Grants and Scholarships

Grants will be based primarily on financial need and will depend in large part on the amount of money available and the need of the applicant. Grants are awarded for a single term. Students must re-apply for grants every semester. All degree programs are eligible. 

In order to qualify, students must:

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Have an SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) of $3,000 or less, as determined by FAFSA data.

• Need Based Grant Application

Western Seminary and the Venture Church Network (VCN) have partnered to provide VCN staff and members with exceptional opportunities for advanced theological studies! Here’s how you can benefit from this exclusive offer:

25% Partnership Grant: All verified members or staff of VCN churches will receive a 25% tuition grant for credit courses that satisfy degree program requirements. Course or program fees are not covered by this grant.

Credit for Previous Studies: You can request credit for prior studies accepted by Western Seminary faculty.

Eligibility and Application Process

Eligibility: In order to receive this partnership grant, VCN staff and members must complete a grant application every semester before the financial aid deadlines (August 1 for Fall, December 1 for Spring, and April 1 for Summer), and applicants must list Joyce Mercado of Venture Church Network as their reference. Joyce’s email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Note: Admission to Western Seminary is not guaranteed. Applicants must meet all entrance requirements and submit all necessary materials, including reference forms and financial aid documents.

Thanks to the strong partnership between Western Seminary and the organizations and churches listed below, eligible staff/volunteers  may be eligible for a partnership grant. Grants are awarded for a single term. Students must re-apply for grants every semester. In order to apply, fill out the FAFSA, the Need-Based Grant application and the Partnership Grant application. Most partnership grants offer a discount range (e.g. 10-20%), with each eligible student receiving at least the lower percentage, with the possibility of increase up to the higher percentage based on financial need. This grant does not stack with the Need-Based grant.

Important Note: Eligibility criteria and discount percentage varies by partnership

The following is a list of participating churches and organizations:

Parachurch

• Cru
• Navigators

Church Partnerships

• Acts 29 Network Churches
• Calvary Global Network (CGN)
• Church on the Move // Tulsa, OK
• Grace Church // Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina
• Van City Church // Vancouver, WA
• Venture Christian Church // Los Gatos, CA
• Venture Church Network (formerly CBAmerica)
• Westgate Church // San Jose, CA

Graduates of a Western Seminary masters program are eligible for a 20 percent tuition scholarship for their doctoral program at Western Seminary. The awarding process is automatic, so no application is necessary. Scholarships are awarded for a single term. This scholarship does not stack with the Need-Based grant. 

Degree graduates of Western Seminary are invited to audit one course per year at no charge. Degree graduates include those who have completed a full master's or doctoral degree program.

• Alumni Audit Opportunity Information and Application

Western Seminary offers a church matching grant, matching contributions from partner churches up to 15% of a student's tuition. To qualify, students must be enrolled at least half-time and referred by their partner church. The agreement must be signed by the church’s executive leadership; students cannot sign on behalf of their supporting church. While churches are welcome to contribute more, Western's match will not exceed 15%. Eligibility criteria and deadlines apply. For questions, please contact the Financial Aid department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Most international students are not eligible for other institutional grants or scholarships, and should complete the form below. Students coming to study residentially in the USA will need to apply by April 1 each year. Students planning to remain abroad are subject to the standard financial aid application deadlines. International Student Scholarships are awarded one year at a time, so the application form only needs to be completed once per academic year. International students working on campus may stack tuition waivers with the International Student Scholarship.

• International Student Scholarship Application
• Grant stacking policy

International Students that are eligible for a Partnership Grant should This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss whether they should apply for the International Student Scholarship or for the Partnership Grant. If the tuition discount percentage is greater through the Partnership Grant, students should submit the Need-Based and Partnership Grant applications. Since International Students cannot complete the FAFSA, other means will be used to assess financial need, if required for the grant in question. 

If you are the spouse of a currently enrolled student in a master’s or doctoral degree program, you may qualify for the Learning Together Program. This program allows spouses to audit one on-campus course per semester at the regular audit rate and provides scholarships based on the enrolled student's credit load:

• Spouses of full-time students (8+ credits) receive a 75% scholarship.
• Spouses of half-time students (4–7 credits) receive a 50% scholarship.
• Spouses of students enrolled in 1–3 credits are not eligible.

The Learning Together Program cannot be combined with the Advanced Studies Certificate Program or Partners in Ministry Programs and does not include online or coaching courses.

How to Register:

1. Set up an S.I.S. account for enrollment and registration.
2. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to notify Financial Aid of your registration and request applicable waivers or tuition adjustments. Be sure to include the degree student’s name in your email.