Financial Aid

Outside Scholarship Opportunities


Financial Aid Update

We are pleased to announce that the maximum CTS tuition grant level will remain at 55% for the winter quarter. We give thanks that seminary is able to sustain this high level of support for the benefit of our students. Also, the Financial Aid Office would like to announce that funds from several outside scholarships will soon be made available to needy students. Students in the M.Div., A.R. and Deaconess programs (no vicars, interns or MA-Deaconess online) may submit an application to the Financial Aid Office by December 18, 2009. Click here to apply. Funds are limited and they will be awarded on the basis of financial need.

Bethesda Lutheran Home Scholarship--Developmental Disabilities Scholastic Excellence Award for Lutheran Seminarians

This scholarship of $3,000 will be awarded to a Lutheran seminarian displaying an interest in service to people with developmental disabilities in the local parish setting. Requirements include a minimum of 100 hours of service to people who are developmentally disabled (volunteer or paid) completed within the past 2 years. Scholarship guidelines and application forms are available from the Office of Financial Aid. Deadline for application is April 15.

The Hilda E. Bretzlaff Foundation

This foundation, based in Michigan, was “established for the purpose of providing educational grants to individuals who meet the following criteria: demonstrate financial need; are creative, moral, ambitious and conservative; will be a credit to America.” The foundation asks that the seminary’s Office of Financial Aid select award candidates, receive all application materials and forward them to the foundation. The foundation’s trustees then make their selections, based on the applications submitted. Seventy-five to eighty percent of applicants will receive awards. Application deadline: May 15

The Immanuel Lutheran Church of Minneapolis Scholarship Program

Criteria: Established to provide benefit to Lutheran students who are members of congregations of the Minnesota South District of the LCMS. Deadline: June 1. For more information, call the following toll-free number: 1-800-365-4172, or visit here.

International Order of the King's Daughters and Sons - Student Ministry Scholarship

Description: Interdenominational organization with a religious, educational and philanthropic program. Criteria: Full-time M.Div. students who are U.S. or Canadian citizens. 3.00 GPA. Don’t overlook this excellent potential resource. To apply, read and follow carefully the instructions on the organization’s Web page here. Applications are available January 1 - March 31 only.

LLL & LWML scholarships

Application forms for the Missouri District LWML and the CNH District LLL are available in the Financial Aid Office. All other Districts please contact your zone and/or district officers.

The Munderloh Foundation

This foundation asks its participating seminary financial aid offices to make the initial selection of candidates and invite them to apply for the scholarship. New recipients – normally first-year students – are selected from this list by the foundation’s Board of Trustees. Recipients make renewal applications direct to the foundation through their assigned Munderloh trustee. Reapplications are due July 1. Invitations to new candidates are sent in late May. Find more information here. Click on Application/Policies of the Foundation.

The Kruse Student Educational and Financial Assistance Fund

Criteria: Students become eligible to apply after completing one year of seminary study. Preferences: first, to Kruse family members and, second, to members of Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Applicants must be agreeable to being interviewed by the committee, if asked to do so. Contact St. Paul Lutheran Church.

St. John's College Alumni Association

P.O. Box 376, Winfield, KS 67156. E-mail: sjcaa1@cox.net. Criteria: Offered to St. John's College alumni and former faculty members and to their sons-daughters-grandsons-granddaughters. Application deadline for the next academic year is April 1. To be eligible for consideration for an award, applicants must return their applications by mail postmarked on or before April 1; if returned by FAX, applications must be received at the Association's office on or before April 1. The Association's mailing address is PO Box 376, Winfield, KS 67156; FAX #: 620-221-0032. Individuals at Ft. Wayne wishing to consider the Association's program may receive a set of the award guidelines and an application form by contacting the Association by mail at the address above or by FAX at the number above or by email at sjcaa1@cox.net.

Siebert Lutheran Foundation

Criteria: Members of congregations in the state of Wisconsin, including North Wisconsin District congregations located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For information and application materials, visit this site and click on Seminary Tuition Aid.

The Adopt-a-Church-Worker Student Fund

Criteria: Must be a member of a Kansas District congregation and in the final academic year of seminary. [Seminary III students are eligible]. Write letter of application addressed to the fund, c/o St. Paul Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 397, Cheney, KS 67025. Minimal information to be included: name of home congregation, seminary address, occupation before seminary and, if married, the number of children in the family. A family photo is encouraged.

Herschell and Gladys Umbaugh Scholarship Fund

Eligibility priority: Member of Calvary, Plymouth, IN; member of St. John’s, Rochester, IN; member of St. Paul’s, Bremen, IN; member of any LCMS congregation in the state of Indiana. Application form: Office of Financial Aid. Application deadline: July 15.

USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships

Students from all 50 states are eligible. Application info is available here. USA Funds is the designated federal student loan guarantor in Indiana and is the largest student loan guarantee agency in the nation. Application deadline: February 15.

U.S. Army Reserve Chaplains and Chaplain Candidates

The U.S. Army offers financial incentives for those preparing to become Army chaplains. You must complete one quarter of school before the financial assistance begins. Please contact CH(Col-Ret.) Paul Howe at 512-517-6078 for details.

The Gil and Blondie Vogt Scholarship Fund

This scholarship is designed to assist Nebraska students preparing for LCMS church vocations at any LCMS university or seminary. Requests for information or applications should be sent to King of Kings Lutheran Church, c/o Pat Hofer, 2012 S 164th Ave. Omaha, NE 68130. Application deadline is April 15.

Wampner-Hoffmyer Scholarship Fund

The administrator of this fund is a member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, Munster, Indiana. To be eligible, an applicant must have been a member of an Indiana District, LCMS congregation for at least three years prior to beginning a program of preparation for the Holy Ministry at either seminary – Fort Wayne or Saint Louis. An Information Sheet gives complete details, together with instructions for completing the Application. Deadline: June 1.

Admissions