International Applicants

In addition to the preceding admissions requirements, all international applicants who wish to study at Golden Gate Seminary on an F-1 visa must complete a pre-application prior to submitting a degree application.

One important part of the pre-application is financial support verification.  United States Immigration requires all international students who plan to study in the U.S. on an F-1 visa to provide evidence that adequate financial resources are available for their education and living expenses while in the U.S. Financial amounts must be converted to U.S. dollars and all supporting documents must be translated into English.

F-1 international applicants must also demonstrate proficiency in English. An official copy of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score should be submitted as part of the applicant's pre- application. The TOEFL score is required, regardless of the medium or amount of previous instruction in English. An exemption may be granted if the applicant has completed an acceptable degree from an accredited institution in the United States or an institution where the instruction was in English.  A minimum TOEFL score of 80 (iBT) or 550 (paper based) is required for full admission to the seminary at the master's level. For Korean English Bilingual program applicants, evidence of successful completion of an in-house English proficiency test or a minimum TOEFL score of 500 (paper based) or 61 (iBT) is required for full admission to the seminary.

F-1 international applicants to the Doctor of Ministry program who do not have English as their native language and who do not take the MAT will be required to take the TOEFL exam. A minimum TOEFL score of 90 (iBT) or 575 (paper based) and 50 on the Test Of Spoken English portion is required for full admission to the seminary. For Korean Bilingual and Spanish Bilingual Cohort applicants only: a minimum TOEFL score of 79-80 (iBT) or evidence of successful completion of an in-house English proficiency test is required for full admission to the Seminary. For persons who have graduated with an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited English-language-based institution, the TOEFL requirement is waived. 

For F-1 international applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy program, a minimum TOEFL score of 100 (iBT) or 600 (paper based) is required for full admission to the seminary.

Official transcripts for the qualifying degree (bachelor's or MDiv) from a regionally accredited school or its equivalent is required. Official transcripts from additional colleges, graduate schools, and seminaries attended are required as well. These transcripts must be translated into English and sent in a sealed envelope directly from the educational institution to the Enrollment Services Office at Golden Gate Seminary. A transcript of a bachelor's degree or MDiv degree from a school outside the United States will need to be evaluated by a professional evaluation agency such as the International Education Research Foundation, Inc. An official copy of the evaluation results should be sent directly to the Enrollment Services Office.

Once all the above requirements of the pre-application have been approved, the degree application can be reviewed. In order to ensure enrollment for the desired semester, international applicants must submit the pre-application and degree application materials according to the deadlines specified on the calendar in the catalog.  F-1 applicants may apply to enter Golden Gate Seminary in the fall and spring semesters only.

Upon approval to attend Golden Gate Seminary, the F-1 student will be issued an I-20. With the I-20 and other supporting documentation, the F-1 student can apply to the U.S. Embassy in his/her home country for an F-1 visa. Depending upon the country, a U.S. Embassy may take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to issue an F-1 visa. The Seminary sets its deadlines for submitting the pre-application to allow for possible delays. To be considered as a Southern Baptist-student, F-1 students must be or have been a member of a Baptist church in their home country or a member of a Southern Baptist church in the United States prior to admission. Students must maintain their affiliation and active membership in a local Southern Baptist church upon arrival at Golden Gate Seminary.

No international student should make plans to come to Golden Gate Seminary until his/her immigration papers are in proper order. Further information about any of the above is available from the International Student Advisor's Office at 888-442-8701, admissions@ggbts.edu or online.