page-image

How to Apply

Eligibility

Normally a student is qualified to study in the Divinity School if he or she has an A.B. degree or its equivalent with a good academic record from an accredited college or university.

Applicants to master's level programs are not required either to have majored or to have done concentrated work in religious studies in their undergraduate programs, although broad training in the liberal arts is expected.

Applicants to the doctoral program must have completed, or must be in the process of completing, a master's degree from an accredited institution in order to be considered for admission.

Students from the United States who do not have an A.B. degree or its equivalent, or who come from an unaccredited institution, should write to the Dean of Students of the Divinity School concerning eligibility for admission. All students from outside the United States should contact the Dean of Students in sufficient time to determine eligibility and to complete the application process.

Enrollment in the Divinity School is limited each year. The Committee on Admissions and Aid selects for admission only applicants who, in its judgment, appear both best qualified and most capable of using the resources that the Divinity School provides.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

In keeping with its long-standing traditions and policies, in matters of admissions, employment, and access to programs, the University of Chicago considers students on the basis of individual merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or other factors irrelevant to participation in the programs of the University. The Affirmative Action Officer is the University official responsible for coordinating its adherence to this policy and with the related federal and state laws and regulations (including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended).

Deadlines

Applications for admission to the A.M., A.M.R.S., and Ph.D. programs and for financial aid should be submitted by December 15 for the following autumn quarter.

Applications for admission to the M.Div. program and for financial aid should be submitted by January 15 for the following autumn quarter. (Exceptions to this policy are rare, but may be granted by the Dean of Students.)

All inquiries concerning admissions should be addressed to the Dean of Students' Office in the Divinity School. Online applications are required. Please note that paper applications are no longer accepted.

General Procedures for Application

To be considered for admission, each applicant must submit to the Dean of Students the following documentation:

1. A completed online Divinity School Application for Graduate Admission, including the required application fee. Applicants to the A.M., A.M.R.S., and M.Div. programs must submit an essay reflecting intellectual influences and professional goals. Applicants to the Ph.D. program must submit an essay outlining their proposed course of study and a writing sample not to exceed twenty-five (25) pages, typed and double-spaced.

2. Official transcripts of academic record from every institution of higher learning that the applicant has attended.

3. Four letters of recommendation. A minimum of two recommendations must be academic in nature. In some cases, the other two recommendations may be of broader scope and may concern the applicant's interests and motivation, character, and general intellectual abilities. Electronic recommendation forms, part of the online application, are preferred, but paper forms are accepted. Forms may be downloaded here in pdf and mailed to the Dean of Students' Office.

4. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Scores more than five years old are unacceptable. Applicants should take the October GRE examinations when possible, although December scores usually arrive in time for admissions and aid decisions. Information regarding the GRE may be obtained from:

Graduate Record Examination
P.O. Box 6000
Princeton, New Jersey 08541-6000
The school code for the GRE is 1832; the department code is 4901.

Credentials of non-matriculants and applicants not admitted are retained by the Divinity School for two years; if the application has not been reactivated by the end of that period, all materials are destroyed. Applicants are not encouraged to submit written materials in addition to those requested in support of their application. All questions regarding applications should be directed to the Dean of Students' Office.



#