin, international students must submit an Emergency
Fee of $500 (for a single student) or $1000 (for
a student accompanied by a family). In addition,
the student must provide evidence of the ability
to finance the complete degree program at the
seminary by completing an International Student
Statement of Financial Resources (ISSFR) along
with proof of adequate funds for paying tuition
and living expenses for the length of the degree
program.
- International students admitted on F-1 student
visas must carry at least eight units of credit
for each semester. Students admitted on an F-1
visa are permitted to be employed part-time during
vacation periods. The approval of the Director
of Financial Aid and the International Student
Advisor is required in advance of the student
accepting any on-campus work. Permission to work
off-campus is possible only under special circumstances
and must be approved by the International Student
Advisor. See the Director of Financial Aid for
further policies regarding financial aid for international
students.
- At registration, international students are
required to purchase health insurance through
Claremont School of Theology unless proof of other
adequate health insurance is provided.
- International applicants are encouraged to submit
application materials several months prior to
the application deadlines to allow adequate time
for processing and arranging visas.
The Application for Admission and all supporting
documents should be mailed to:
Office of Admission
Claremont School of Theology
1325 North College Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
Admission depends not only on individual qualifications
but also on the selection of the best applicants
for the number of available openings in degree
programs in any given year. Applications should
be submitted as early as possible prior to the
deadlines listed below. Except for the Ph.D. and
D.Min. programs, admission operates on a rolling
schedule; an application will be considered as
soon as all materials have been received. When
the application has been considered, the applicant
will be advised of the decision. If accepted,
the applicant must confirm plans for study by
returning the confirmation form along with a $50
admission deposit (non-refundable). This fee will
be credited to the first semester's charges. (For
international students, the $500 or $1000 Emergency
Fee serves as their admission deposit.) All admission
materials become the property of Claremont School
of Theology and cannot be returned or transferred.
International Students Application Procedure
The following documents must be submitted, in
addition to those required for the degree program
of choice, to the Office of Admission by the appropriate
deadline:
• Personal Statement: With your essay include
a statement describing your background as it relates
to the degree program to which you are applying.
Include a statement of plans for returning to
your home country upon completion of study.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL) and Test of Spoken English (TSE) for doctoral
programs. An official score report must be sent
directly to Claremont. The institutional code
for Claremont School of Theology is 4710. For
admission to M.Div. and M.A. programs, the minimum
required TOEFL score is 550 (paper-based) or 230
(computer-based). For admission to the D. Min.
program, the applicant must achieve a minimum
TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based) or 230 (computer-based)
and a minimum TSE score of 40. An English evaluation
and/or additional English language study may be
required of English as a Second Language students.
For admission to the Ph.D. program, the minimum
required TOEFL score is 575 (paper-based) or 250
(computer-based) and the minimum TSE score is
50. When applying to the Ph.D. program, the international
student may choose to submit either the TOEFL
and TSE scores or results of the Graduate Record
Exam (GRE).
• Academic Records and References: All documents
must be submitted in English.
• Statement of Finances: The applicant must
provide evidence of ability to finance the complete
degree program. The financial statement must prove
adequate funds for paying tuition and living expenses
during the duration of study. If family members
are to accompany the student, adequate financial,
health care, schooling and transportation provisions
must be included for their support. Health insurance
is required for the student and dependents in
the United States. Proof of health insurance is
required before a student can enroll each semester.
• Emergency Funds: Before the immigration
form I-20 is issued for visa purposes, a single
student must submit $500 (U.S.) and a student
accompanied by family must submit $1000 (U.S.)
as an Emergency Fund. The fund, deposited with
Claremont School of Theology, will be held for
emergency situations (e.g., medical expenses,
a death in the family, etc.). The deposit must
be maintained at this level throughout the student's
study at the School. It will be refunded upon
completion of the degree, or official withdrawal
from the School. A written guarantee from a United
States sponsoring institution may be accepted
in place of a cash deposit.
• I-20 Form: After the applicant is admitted,
has submitted an adequate statement of finances,
and sent the required Emergency Funds, the I-20
Form will be mailed to the student. The I-20 Form
will be used to obtain a visa granting permission
to study in the United States. Students admitted
to degree programs will be assigned F-1 classification,
which requires the student to complete at least
8 units of credit each semester.
International scholars and professionals who
wish to attend Claremont for non-degree studies,
research, training or consultation should apply
to enter the U.S. on a J-1 exchange visitor visa.
Application Deadlines
Claremont School of Theology has a rolling admission
policy. That means that, within certain guidelines,
decisions about admission can be made throughout
the year. The following timeline has been established
to give direction to your application. Please
allow 3-4 weeks for your decision letter. |