2021-2022 Academic Catalog

Admission Requirements

The application and recommendations should be submitted electronically whenever possible.  Official transcripts may be mailed to Director of Admission, Saint John's School of Theology and Seminary, P.O. Box 7288, Collegeville, MN 56321.  Most other documents can be submitted as email attachments to [email protected]. 

  1. A completed application form. 
  2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or the equivalent.
    • Applicants for the Master of Arts in Liturgical Music: A bachelor’s degree in music or the equivalent from an accredited institution
  3. Official transcripts of post-secondary coursework sent directly from the Registrar's Office to the Director of Admission for the School of Theology and Seminary (see address above).
  4. Three letters of recommendation from educational or professional contacts who can attest to the academic ability, leadership qualities, communication skills, and overall readiness of the applicant for graduate theological study.  Click on the link, copy and paste the url into an email to your recommenders:  Recommendation Form. Note: Recommendations are reserved for those who have the right to review documents in the applicant's admission file.  The applicant waives access to the information.     
    • Lay applicants for the Master of Divinity: One of the three letters must come from an employer who can speak to the applicant's potential for ministry. 
    • Applicants for the Master of Arts in Liturgical Music: Two of the three letters must come from music instructors.  
    • Applicants from religious communities: One of the three letters must come from a major superior.
  5. Results of either the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) sent directly to the director of admission for the School of Theology and Seminary (Institutional Code: 6624; Department Code: 4902).
    The MAT/GRE requirement is waived for applicants who already have a masters and/or doctorate degree(s). 
    International students generally demonstrate proficiency in the English language with the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) should be sent directly to the director of admission for the School of Theology and Seminary. 
  6. Typewritten narrative of 1250 to 1500 words: Describe the life experiences that have had a significant impact on your personal growth and development with particular attention to the ways these experiences have revealed both your strengths and areas for improvement. Describe your view of the Church in the next decade and the role you might have in the ministry of the Church. Outline the desired goals you wish to achieve at Saint John's and how Saint John's can assist in the fulfillment of your personal, professional, and educational goals.
  7. Résumé outlining personal, educational and professional backgrounds.
  8. List of books and articles read in the previous three years.
  9. Applicants for the Master of Arts in Liturgical Music: An audition and interview with the music faculty is required. Entrance Expectations: Audition and Interview

Priesthood Candidates

Admission requirements for degree applicants, outlined above, are required for priesthood candidates as well as the following documents:

  1. One of the three recommendations must come from the bishop, vocation director, or religious superior.
  2. An autobiography of 7-10 pages.
  3. Certificates of Baptism and Confirmation (photocopies accepted if the religious community has original documents).
  4. A statement from a physician indicating the results of a recent physical examination.