Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

Admissions > Application Procedures

Filing the Application

This section includes: Deadline for Application, Application Fees & Transcripts, etc.

Prospective Louisville Seminary students are invited to submit an application form through this web site. To request hard copies and more information contact the Admissions Office at admissions@lpts.edu
or call (502) 895-3411, or (800) 264-1839, ext. 373 or write:

Director of Admissions
Louisville Seminary
1044 Alta Vista Road
Louisville, KY 40205-1798

Deadline for Application
See current calendar

Deadline for the fall semester Master of Divinity or Master of Arts in Religion is June 15, or February 15 if the applicant seeks a Scholarship for Excellence.

Deadline for the fall semester Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy is February 1 for the fall semester only due to the extensive interviewing process required for admission. There is no spring admission into the program.

Deadline for International Students is February 1 for admission the following fall.

Deadline for Special Students, and those probationary candidates with a Bachelors below a 2.5 GPA is March 1. Invited applicants must interview with the Admissions Committee.

Application Fees and Transcripts
Applications must be accompanied by a $62.00 non-refundable fee for first level masters programs, which may be paid on-line (following the application "submit") or by check made payable to Louisville Seminary. An application is not considered complete without all fees and transcripts from all colleges, universities, and seminaries attended. It is the applicant's responsibility to insure that transcripts are sent to the Office of Admissions. After receiving the application, the Office of Admissions will send financial aid, recommendation, and other forms needed to continue the admissions process.

Letters of Recommendation
Applicants are responsible for assuring that persons providing references receive complete, and submit required reference forms. Once reference forms are received by the Office of Admissions, they become the property of LPTS and applicants will not be allowed to review them.

Review of Files and Completion of Admission Process
Completed files will be reviewed promptly. The Office of Admissions may request an interview or additional information from any applicant.

Admission and Matriculation
An applicant who is admitted to the Seminary should indicate acceptance by filing a tuition deposit with the Office of Admissions. Applicants in good standing may, in writing, choose to postpone enrollment for up to one year from the initial semester of application. Admitted applicants who complete their bachelor's degree the semester before beginning seminary must forward final college transcripts to the Office of Admissions certifying the degree and date of graduation. Students admitted in the spring semester must receive permission from the Dean to enroll in foundational courses that require previous semesters in sequence such as Christian Historical and Theological Studies II and Scripture II.

Transfer, International, Special Admission, and Non-Degree Students

Transfer students
In addition to other required application materials, students transferring from other seminaries must submit complete official transcripts, field education reports and evaluations (if applicable), evaluations of clinical pastoral education experiences (if applicable), and a letter of good standing from the institution. The LPTS Dean's Office determines the available transfer of credits after a student has completed the necessary admissions form.
International Students
Students from international settings are welcome in the Seminary community. Students from other countries add much to the life of the Seminary. Members of the Seminary community recognize their responsibility to nurture these students who are preparing to serve their own national churches. Usually, international students are encouraged to complete the Master of Divinity degree in their home country. The Seminary normally requires international students have the endorsement of their national church (including assurances that the churches hold positions for the returning student). At the request of other nations, the Seminary does not usually accept applications from international students already studying in the U.S. Students must be able to read, write, and understand English by showing proficiency through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 (paper-based exam) or 213 or better (computer-based exam). They must also demonstrate sufficient financial resources to meet their needs. Admission as a regular student and degree candidate requires a B.A. or equivalent. Applications for international students must be completed by February 1 for admission the following fall. International applicants should write the Office of Admissions for details on necessary credentials and procedures.

Special Admission
Louisville Seminary believes that a bachelor's degree is important preparation for theological study and ordinarily requires one for all applicants for admissions. Prospective students who do not have a degree but who have done substantial college-level work and who show evidence of promise for ministry may in unusual circumstances be allowed to begin Seminary coursework as special students while completing their undergraduate studies. Students wanting to be considered for this provisional admission must work with the Admissions Office to plan a program leading to a bachelor's degree or its equivalent, either from a local institution or from an external degree program accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) or comparable regional bodies.

An applicant to our Master of Divinity program is a graduate of a college without regional acceditation may be admitted to Louisville Seminary only under exceptional circumstances, and then only through special admission. To be considered for Fall admission, an applicant must apply before March 1 and must come for an interview with the Admissions Committee. Graduates of a college without regional acceditation are responsible for meeting the undergraduate educational requirements of their official church bodies and are advised that these requirements may not be satisfied by their special student program at Louisville Seminary.

Such candidates, if admitted, are accepted provisionally and on probation as special students working toward a degree program. Ordinarily, after the completion of no more than 30 hours of course work - which must be completed in no more than three semesters - the Faculty will vote as to whether or not a person in this category will be allowed to continue in the degree program.

Special admission can be granted when official church bodies request that the Seminary arrange a special course of study for a person who does not have a bachelor's degree. This request must state the reasons for requesting the admission and that the applicant is capable of seminary-level study. Such a student is ineligible for a degree and, thus, is classified as a special admission. A student successfully completing a special course of study may be given a certificate.

Applications to our Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy and Master of Arts in Religion degree programs from persons who do not have a college degree or who are graduates of a college without regional accreditation will not be considered under any circumstances.

Non-Degree Students
The Seminary community welcomes persons for special study, not in a degree program, in as many as two classes per semester. All tuition and fees must be paid at the time of registration. If a non-degree student wishes to apply for admission to degree candidacy at a later date, up to 12 hours of coursework successfully completed at Louisville Seminary within the last five years may be applied toward a degree. Click here for additional non-degree student information.