General Scholarship/Aid Sources


Golden Gate Seminary continuously seeks information on creative graduate financial aid resources for students such as those offered through foundations, educational commissions, private trusts, community organizations and more. These sources are often highly beneficial to non-Southern Baptist students who are not able to take advantage of SBC-specific scholarships. Hundreds of scholarship resources exist out there but students must commit to the hard work of research, calling/writing and application processes. Hopefully, some of the resources listed here will offer a head start your search for tuition dollars. Many professional or corporate organizations specialize in scholarship searches. These organizations also offer great tips and services to the average student seeking financial help. You may also want to begin by checking out commercial sources at sites such as FindTuition.com.

Another excellent resource that more distinctly addresses seminary education is The Fund for Theological Education. This organization sponsors a specific financial aid research tool called FundFinder. FundFinder can act as an additional search engine for both private and public theological education scholarships. Many of the scholarship sources listed below can also be found on FundFinder.

Over the past several years, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary has come in contact with many such private and public organizations offering scholarships or low-interest student loans/grants. These are organized below into broad categories (State, Military, Denominational, Social/Fraternal, Ethnic/Nation and Miscellaneous). Blessings on your search!

State-Specific Scholarship Sources

GEORGIA
Student Aid Foundation Loan - Low cost loan for women from Georgia. Go HERE for more information.

HAWAII

Juliette M. Atherton Scholarship - Hawaii Community Foundation. For students from Hawaii. Deadline is March 1st. Go HERE for more information. 

ILLINOIS/IOWA
Edward Arthur Mellinger Educational Foundation - Application period is February 1st to May 1st. Go HERE for more information. 

MICHIGAN

Merel F. Keck and Maggie M. Keck Scholarship Fund (Community Foundation of Monroe County) - Go HERE for more information. 

NEBRASKA
Hamilton Community Foundation - Scholarships for residents of Hamilton County, Nebraska. Go HERE for more information. 

OHIO
Ohio Baptist Education Society Scholarship - American Baptist. Deadline April 1st. Write to Ohio Baptist Education Society, 647 South Diamond St., Mansfield, OH 44907. 

OREGON
Oregon Student Assistance Commission - Variety of scholarship programs and resources. Call 800-452-8807 or go HERE for more information. 

TENNESSEE
B. J. Dean Scholarship - For Women in ministry. Go HERE for information. 

Dora Maclellan Brown Ministry Scholarship Program - Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation. Scholarships for Masters degree for students from the Greater Chattanooga area or related to the area. Go HERE for more information. 

TEXAS
Julie O. Montgomery Memorial Scholarship Fund - Preference given to Texas residents. Write to Jerry Barger, Box 15025, San Antonio, TX 79105.

Julie Ann Jones Memorial Trust Scholarship - Washington County, Texas and surrounding counties. Deadline January 31st. Write to Julie Ann Jones Memorial Scholarship Trust, c/o Sally M. Jones, PO Box 382, Brenham, TX 77833. 

The Mary E. Bivens Foundation: Ministry Scholarship Program -
For qualified residents of the Texas panhandle counties who are seeking graduate education for Christian ministry (preaching/pastoral). Go HERE for more information. 

WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia Education Society -  Go HERE for more information or contact 304-760-8379. 

Military-Specific Scholarship Sources

U.S. Air Force Reserve Chaplain Candidate Program - Scholarship resources for Chaplain Candidates. Contact Air Force Reserve at 800-525-0102.

U.S. Army Reserve Tuition Assistance - Scholarship resources for Chaplains and Chaplain Training Program. Contact the Senior Army Chaplain Recruiter at 800-223-3735.

Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation - For sons/daughters of current or former Marine or Marine Reservists. Deadline is March 1st. Contact 866-496-5462 or go HERE for more information.

Denomination-Specific Scholarship Sources

AMERICAN BAPTIST USA 
American Baptist Churches Financial Aid Program - Scholarship/grants for students who are members of American Baptist Churches. Contact 800-ABC-3USA x2067or write to Financial Aid Office, National Ministries, American Baptist Churches USA, PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851. Go HERE for more information.

Northern Baptist Education Society - American Baptist USA. Scholarship source for ABC students from Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont. Contact 508-693-1539 or write to Northern Baptist Education Society, PO Box 395, East Falmouth, MA 02536-0395. 

CHRISTIAN CHURCH (Disciples of Christ)
Disciples Home Mission - For members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Several scholarship sources. Deadline is March 15th. Contact 317-713-2652 or go HERE for more information. 

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
UCC Scholarship for Seminarians and other financial aid resources for members of United Church of Christ congregations. Go HERE for more information. 

UNITED METHODIST
The Calvary Foundation - Scholarships for students who show good moral character, academic promise, and financial need. Write to the Calvary Foundation, Calvary United Methodist Church, 2315 South Grant Street, Arlington, VA 22202. Go HERE for more information. 

Harding Foundation - Preference to United Methodist Church members. Write to Harding Foundation, PO Box 130, Raymondville, TX 78580.

Laura Hofford Trust - Must be a male member of the United Methodist Church. Deadline is January 30th.  Contact 212-870-3662 or write to Associate General Secretary, Mission Personnel Resources Program Department, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1470, New York NY 100115.

Mount Olivet Foundation - Preference is given to individuals connected to Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, to the United Methodist Church, to individuals from Arlington, Northern Virginia, or the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Deadlines are the 15th of January, April, July, and October. Contact 703-534-7359 or write to the Mount Olivet Foundation, 1500 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22207. Go HERE for more information.

The United Methodist Loans and Scholarship Program - Ministry Office of Loans and Scholarship. Contact the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry at 615-340-7344 or write to GBHEM Office of Loans and Scholarships, PO Box 340007, Nashville, TN 37203-0007. Deadline is March 5th. Go HERE for more information. 

