Ministerial Student Scholarship Program

What is the ministry student scholarship?

This scholarship provides financial assistance to college students preparing to enter a full-time ministry assignment in the local church, in missions, or in evangelism within the Church of the Nazarene. The ultimate goal is to help Nazarene ministerial students be more marketable after graduation by minimizing debt and maximizing opportunities for practical experience.

A student who qualifies for the ministerial student scholarship has the potential of receiving over $37,292 (based on 2009-10 tuition) in scholarships, significantly reducing the amount of student loan debt he or she must incur.

Additionally, the scholarship program’s internship requirements give ministerial students the valuable experience they need to enter a full-time ministry assignment after graduation.

What general guidelines must I meet to qualify?

Qualified students must:

• be full-time majors in the Religion Division
• be a member of the Church of the Nazarene
• testify to a call to full-time ministry in the church
• meet minimum cumulative GPA requirements
• make application through Religion Division by February 1 each year.
• be willing to work 5-8 hours per week in ministry assignment during Sophmore, Junior, and Senior years.
• take Introduction to Ministry
• meetin periodically with director

The requirements and scholarship amounts vary according to the student’s class level.

Freshman year $1,000
All freshman Nazarene ministerial students can receive the $1,000 scholarship. Requirements include regular church attendance, completion of weekly ministry observation reports and completion of the Introduction to Ministry course.

Level I: 1/3 of tuition (approx. $6049)
Sophomore recipients must have a local minister’s license, serve five hours per week in a local church ministry assignment, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and have 24 credit hours or more to reach sophomore status.

Level II: 2/3 of tuition (approx $12,097)
Juniors must have a local minister’s license, serve eight hours per week in a local church ministry assignment, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and have 56 or more credit hours.

Level III: Full tuition ($18,146)*
Requirements for seniors include having a district minister ’s license, serving eight hours per week in a church ministry assignment, taking ministry practicum prior to senior year, maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0, and having 88 credit hours or more for senior status.

* Scholarship for Level II and III is in the form of a loan forgiveness grant. See below.

What is a loan forgiveness grant?
Funds awarded are in the form of a loan, to be forgiven once the student is ordained in the Church of the Nazarene as a minister or evangelist, or commissioned as a missionary in the Church of the Nazarene. Prior to ordination or commission, deferment is granted each year when the student provides documentation of district licensure and a letter of verification from the district ministerial board, or documentation from the Department of World Evangelism verifying the student is working toward full time missionary service in the Church of the Nazarene. The loan will enter a 10 year repayment period if deferment documents are not provided when requested by the Student Financial Services Office in accordance with the signed promissory note.