The New York Divinity School will require the following of its applicants for admission to master-level degree programs.
Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
Official transcripts of all studies beyond high school, showing a minimum college cumulative grade point average of 2.3 (4.0 scale).
Recommendation forms completed by applicant’s pastor and two other knowledgeable people.
Completed application form and $50 non-refundable application fee
Three-page autobiographical essay, including a statement about coming to faith in Christ and God’s leadership in the applicant’s life.
For applicants whose primary language is not English, the TOFEL is required with score of a 550, or a computer-based score of 220.
Applicants with a grade point average below 2.3 or without a completed baccalaureate degree may be accepted through academic probation, on an exceptional individual basis. Also, regulations of the Department of Home Security will be followed.
To apply for admission, download the full admissions packet here as an Adobe file. Or, you may request an application packet from NYES by contacting the Admissions Office (phone: 212-925-4723; e-mail:
). The admissions packet contains the application, the description of the autobiographical essay, and the recommendation forms.
Enrollment Classification
A degree-track student is fully admitted to New York Divinity School. A special student is an individual who has applied to the seminary with a completed official application form and application fee, but has not yet satisfied all admission requirements. Approval can be extended to register for up to, but not more than, eighteen semester credits. If, at the completion of the eighteen credits all the admission requirements are not completed, the individual may not be allowed to register.
Every student who is admitted to the Divinity School will chose a degree track for the purposes of organizing the student’s curriculum, and planning additional courses. It is the desire of NYDS that most students will complete their degrees.
However, the main purpose of the Divinity Schools training ministry, and of students being edified and growing, aided the Divinity School’s ministry, is to equip pastors and lay people for excellent ministry in the Churches, workplaces and communities. Every course contributes to that purpose, and in a sense “commencement occurs at the end of every class.” Equipping for ministry is be more important than completing degrees.
New and Re-entering Students Registration
All new students must receive advisement for course scheduling prior to registration. The Academic Dean and members of the faculty will be present at registration to advise new students at registration during the week prior to registration.
Registration for Returning Students
Students in their second semester and beyond will be assigned to a faculty advisor and must be affirmed for registration by the faculty advisor. Students may register during early registration prior to the beginning of the next semester, according to the seminary calendar.