Social/Fraternal-Specific Scholarship Sources

Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation - Provides merit and financial need based scholarships. Deadline is August 15th. Write to AKA-EAF, Attn: Application Materials Enclosed, 5656 S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago, Il 60637. Go HERE for more information.

Alpha Tau Omega Foundation: J. Milton Richardson Theological Fellowship - Fraternity alumni of ATO in graduate study or seminary for theology and who are planning on ministry careers. Go HERE for more information.

California Eastern Star Foundation - Applicant must be a US citizen and California resident. Deadline is March 1st. Write to the California Eastern Star Foundation, c/o Grand Chapter of California OES, Attn: Scholarship Committee, 16960 Bastanchury Road, Suite E, Yorba Linda CA 92886-1711. Go HERE for more information.

International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons-Student Ministry Scholarship - Deadline is March 31st. Write to Director, Student Ministry Department, PO Box 1017, Chautauqua, NY, 14722-1017. Go HERE for more information.

Shepherd Scholarship, Scottish Rite of Freemasonry - The objective of this scholarship is to aid worthy candidates in obtaining baccalaureate or graduate degrees in fields associated with service to country and generally perceived as benefiting the human race. Deadline is April 1st. Write to Director of Education, The Supreme Council, 33°, 1733 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 0009-3103. Go HERE for more information. 

Ethnic/Nation-Specific Scholarship Sources

American Indian Graduate Center - Must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native group, or provide documentation of heritage, with demonstrated financial need. Contact 800-628-1920 or write to the American Indian Graduate Center, 3701 San Mateo, NE #200, Albuquerque, NM 87110. Go HERE for more information.

Association of American Indian Affairs, Inc - Deadline is July 1st. Contact Liza Wyzlic, Director of Scholarhip Programs at 240-314-7155 or lw.aaia@verizon.net. Go HERE for more information.

Global Mission Church Korean-American Scholarship - Deadline is June 30th. Contact gmcschship@gmcusa.org or write to Global Mission Church, Scholarship Committee, 13421 Georgia Avenue, Silver Springs, MD 20906. Go HERE for more information.

Grace Foundation - Scholarships for students from Southeast Asia. Applications sent between September 1st and October 31st. Deadline January 31st. Write to the Grace Foundation, PO Box 924, Menlo Park CA 94025. 

Korean American Scholarship Foundation - Western Region.  Up to $2000 in available aid for qualifying graduate students.  Contact 213-380-5273.  Go HERE for more information

Justin Haruyana Ministerial Scholarship - Japanese American United Church. The scholarship is offered to persons of Japanese ancestry, accepted or enrolled full time in an accredited Protestant seminary in the United States, preparing for ministerial degrees who intend to serve Japanese American congregations or other church related ministries. Deadline is May 15th. Write to the Haruyama Scholarship Committee, Japanese American United Church, 255 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY10001. Go HERE for more information.

Swiss Benevolent Society of San Francisco - Scholarship assistance for those of Swiss descent. Deadline April 30th. Go HERE for more information. 

Miscellaneous Scholarship Sources

AAUW Educational Foundation International Fellowships - Established for female students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Deadline is December 1st. Contact 319-337-1716 or email to aauw@act.org. Go HERE for more information. 

Champions for Christ - Scholarships for students. Deadlines are due April 1, July 1 and November 1. Call 864-294-0800. Write to Champions for Christ, PO Box 786, Greenville, SC 29602-0786. Go HERE for more information.

David H. C. Read Preacher/Scholar Award - Deadline February 1st. Write to Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, 921 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10021. Go HERE for more information. 

The Fund for Theological Education: Congregational and Ministry Fellowships - This organization sponsors specific financial fellowships for qualified first and second-year seminary students. Go HERE for more information.

Harvesters Scholarship Foundation - Missionary/missions support. Deadline May 31st. Contact HarvestersScholarship@hotmail.com or write to Harvesters Scholarship Foundation, 17836 E. Benbow St., Covina, CA 91722. Go HERE for more information.

Hazel Stone Memorial Scholarship - For Jewish/Messianic female students in bible college or seminary. Write to Hazel Stone Memorial Scholarship, c/o Jews for Jesus, 60 Haight St., San Francisco, CA 94102. 

HomeInsurance.com Scholarship - $1,000 scholarship, open to current students, to help offset tuition costs. Students are asked to create an original article on one of the two topics provided. Go HERE for more information.

Keefer Foundation - For students in preparation as religious teachers. Write to Keefer Foundation, 127 Keefer, Tomball, TX 77375. 

LOGOS Bible Software Seminary Scholarship - This scholarship is open to all students currently enrolled in an accredited theological seminary located in North America, or those who plan on enrolling within the next 8 months. The scholarship is a one-time scholarship and is awarded to a different student every quarter. Go HERE for more information.

MENSA Educational and Research Foundation - Applicant must currently be a resident of a participating American Mensa Local Group's area. Application process begins the first week of September and the deadline is January 15th. Write to the Mensa Education & Research Foundation, 1229 Corporate Drive West, Arlington, TX 76006-6103. Go HERE for more information. 

National Federation of the Blind - Graduate students who are legally blind. Deadline in March 31st. Go HERE for more information.

Vance H. Havner Scholarship Fund - Deadline June 1st. Write to The Vance H. Havner Scholarship Fund, Inc., PO Box 9946, Greensboro, NC 27429.

Software Providers Scholarship -  Deadline September 30th. To enter, write a 600-800 word essay on a topic related to the impact of software and technology. This is a quarterly scholarship. Go HERE for more information.