Master of Theological Studies – Franciscan Theology

Admissions Requirement

The Franciscan School of Theology welcomes all students who wish to explore deeper meaning in their lives or careers, no matter their backgrounds.
Requirements for applicants to the Master of Theological Studies – Franciscan Theology are as follows:

• Must have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent from a non-US school*.
• GPA 2.8 or Higher
• Must submit a completed application (See below for more details)
• Application Fee $45 (connect with an advisor to have your application fee waived)
• Official Transcripts

*Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Vice President for Academic Affairs when compensatory factors are present.

Application Details

Your complete application must include the following:

• Application form
• $45 application fee (connect with an advisor to have your application fee waived)
• Statement of Purpose (see below)
• Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended*
• Letters of Recommendation (see below)
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• International students must submit additional elements including but not limited to:**
  • Financial Declaration Form
  • TOEFL score of 85 or more

*Students who wish to transfer credit from other institutions please connect with your enrollment advisor.

**If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, please connect with your enrollment advisor.

Statement of Purpose

Your statement of purpose should do the following:

• Explain why you have chosen to apply to the MTS-FT degree at the Franciscan School of Theology
• How does this degree work fit into your academic and/or professional story?
• Briefly explain your theological perspectives and the role the MTS-FT degree program could play in its further development.

Applicants are asked to address all three points. An acceptable statement of purpose should be between 500 – 700 words. When writing your response, please remember that this is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your writing skills and academic readiness.

Letter Of Recommendation Requirements

The Master of Theological Studies – Franciscan Theology (MTS – FT) degree involves academically rigorous coursework.

• The program requires a minimum of one letter of recommendation from an academic reference who can speak to your capacity for academic work. Otherwise, two letters of recommendation are required. These could include a letter from a work supervisor.
• Letters should address the applicant’s capacity for graduate-level reading, writing, and critical engagement with the material.

• Recommendations should address both academic and personal qualities, with a focus on one’s academic capacity as an applicant. Please tell your recommenders to watch for an email request from [email protected]

Once you have saved an electronic recommendation, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out.

Financial Aid

• Financial aid is available through the Federal Direct Loan Program, open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
• USD also offers interest-free payment plans.
• USD also makes it possible for employers to pay your tuition.

The first step in applying for aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Federal School Code for FST is G11792.

We recommend that applicants apply for financial aid when they apply for admission. Please notify the Admissions department as soon as possible if you will be applying for financial aid.

Recipients of financial aid will be notified of their award after their acceptance to FST.

Please note FST’s discounts are only available for On-campus programs.