Education and Clergy Development exists to develop healthy, fit and effective ministers who transform lives, churches, and communities through the hope and holiness of Jesus Christ. The Wesleyan Ministerial Education Grant program provides financial assistance to undergraduate students enrolled in an ordination track program at one of our Wesleyan universities and to graduate students attending an approved seminary. The Wesleyan Ministerial Education Grant program is available to undergraduate students who have completed 90 credit hours in their ordination track degree, and to graduate students pursuing ministry related degrees who have completed 20 credit hours in their approved program (up to half the program; 45 credit hours max). See our rate information here.
Grant Eligibility Requirements
Undergraduate Applicants
- Must hold credential (Ministerial Student, Licensed Minister, Ordained Minister) in The Wesleyan Church
- Must be in an ordination track degree program at one of The Wesleyan Church’s educational institutions (View list here)
- Must be enrolled with Education and Clergy Development Division of The Wesleyan Church (Enroll here)
- Must provide a recommendation letter from District Superintendent /District Board of Ministerial Development Chairperson attesting to the student’s academic ability and/or potential for ministry
- Must provide a letter describing the applicant’s call to ministry and confirming your intention to serve in a local Wesleyan Church or Wesleyan ministry (e.g., Global Partners)
- Must complete financial literacy training (options included in application)
- Must have completed 90 credit hours of undergraduate coursework
- Must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher
Graduate Applicants
- Applicant must be one of the following in The Wesleyan Church:
- Ministerial Student in an ordination track degree program
- Certified for Licensing
- Licensed Minister
- Ordained Minister in The Wesleyan Church
- Ordained Minister in process of transfer must be either:
- in an ordination track degree program
- have completed 7 licensing classes
- Must be in a ministry related degree program at an approved seminary
- Must be enrolled with Education and Clergy Development Devision of The Wesleyan Church (Enroll here)
- Must provide a recommendation letter from District Superintendent /District Board of Ministerial Development Chairperson attesting to the student’s academic ability and/or potential for ministry
- Must provide a letter describing call to ministry and confirming your intention to serve in a local Wesleyan Church or Wesleyan ministry (e.g., Global Partners)
- Must complete financial literacy training (options included in application)
- Must have completed 20 credit hours (Available for half of one Master’s degree, up to 45 credit hours.)
- Must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher
FAQ
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When can I apply for a Ministerial Education Grant?
- Undergraduates may apply once they have completed (or are about to complete) 90 credits.
- Graduate students may apply once they have completed (or are about to complete) 20 credits.
Do my advanced standing credits for my graduate degree count toward my completed 20 credits?
No. Advanced standing credits for a graduate degree are credited during the undergraduate degree and cannot be applied to your eligible 20 hours of completed graduate credits.
How can I complete the financial literacy requirement?
As part of the application, you are required to complete a Financial Literacy requirement. You will be asked to certify completion of this requirement when applying. You can find a full list of courses on the Ministerial Grant application. Some examples of approved courses are:
- Approved financial courses in your undergraduate program.
- Thrive Financial Initiative
- Financial Peace University
- God Owns It All
- Kingswood Learn: Personal Finances
- There are 37 minutes of video in this course. You are only required to watch the videos. You do not need to complete the additional lessons/activities.
What are the application deadlines?
- Applications for Fall semester must be received by September 15th.
- Applications for Spring semester must be received by January 15th.
- Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered in the following funding cycle if the applicant is still eligible.
- The grant can not be applied to past credit(s).
Not attending an approved seminary?
Possible eligibility at a non-approved seminary.
A student enrolled at a seminary other than those approved for Wesleyan ministerial students through Education and Clergy Development may receive the grant subject to the same conditions as other students provided the following requirements are also met:
- The student is enrolled with Education and Clergy Development. (TWC HUB)
- The student submits to Education and Clergy Development specific reasons for attending the non-approved seminary.
- The institution is accredited by the proper accrediting association.
- The student’s District Board of Ministerial Development and/or District Superintendent approves his/her attendance at the non-approved seminary.
- The student’s attendance at the non-approved seminary is approved by the Executive Director of Education and Clergy Development.
I have applied for the Wesleyan Ministerial Education Grant. Now what?
Thank you for applying for the Wesleyan Ministerial Education Grant program. You might be wondering what’s next.
Once you have applied
Once your application is received, ECD will confirm your eligibility. If you meet all the requirements, your application will be approved. If your application is approved, you will receive an email notifying you that your application has been approved and your next steps. If your application is denied, you will receive an email notifying that your application has been denied.
After you are approved
Complete the “Institutional Authorization” form under the “Additional Resources” section of this page. Submit this to your educational institution. DO NOT send this to ECD. This will be included in your approval e-mail you receive.
How loans are disbursed
- ECD will automatically certify your enrollment at your institution for each semester. For each semester that you remain eligible for aid, ECD will typically disburse the grant in the following way.
- Find your program to see how your loan check is disbursed
- Checks for all traditional undergraduate programs (HU, IWU, KU, OKWU, SWU) are sent to the grant representative at each school and applied to your account.
- Checks for Indiana Wesleyan University non-traditional programs (Wesley Seminary and the BSBO degree) will be sent to the school and applied to your account.
- Checks for Asbury will be sent to the Seminary and applied to your account.
- Checks for approved non-Wesleyan seminaries will be sent directly to the student. You will be required to complete the seminary enrollment verification form (on this page under additional resources) each semester to initiate funding.
Ongoing
It is your ongoing responsibility to keep ECD updated with your most current contact information (name changes as well as email, phone, and address changes) through The Wesleyan Church HUB.
Additional Resources
Ministerial Grant Eligibility Chart
Use this chart to determine your eligibility
Ministerial Grant Rates
List of funding rates (per credit hour) by school provided by the Wesleyan Ministerial Grant.
Institutional Authorization
Submit this form to your School after you have been approved for funding.
Approved Seminary Enrollment Verification Form
Use this form to verify enrollment at one of our approved seminaries to receive ministerial funding each semester/term. If the school has their own form for verification of enrollment, we will accept that form.
Kairos (Evangelical Theological Seminary) Enrollment Verification Form
Please use this form for enrollment verification at Kairos (Evangelical Theological Seminary) to receive ministerial funding each year. Return to education@wesleyan.org. This form will initiate funding for the prior year.