Admissions

Applicants are normally required to have their official transcripts sent directly to the Director of Admissions from all of the post-secondary institutions that they have attended. The Director of Admissions may accept hand-delivered transcripts in envelopes that have been officially sealed by the issuing institutions; seals must be unbroken.

Official Transcripts must provide proof of:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an institution accredited by an agency holding membership in the Association of University and Colleges in Canada (AUCC), or recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in the United States, or its equivalent (see Bachelor's Degree Equivalency, below). Because the completion of a broad liberal arts program is a great asset to the seminary student, an undergraduate degree that includes courses in English, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, History, Education, Music, and biblical languages is ideal.

• A minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4 point scale or equivalent (Applicants with a GPA of less than 2.5 may be admitted in Academic Provation.) 

• One year* of Greek (with a minimum grade of “C”) (Master of Divinity Program ONLY)

• One year* of Hebrew (with a minimum grade of “C”) (Master of Divinity Program ONLY)

(*two semesters or 6 credits are considered equivalent to one year) 

Biblical Hebrew and Greek are required for admission into the Master of Divinity program. Applicants who qualify in either language, but not both, are eligible for conditional admission. Greek and Hebrew may be taken from other institutions. CLS may require successful completion of a proficiency exam to demonstrate competence in these languages.  

Applicants should contact potential referees to request reference letters prior to submitting the application. Reference Letters are required from your Pastor and others as listed on the Application Form. Referees are required to use the Reference Letter Form that are provided wit the Application Form.

A Criminal Record Check must be obtained by the applicant and submitted to the seminary. This can be obtained from your nearest RCMP detachment or local police service. There is usually a charge for this, and it may take several weeks to process your request. Contact your local police service or RCMP detachment for information on the request process. Edmonton Police Service: Police Information Check Section

The Graduate Diploma in Parish Service Program is an intensive program with one year of coursework focusing primarily on practical theology; nevertheless, a DPS must also be theologically competent. The minimal coursework in exegetical and systematic theology requires that students have a solid background Lutheran theology and the biblical narrative before admission. Contact the Diaconal Program Coordinator for details.

There are three types of education and experience that must be presented for an applicant to be considered for baccalaureate equivalency:

1. A minimum of one year (thirty credits) of work at an accredited university or university college.  This could include courses in the biblical languages, provided they are also for-credit courses.

2. Other course work:
   a.   Completed programs from other post-secondary institutions (up to two years’ worth).  These could include programs from community colleges, technical schools, and Bible colleges. Course work from an incomplete, non-accredited program will not normally be considered.
                                           --and/or--
   b.   Credits from courses taken as part of continuing education for one’s vocation, which are not necessarily part of a program, particularly if those courses provide advanced training needed for job promotion, and if they are from widely recognized professional associations or institutes.

The education specified in numbers 1 and 2 above must equal a combined minimum of 3 years of full-time education.

3.  Work experience that demonstrates a high level of technical skill, organizational and administrative ability, and mental acuity. Such work must include a minimum of ten years’ accumulated experience and must show significant advancement and/or increasing levels of responsibility over time. Supervisory and planning experience are highly valued.

Applicants for a baccalaureate equivalency must also meet other admission requirements, such as grades, references, and leadership in the congregation and church at large. Applicants should demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the Word of God, commendable communication skills, and a willingness to serve.

All applicants granted baccalaureate equivalency are admitted on academic probation.

Applicants without a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent (see above) may be admitted, although such admission is competitive and is limited in relation to the total M.Div. student body.

Applicants for non-degree admission must:

✔   Indicate in writing the circumstances (age, family, finances, etc.) that make it unrealistic for him to obtain a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolment;

✔   Demonstrate satisfactory completion (minimum GPA of 2.0 or a “C” average) of at least one year of university level study in liberal arts, ideally including courses in English composition, sociology, psychology, logical or analytical thinking, early European history, religion, etc.

Applicants for non-degree admission must also meet other admission requirements, such as grades, references, and leadership in the congregation and church at large. Applicants should demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the Word of God, commendable communication skills, and a willingness to serve.

All applicants granted non-degree admission are admitted on academic probation.

CLS welcomes international students and seeks to provide an academic and social climate, which promotes understanding, acceptance, and personal growth through interaction among Christian people of different cultures and lands.

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Master of Divinity program/Graduate Diploma in Parish Services Program, students for whom English is a second language, and who have not completed a previous degree in English, are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) unless this requirement is waived by the Admissions Committee. Details about where and when the TOEFL exam can be taken can be found at http://www.ets.org/toefl. For the IELTS, see http://www.ielts.org.

The minimum TOEFL score required is 80 (iBT), with no individual score below 20. The minimum IELTS band (overall) score is 6.5, with no individual (component) score below 5.5.

Concordia Lutheran Seminary's TOEFL Institution Code is 5020.

Students at accredited seminaries who wish to transfer to CLS are urged to make early contact with the Registrar for an evaluation of their transcripts in order to identify which courses may meet a portion of the proposed program requirements. See the Transfer Credit section under Enrolment Policies for details.

In the case of students transferring from another seminary of LCC or a partner church, a letter of recommendation, transcripts, and biographical information from the transferring institution are required.

Individuals who have withdrawn or been discontinued for cause, and those who have been denied admission, should contact the Director of Admissions to request information on procedures for re-application.