Admissions FAQs

Southeastern Seminary and Judson College offer a wide range of undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate programs including: minors, BA, BS, MDiv, MA, ThM, EdD, DMin and PhD degree tracks.

For a complete listing of our degree offerings, see the academic catalog.

The average graduate degree (M.Div. or MA) at the seminary will take a full-time student 2-4 years. This depends on the specific degree requirements and the student’s desired course load. In addition to traditional semester-long courses, students may take advantage of hybrid classes, January-term classes, four separate summer sessions and one-week intensive classes taught over fall and spring breaks.

No! Southeastern’s mission is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping students to serve the Church and fulfill the Great Commission. Everyone in the body of Christ, not just those called into vocational ministry, can benefit from rich theological education as they seek to serve God wherever he has called them.

While students can pursue two MA degrees or an MA and an MDiv simultaneously, students are encouraged to consult with the Registrar’s office before pursuing simultaneous graduate degrees, as not all degree options can be combined.

The actual cost of seminary varies based on a number of factors. View the Tuition and Fees page for a list of current costs.

To be considered full-time, a student must complete 9 credit hours each fall and spring semester. Typically, full-time students will choose to take 9-12 credit hours per semester. Students must take at least one class each semester to remain active.

Many students choose to live in on-campus housing because of its affordability, flexibility of options and proximity to campus. To learn more about these and other options, visit our housing office webpage. You can also contact the Housing Office directly at [email protected] or (919) 761-2400.

We have several undergraduate, MDiv, MA, and graduate certificate options completely online that are available to international missionaries. 100% of tuition costs are covered for degree-seeking students actively serving with the International Mission Board, and scholarships are available to active IMB employees, returned Journeymen, and missionary kids!

The entire application process may be completed online. For more detailed information about the application process and to access the application, click here.

There is no firm deadline for applications to be submitted. However, we request that all applications be submitted and completed (all supplemental documents received) no later than one month in advance of anticipated enrollment. Applications that are completed within 30 days of the start of the term may still be considered, but the Admissions Office will be unable to guarantee an admissions decision prior to the start of classes. Applications may be submitted up to one year in advance of anticipated enrollment.

Once all supplemental documents arrive (references, transcripts, background check, etc.) and an application is completed, it will be sent for review. The prospective student will be notified of his/her admission decision within 30 days.

If you have questions about where your application stands, feel free to email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 1-800-284-6317. Our admissions team would be happy to update you and let you know of any documents that may be missing.

North Carolina State Law requires two MMR vaccines (measles, mumps and rubella), three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (one of these must be in the last 10 years and only one dose is required to include pertussis), polio if under 18 years old, hepatitis b if born after 1994, and varicella if born after April 1st 2001. Simply upload documented proof of these vaccinations when prompted during the online application process.

Your current physician should have access to your immunization records. If not, consider these other common options for acquiring your documentation:

• Contact your parents or guardian to request a copy of your immunization records
• Contact your previous doctor’s office to request your immunization history on file
• Contact your state health department from your home state
• Contact your prior schools or military to request your application files
• Contact the Department of Veteran Affairs to request your military records

Make an appointment with your physician or a health clinic to request a tetanus booster. Once you receive the booster, just upload the proof under “Immunization History” in the online application.

In this case you have two options.

• Receive the MMR immunization again (be sure to consult your doctor)
• You can take a Titer test and provide the results. If you have a titer, it means that either you have had the disease and produced antibodies or received the immunization for the disease. A positive titer then that can be the proof to show the state of North Carolina that you have been immunized or have had the disease.

Yes, we accept most transfer credits from regionally or nationally accredited schools. Once accepted, students can apply through the Registrar’s office to have credits transferred through an official transcript evaluation. The number of transferable credits depends on the requirements for your desired program, the letter grade (C- or higher) for the course, and the relevance of the course to your particular degree.

The number of credit hours hours that will transfer depends on several factors. Please contact the Registrar’s Office at [email protected] or 919-761-2215 for specific information.

You may be eligible to take advantage of advanced standing through our Advanced M.Div. program or show course proficiency through our Southeastern Collegiate Partnership. Learn more about these programs below.

Southeastern Collegiate Partnership

The Southeastern Collegiate Partnership (SCP) helps reduce course duplication for eligible MDiv or MA students who have completed equivalent undergraduate courses. Eligible students can either take exams at a reduced cost to receive credit or replace the courses with higher level electives of the same prefix.

Once a transcript has been sent to our admissions office, applicants can request an unofficial transcript evaluation from their admissions counselor to see how classes will potentially transfer for their desired degree.

Yes! We offer several fully online degrees, including our Master of Divinity with a track in christian ministry, as well as a few Master of Arts degrees. We also offer some of our advanced degrees in a modified residency format. Our distance learning program involves fully online classes, hybrid classes and more! These options are available to both students living on and off campus, although priority is given to students participating in our distance-learning program. Visit our distance learning page to see a complete list of these degrees. For all other degree programs, contact the Distance Learning office at [email protected] for a list of courses that may be completed online.

Hybrid courses begin with online coursework. Each course has one required on-campus weekend (Friday night and Saturday) published with the course description. When signing up for the course, students commit to being on campus for that weekend. After the in-class portion, students complete any remaining coursework online.

Yes, an on-campus student may take hybrid and online courses, though priority is given to students participating in distance-learning programs.

Through the Institutional Financial Aid Application at sebts.edu/financialaid. Students don’t have to wait to be accepted to Southeastern before they apply for financial aid. Southeastern also maintains an extensive list of external scholarships that can be filtered by state at sebts.edu/external-scholarships.

Southeastern does not participate in any federal loan programs, so graduate and advanced degree students do not need to complete the FAFSA..

No! Most of our scholarships are available to students participating in our distance-learning program.