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God's Call is Bold. Your Seminary should be too.
Wesley Theological Seminary is a graduate institution offering Masters and Doctor of Ministry programs in a variety of specializations to students answering God’s call to ministry. Located in the heart of Washington, DC, Wesley encourages students from diverse backgrounds to become exemplary teachers, preachers, and leaders in the world today. Application links and deadlines for all of Wesley’s programs appear below. For more general Admissions information, visit the Admissions page.
Check out courses open to entering students: Spring 2012 COTES!
All prospective students will need to create an account in order to access the online application. Please note that our online application is provided by a third party vendor that maintains a national database of usernames. It is suggested to add a number in the middle of the username. If you have any technical difficulties with the online application, please be in touch with CollegeNET's helpdesk at 503-973-5213 or help@collegenet.com.
A completed application for admission to Wesley Theological Seminary will include:
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Online application
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Recommendations (as denoted within the online application)
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Official transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions
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$50 application fee
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Personal Statement (between 400-500 words) that describes:
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The formative elements in your background, with particular focus on what you believe to be the most significant people and events that have shaped your identity as a person
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Your sense of vocational call and professional objective.
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Your reasons for desiring to pursue theological education at Wesley Theological Seminary.
All applicants must submit transcripts. This process can often take some time, so it is suggested to start it early. Please have them sent to:
JaNice Parks
Office of Admissions
4500 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016.
Masters Degree Programs
Wesley Theological Seminary offers three Masters-level degrees:
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Master of Divinity
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Master of Arts
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Master of Theological Studies
Spring Semester
December 1 - Deadline for Master’s degree Spring semester applicants
Fall Semester
November 15 - Priority deadline for Master’s degree applicants. Applications (along with all supporting documentation and letters) submitted by November 15 will receive an admissions decision by mid-December.
February 1 - Deadline for students seeking placement as Student Pastors or Urban Fellows.
March 1 – Deadline for students needing an I-20 for a student (F-1) visa.
Financial Aid
February 1 - Deadline for Merit-based financial aid consideration. No separate application is needed.
May 1 – Deadline for Need-based financial aid (need to submit both Admissions application and Financial Aid request form, which can be found here.
Urban Fellows
Deadline for applications is February 1. Interested students are encouraged to apply to the Urban Fellows program when they apply for admission to Wesley Theological Seminary. Urban Fellows must be full-time Master of Divinity students taking a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester. Urban Fellow applicants must submit an additional essay (1500 words or less) addressing the following questions:
1. How have you experienced a call to Urban Ministry?
2. What qualifications or experiences support your Urban Ministry calling?
3. In what type of ministry setting do you see yourself serving in the future?
Essays may be submitted via mail, email or fax:
Admissions Office
Wesley Theological Seminary
4500 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20016
Email: admissions@wesleyseminary.edu
Fax: 202-885-8585
Finalists for the Urban Fellows program will be invited to interview with members of the Urban Ministry Faculty Committee. For more information visit our Urban Fellows program page.
Non-Degree Programs
August 19 - Deadline for Fall semester.
January 3 - Deadline for Spring semester.
Doctor of Ministry Program
The D.Min program is designed for practicing clergy who have more than three years ministry experience and is not a residential program. F-1 visas are not offered for the D.Min program. For deadlines and more information visit our
Doctor of Ministry program page
National Capital Semester for Seminarians
Deadline for applications is November 15. Please note that this program is only offered in the Spring.
Local Pastor Certification
The Course of Study Program at Wesley Theological Seminary is a year-round experiential and classroom learning process for licensed Local Pastors. Wesley Theological Seminary is the regional Course of Study school for the North East Jurisdiction (NEJ) of the United Methodist Church. For more information visit our Course of Study program page.
Continuing Education Units
For those who have completed a Master's level theological degree (M.Div., M.R.E., M.T.S., M.A., etc.) or those who already act as full-time church professionals. Please contact the Registrar's Office at (202) 885-8650.
Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis. When an application is complete, it will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
No person who meets our admission requirements shall be denied admission or be subjected to discrimination in recruitment or educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, or other Seminary administered programs on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or physical disability. We are working toward the realization of a barrier-free environment with adequate facilities and assistance for persons with disabilities. Wesley Theological Seminary is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer. We are in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. Details are available in the Office of the Registrar.