AMBS Scholarships
See also information on need-based financial aid and tips for applying for scholarships.
Merit-based scholarships (for students from the U.S. or Canada)
Students who receive merit-based scholarships of more than 50 percent off of tuition are not eligible to receive need-based financial aid from AMBS. They may still complete a Church Partnership Form to receive contributions from congregations, but the contributions will not be matched by AMBS.
Werner K. Fransen Next Generation Scholarship
Mary Irene Liechty Smucker Next Generation Scholarship
The Next Generation Scholarship is intended to encourage and support outstanding Mennonite students with gifts in church leadership. Each year, this scholarship provides a full-tuition grant and $4,000 for living expenses to a student beginning the Master of Divinity Campus program. The recipient may receive this scholarship for three years by meeting certain conditions. Recipients must live in campus housing to receive the $4,000 stipend. Applicants must be from the U.S. or Canada and be a member in good standing of a congregation that is affiliated with Mennonite World Conference; preference is given to members of Mennonite Church USA or Mennonite Church Canada. Application deadline: March 15
Church Leadership Award
The Church Leadership Award is a scholarship program intended to encourage and support outstanding Mennonite students with gifts for ministry as they prepare to serve the church. Each year, this award provides a full-tuition grant to a student beginning a master’s program on campus. The recipient may receive this grant for two or three years by meeting certain conditions. Applicants must be from the U.S. or Canada and be a member in good standing of a congregation that is affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group. Application deadline: March 15
Partial-tuition scholarships
Partial-tuition scholarships may be awarded each year to students who applied to receive either a Church Leadership Award or a Next Generation Scholarship and met eligibility requirements but were not selected to receive either scholarship. This award provides tuition grants of varying amounts to students who are beginning a master’s program on campus. The recipient may receive this grant for two or three years by meeting certain conditions.
MDiv Connect Student Scholarship
The MDiv Connect Student Scholarship provides a limited number of 75-percent tuition grants to students beginning the Master of Divinity (MDiv) Connect program (at a distance). Recipients may receive this grant for the stated length of the MDiv Connect program by meeting certain conditions. Applicants must be from the U.S. or Canada and be a member in good standing of a congregation that is affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group. Application deadline: March 15
Multicultural Church Scholarship
The Multicultural Church Scholarship is for students who are currently serving in or preparing for ministry assignments in a multicultural context and/or who belong to historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups within the Mennonite Church. This scholarship is for students who are studying either on campus or at a distance. Each year, this award provides a limited number of 100-percent tuition grants to full-time students beginning a master’s program, or a limited number of 75-percent tuition grants to part-time students beginning a master’s program. Recipients may receive this grant for the stated length of their academic program by meeting certain conditions. Applicants must be from the U.S. or Canada and be a member in good standing of a congregation that is affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group. Application deadline: March 15
Anabaptist Scholarship
The Anabaptist Scholarship provides a 100-percent tuition grant to a full-time student who is beginning a master’s program on campus and who identifies with the Anabaptist tradition but who is not a member of a congregation affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group. Applicants must be from the U.S. or Canada. Application deadline: March 15
Ecumenical Student Scholarship
The Ecumenical Student Scholarship is for students who belong to other-than-Anabaptist Christian traditions and want to study at AMBS (either on campus or at a distance) — to enter into dialogue with and engage with others from the Anabaptist tradition while sharing the theological perspectives of and growing in their own tradition. Each year, this award provides a limited number of 100-percent tuition grants to full-time students beginning a master’s program, or a limited number of 75-percent tuition grants to part-time students beginning a master’s program. Recipients may receive this grant for the stated length of their academic program by meeting certain conditions. Applicants must be from the U.S. or Canada and be a member in good standing of a congregation that is not affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group. Application deadline: March 15
Merit-based scholarships (for international students — not from the U.S. or Canada)
Students who receive merit-based scholarships of more than 50 percent off of tuition are not eligible to receive need-based financial aid from AMBS. They may still complete a Church Partnership Form to receive contributions from congregations, but the contributions will not be matched by AMBS.
International Student Scholarship (on campus)
The International Student Scholarship is intended to encourage and support outstanding international students with gifts for ministry as they prepare to serve the global church. The scholarship, which can be up to full tuition, is awarded on an annual basis to an international student (non-U.S. or non-Canadian) who is a member of a Mennonite World Conference congregation or a related Anabaptist group and who will study full time on the AMBS campus. Application deadline: March 15
Global Anabaptist Scholarship (fully online)
The Global Anabaptist Scholarship is for students from outside of the U.S. or Canada who are members of a congregation affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group and who are pursuing the fully online Master of Arts: Theology and Global Anabaptism or the fully online Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies. Application deadline: March 15
Designated scholarship (for Canadian students)
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) Scholarship
The MCEC Scholarship is available for Canadian students who currently serve, or have a desire to serve, Mennonite Church Canada. Students from MCEC congregations are given preference. Each year, AMBS will select up to two award recipients who will each receive a scholarship of $2,500 per academic year. Application deadline: April 1.
Ministry scholarships (for U.S., Canadian or international students)
For the following scholarships, scholarships of varying amounts are given in addition to AMBS need-based financial aid each year. These scholarships can be renewed annually; past recipients will need to submit an updated essay for each scholarship each time they reapply.
Lederach Preaching Scholarship
The Lederach Preaching Scholarship is available annually for a student who is part of a congregation affiliated with Mennonite World Conference; senses a call to pastoral leadership; and shows promise in preaching. Full- or part-time students are eligible to apply. Application deadline: April 1.
Steiner Bivocational Scholarship
The Steiner Bivocational Scholarship assists people who are training for bivocational ministry or pastors who are combining congregational ministry with other employment. Full- or part-time students are eligible to apply. Application deadline: April 1.
Program scholarships
There is no application deadline for program scholarships.
!Explore Scholarship
Former participants in !Explore: A theological program for high school youth are eligible for the !Explore Scholarship. The amount of the scholarship varies, depending on the year the student participated in the program, and is typically between $1,000 and $2,000 per academic year. The funds can only be applied toward graduate-level tuition; they are available up to 15 years after the student’s participation in the program. The full amount must be used within one academic year.
Voluntary Service scholarships
To affirm people’s decision to participate in a voluntary service program and to make theological education accessible for more leaders and emerging leaders in the church, AMBS is partnering with selected Christian Voluntary Service programs to offer scholarships to former VSers and a tuition discount to current VSers. Former VS participants in an approved VS program who completed the program in good standing are eligible to apply. The scholarship of $1,500 can only be applied toward graduate-level tuition; enrollment must occur within five years of the completion of the student’s VS assignment. The funds can only be disbursed during one academic year. However, if a former VSer is enrolled in an academic program of study, the scholarship is renewable if he or she maintains full-time student status.
Access the Scholarship application online
See also information on need-based financial aid, tips for applying for scholarships and external scholarship options.
Apply for a scholarship
Access the Scholarship Application online.
If you are interested in learning more about these scholarships, call the AMBS Admissions and Financial Aid Office at (800) 964-2627.
Other sources of aid
Make every effort to be aware of outside scholarships available to graduate students. Check out local service organizations’ scholarships as well as local community foundations for additional sources of assistance. Some of these scholarships are listed on our External scholarship options page.