Requirements

Applicants to the Franciscan School of Theology must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent from a non-US school. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs when compensatory factors are present. Those preparing for Holy Orders have additional undergraduate philosophy requirements (see below). All applicants must submit a completed application with its component parts as described on our Apply page.

In addition to the above, some applicants will need the following: 

Members of Religious Communities/Orders

Members of religious communities/orders must provide a letter of approval from an ordinary or religious superior. In addition, those seeking ordination in the Roman Catholic Church must provide a certificate of completion issued by the applicant’s ordinary or religious superior stating that the applicant has taken a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of undergraduate philosophy or its equivalent as prescribed by the USCCB Program for Priestly Formation.

International Students

The Franciscan School of Theology is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant students. In addition to the application elements already mentioned, international applicants must:

• Demonstrate their ability to speak, read, and write English by a TOEFL score. FST’s TOEFL number is 5736. (Exception may be made for students who earned their earlier degree at an English-speaking institution.)
• Supply official English translations of transcripts written in a language other than English.
• Submit a financial declaration attesting to the availability of funds ($US) sufficient to cover personal and academic expenses for the duration of their study.

Other important information about studying at FST as an international student can be found on our International Students page.

Association of Theological Schools (ATS) Requirements

The Franciscan School of Theology is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). FST adheres to the requirements regarding admission to post-baccalaureate degree programs published by ATS in Degree Program Standard M.1, 2010. Specifically:[MOU1] 

Admission of Students with Baccalaureate Degree

Students must possess a baccalaureate degree from a member institution of the Association of Universities and Colleges, or an institution accredited by a United States agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or the educational equivalent of the baccalaureate degree.