Global Anabaptist Scholarship (fully online)

In order to make theological education accessible for more leaders and emerging leaders in the Mennonite/Anabaptist tradition, AMBS partners with global Anabaptist church bodies outside of the U.S. and Canada to offer fully online graduate education. This merit-based scholarship is for students pursuing the fully online Master of Arts: Theology and Global Anabaptism or the fully online Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies.

Financial aid for international students who take only online classes will be administered in the same manner as it is administered for U.S. and Canadian students. Financial aid policies and procedures are the same for students studying on campus or exclusively online.

Guidelines

1. Students must be from outside of the U.S. or Canada, be enrolled in the Master of Arts: Theology and Global Anabaptism or the Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies, and take all of their courses online.

2. Students must be enrolled in at least two courses per academic year if enrolled in the Graduate Certificate, or at least four courses per academic year if enrolled in the MA: Theology and Global Anabaptism. This will allow students to complete either the 27-credit-hour Graduate Certificate or the 46-credit-hour MA: Theology and Global Anabaptism within a four-year period.

3. In addition to need-based financial aid of up to 50 percent off of tuition, students are also eligible to receive additional aid depending on their home country.

4. Once awarded, this scholarship is renewable for three consecutive academic years, for a total of four years of student eligibility. If students fail to complete the required number of courses in any academic year, or if their GPA falls below 2.75, they will forfeit the scholarship.

5. Scholarship funds are limited and will be awarded to new students based on the amount of funding available during any academic year.

6. Application deadline: March 15

Criteria for award recipients

1. Recipients will be from outside of the U.S. and Canada and be members in good standing of a church body affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group.

2. The decision to grant an award will be based on three factors:
   • Previous academic performance, including a GPA of at least 2.75 from all undergraduate work, based on information gained from transcripts and references.
   • Strong leadership potential for serving the church, based on information gained from references and from a required essay on the applicant’s past, present and future service/ministry.
   • Personal character and emotional health, based on information gained from references.

Procedure to apply

By the deadline, applicants must submit:

1. A completed Admissions Application with all supporting materials, including transcript(s), references and an admission essay.

2. Completed Financial Aid and Scholarship applications.

3. An essay of 1,200 to 1,800 words that focuses on:
   • their leadership potential for serving the church
   • their past, present and future service/ministry
   • how an education at AMBS will enrich their ministry

Please note: Since the scholarship selection process is competitive and limited scholarship funds are available, a strong essay that clearly addresses the above areas — with attention to grammar and spelling — is important.