Financial Aid

Saint Vladimir’s Seminary awards and distributes its financial resources with a view toward Christian charity and stewardship. Most seminary students receive some form of financial assistance (see below Types of Financial Aid), and students should be mindful that such aid is a privilege to be enjoyed thanks to many benefactors who have graciously given funds to the seminary. 

All students are considered financially independent. Therefore, parental information is not required to determine need. The seminary does, however, require financial information from spouses of married students and full disclosure of grant and scholarship assistance from outside sources, such as, but not limited to, parish, diocesan, and archdiocesan education funds.

Each semester’s financial aid is applied toward the student’s seminary account at the time of registration. Seminary awards are given with the understanding that the student will be in attendance for the full semester.

    To be eligible for financial aid from St. Vladimir’s Seminary, a student must normally (1) live on campus (if enrolled in a residential program), (2) be enrolled at the seminary on a full-time basis as a degree candidate, and (3) be making satisfactory progress toward completion of the degree. To be considered full-time, students must be enrolled for at least twelve credits per semester; D.Min. students must be enrolled for six credits per term while registered for course work, three credits per term during their final project registration. To be eligible for U.S. Government loans, students must be degree candidates and enrolled for at least six credits per semester.

    Students enrolled on a full-time basis (as defined above) are eligible to receive aid from the seminary only for the number of semesters or terms necessary for normal completion of a degree program. Therefore, M.Div. candidates are eligible to receive financial aid for no more than six semesters; M.A. candidates for no more than four semesters; Th.M. candidates for no more than two semesters; and D.Min. candidates for no more than six terms.

    Satisfactory progress toward completion of a degree program is measured not only by a student’s successful completion of courses but also by satisfactory participation in the seminary’s co-curricular activities of chapel worship and community service.

    Exception in the Case of Probation or Special Needs. A residential degree candidate whose course load has been reduced by the Faculty Council in the case of probation or by the Academic Dean in the case of a student with special needs (see Disability Services) remains eligible for financial aid on a pro-rated basis, as long as he or she is enrolled for at least six credits per semester and is otherwise making satisfactory progress toward completion of program requirements.

    Grants and Scholarships
    The seminary administers need-based tuition grants, need-based scholarships, merit scholarships (Th.M. program only), and continuing education grants (D.Min. program only). Awards are made annually but are distributed one semester or term at a time to eligible students, as defined above. The amount given per semester or term will normally be one half the total award for the year.

    Matching Grant Opportunity
    Need-based tuition grants (M.Div., M.A., and Th.M. programs) consist of two components: (1) an outright tuition grant and (2) a matching grant opportunity. Outright grants are applied directly against a student’s tuition; matching grant funds are awarded on a dollar-to-dollar basis with funds received from outside ecclesial bodies or organizations, such as dioceses, parishes, parish organizations, church aid organizations, or church scholarship funds. Funds received from private individuals do not qualify for matching grant funds.

    U.S. Government Loan Programs
    The seminary participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. This program allows students to borrow funds to help meet their educational costs at the post-secondary level and is available to U.S. citizens and permanent-resident aliens. Applicants must be in good academic standing and enrolled at least half time, and they may not be in default on any previous loans.

    Application Deadline: May 1

    St. Vladimir’s Seminary awards or renews all grants and scholarships once a year during the spring application process. Application materials and an estimated expense budget by degree program are usually available online in late December or early January. The deadline for all financial aid applications—both new applications and renewal applications—is April 1. Applications received after May 1, or incomplete applications received prior to the deadline but completed after April 1, will be considered for financial aid only if funds remain available and/or on a wait-listed basis. After the award or renewal of a grant or scholarship, the seminary is unable to consider modified requests for financial assistance.

    1. Applications for Residential Programs (M.Div., M.A., Th.M.). Students in residential programs, both prospective and returning students, who seek need-based financial aid granted or administered by the seminary must complete the seminary’s "Financial Aid Application". Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (U.S. permanent residents) must also complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and submit the FAFSA Student Aid Report with EFC. Prospective students will submit their financial aid application & FAFSA Confirmation page through the admissions portal.
    » 2022-2023 Financial Aid Application
    » FAFSA

    2. Applications for D.Min. Program. Students in the D.Min. Program, both prospective and returning students, who seek a continuing education grant and/or need-based financial aid granted or administered by the seminary must complete the seminary’s "Application for D.Min. Grant & Need-Based Award"; students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens (U.S. permanent residents) must also complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and submit the FAFSA Student Aid Report with EFC. The FAFSA is not required for students who seek only a continuing education grant. Prospective students will submit their financial aid application & FAFSA Confirmation page through the admissions portal.
    » 2020-2021 Application for D.Min. Grant & Need-Based Award
    » Continuing Education Grant Workshop Report Form
    » FAFSA

    Financial Exigency. If a student should experience significant, unforeseen financial difficulty after the award/renewal period and the exhaustion of financial aid funds, he or she is encouraged to speak to the Chief Financial Officer prior to the beginning of the semester in order to arrange a formal payment plan.

    Probation and Loss of Award
    Any student who does not meet the minimum conditions for retaining a seminary grant or scholarship, as defined for each grant or scholarship, will be placed on probation for the following semester.

    Refund Policy
    If a student withdraws from the seminary during the semester under circumstances permitting a refund of fees, then eligible fees will be refunded—to student, matching donor organization, scholarship fund—on the basis of an official withdrawal date and in accordance with the seminary’s refund schedule.

    Veteran Benefits and Outside Scholarships
    For seminary need-based aid purposes, VA benefits and outside scholarships, such as Fulbright awards, are applied toward the student's cost of education (see Estimated Expenses by Degree Program) before a student is considered for seminary financial aid.

    Please feel free to contact the Financial Aid Administrator with any questions about financial aid or the financial aid application process.