Scholarship Programme

For some years past the World Alliance of Reformed Churches has linked prospective post-graduate students with a number of Reformed seminaries throughout the world which generously offer places to candidates whose applications have been endorsed by an official of a member church of WARC. Many students, mainly from Africa, Asia and Latin America who would not have the opportunity to pursue further theological studies have benefited from the WARC scheme.

I. Nature and purpose of this programme

The purpose of the programme is to offer students, mainly from African, Asian and Latin American countries, an opportunity to follow theological studies to Master’s level. A few of the 23 participating seminaries/institutions from 11 countries also offer theological studies to PhD level. As little opportunity is available for these candidates to acquire theological education in their own countries WARC and its member churches feel it is vitally important for students to be given access to education abroad so they may return to their countries and provide the ministerial experience they have gained from the WARC scheme to their churches at home.

II. How the scheme works

The responsible officers of WARC member churches will receive every two years from the Theological Secretary a current list of the participating seminaries, together with full information. Candidates must be in, or training for, the ministry of member churches of the WARC.

The responsible officer of a WARC member church shall obtain from the Theological Secretary one application form for each named candidate whom the church is willing to nominate for a scholarship. The WARC scheme stipulates that each member church may sponsor one male and one female candidate per member church each year. The church furnishes WARC with the following information about the applicant: age, educational qualifications, ministerial experience, desired area of specialization for post-graduate studies and the name of the institution where the applicant would like to apply.

Preference will be given to candidates who are under 45 years of age and who have not benefited previously from a scholarship programme for theological studies overseas. A member church of WARC may request two application forms for named candidates each year, provided one of them is for a woman candidate.

Forms shall be requested between 1st June and 30th September each year. In order to ensure accurate record keeping this office will distribute application forms only for named individuals. Quantities of blank forms cannot be supplied, and the participating institutions will not act upon photocopied forms, or upon forms that have not been countersigned by this office. Completed application forms, together with specified supportive information shall be sent to the seminary of the church’s and candidate’s choice between 1st October and 31st December, with a view to possible commencement in the following academic year. This form is then completed by the candidate who subsequently returns this with his/her credentials to one of the seminaries participating in the WARC Scholarship Programme. The participating seminaries will conduct their selection procedures in their customary way and advise all candidates and the Theological Secretary of the outcome.

Since most scholarships are of one year’s duration and lead to a Master’s degree, applicants should normally be graduates or be on the point of graduating. Further, since most of the participating institutions teach through the medium of English a high degree of competence in that language is required. TOEFL evidence should be provided in the case of those whose mother tongue is not English.

A candidate’s home church is involved in this procedure: (a) so that the Alliance and the participating institutions are assured of the candidate’s backing of his/her church; (b) so that the choice of seminary may be discussed with the candidate locally; and (c) so that the candidate may be given his/her travel expenses and any other necessary assistance.

III. Seminaries participating

1. Aizawl Theological College, Post Box No. 167, Aizawl 796001, Mizoram, India
2. Asia Pacific Graduate School of Theological Studies (APGS), Hanil University & Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 69, Chonju, Korea
3. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 100 East 27th Street, Austin, Texas 78705-5797, USA,
   Email: admissions@mail.austinseminary.edu
4. Protestant Theological Faculty of Charles University, P.O. Box 529, Cerná 9, CZ - 115 55, Prague 1, Czech Republic
5. Faculté autonome de théologie protestante, Université de Genève, 3 place de l’Université, CH - 1211 Genève 4
6. Karnataka Theological College, Balmatta, Mangalore - 575 001, India
7. Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1044 Alta Vista Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40205, USA, admissions@lpts.edu
8. McCormick Theological Seminary, 5555 S. South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637-1692, USA, admit@mccormick.edu
9. Near East School of Theology, P.O. Box 13-5780, Chouran, Beirut, Lebanon, Email: nest.adm@inco.com.lb
10. New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh EH1 2LX, Scotland, U.K.
11. Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, 616 North Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206, USA,
    Email : admissions@pts.edu
12. Princeton Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 821, Princeton, New Jersey 08542-0803, USA,
    Email: admissions@ptsem.edu
13. Reformed Theological Academy, H-4044 Debrecen, Kálvin tér 16, Hungary
14. San Francisco Theological Seminary, 2 Kensington Road, San Anselmo, California 94960-2997, USA, admissions@sfts.edu
15. A Scottish Faculty of Divinity (to be selected by the Church of Scotland)
16. St Paul’s United Theological College, P.O. Private Bag, Limuru, Kenya
17. Taiwan Theological College and Seminary, 20 Lane 2, Section 2, Yang Teh Ta Road, Shihlin, Taipei 11106, Taiwan, ROC
18. Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, Virginia 23227, USA
19. United Theological College, 63 Miller’s Road, Bangalore - 560 046, India
20. United Theological College, The Theological College for the Uniting Church in Australia (NSW Synod), 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta, NSW 2151, Australia.
21. United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, 3000 Fifth Street, N.W., New Brighton, Minnesota 55112, USA,
    Email: admissions@unitedseminary-mn.org
22. University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, 2000 University Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001-5099, USA, admissions@dbq.edu
23. Western Theological Seminary, 101 East 13th Street, Holland, Michigan 49423-3622, USA,
    Email: admissions@westernsem.org

IV. Contact person

Applicants, fitting into the above category, who require additional information concerning the WARC Scholarship Programme, should contact Ms Margaret Owen, Administrative Assistant, Department of Theology, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, P.O. Box 2100, route de Ferney 150, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, Tel +4122 791 6242 , Email: mo@warc.ch