Doctor of Philosophy - Procedures
Admission Procedures: Doctor of Philosophty
Admission Application l Admission Requirements
When to Apply
The deadline for all Ph.D. applications is January 20 of each year. All materials must be submitted by that date to be considered for admission in the following fall class.
Visiting Campus
A visit to the seminary before or during the application process is strongly encouraged. Contact the Office of Admissions at 800-SEMINARY or 847-866-3945 or by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to arrange a personal or group visit. For more information click here.
Application
Application forms are available in the admission packet.
Transcripts
Request that official transcripts of credit be sent directly to the Office of Admissions at Garrett-Evangelical from each college, university, seminary, and/or graduate school you have attended. If you are currently enrolled in the final year of a master's degree program, please have a transcript sent which lists the courses you have completed to date. The record of the final months of the last year must be sent promptly upon conferral of your degree.
Graduate Record Exam
Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are required of all applicants. The institutional code for reporting your scores to Garrett-Evangelical is 1245. For more information, contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS), Graduate Record Examination, at 609-771-7670 or visit their website. Only scores submitted directly to the seminary by ETS are official.
Research Statement
Please submit a 1-page statement of the research project you plan to do during your program. Give careful thought to this part of the application. The faculty will read this carefully to see whether you have the analytical skills to do doctoral work, and whether Garrett-Evangelical has the resources to support your research interests.
Academic Paper
Please submit an academic paper you have completed during the last five years which shows your potential to do doctoral level research.
Statement of Professional Experience
Send a resume or listing of all professional experiences that would help evaluate your potential for leadership in church and society. Applicants to the Congregational Studies concentration, please enclose a description of a project in ministry in which you have been involved.
Clinical Training
For applicants to the Pastoral Theology, Personality, and Culture concentration, one year of part-time clinical training in CPE or pastoral counseling is required. Please describe the type of training you have had, the institution, and your dates of participation.
References
Locate three persons who can serve as academic references for you. Provide them with the letter of recommendation coversheets and ask them to comment on your intellectual and other abilities that would prepare you for doctoral work. The references can be mailed directly to Garrett-Evangelical or sent with the application.
Additional Reference for Ministry and Clinical Experience
Applicants to the Congregational Studies, and the Pastoral Theology, Personality, and Culture concentrations are required to submit additional references from ministry experience and clinical training experiences, respectively. See program description and application for more details.
International Applicants
Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required of all applicants who have not completed a degree in the United States. The institutional code for reporting your scores to Garrett-Evangelical is 1245. For more information, contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS), TOEFL, Box 6155, Princeton, New Jersey, 08541-6155; or call 609-771-7100. Only scores submitted directly to the seminary by ETS are official. The minimum TOEFL CBT score is 250 and iBT score is 100.
For more information please read the Information Packet for International Student Ph.D. Applicants.
Application Fee
A $65 non-refundable application fee is required for all applications.
Financial Aid and Housing Information
After your admission to the program, the office of admissions will send you information about financial aid and housing. General information is in the Garrett-Evangelical catalog
Admission Decision
Your completed application will be reviewed by the faculty in your concentration and decisions are made by the PhD committee. Generally, admission decisions are made by March 1. You will be contacted initially by phone or email and an official letter of admission will follow. You will also be notified of your scholarship aid from the seminary at the time of admission.
Confirmation
After you have been admitted, you will be asked to send a confirmation letter and a $200 tuition deposit by April 15. This confirmation will hold your place in the class for the following fall. International admissions must follow USCIS and seminary guidelines regarding tuition deposit, which is roughly equal to one-half of one year's expenses, minus scholarship (see additional documentation).
Housing Assignments
The seminary provides on-campus dormitory housing with double and single accommodations, and maintains furnished and unfurnished apartments within walking distance of the school. A limited number of parking spaces and garages are available for a monthly fee. Purchase of a meal plan is required of dormitory residents. The seminary cafeteria is open Mondays through Fridays for breakfast and lunch when school is in session. Dinner is available at several dining halls at Northwestern University. Housing applications are mailed after admission. For further information, contact the office of Housing and Hospitality at 847.866.3939 or 847.866.3950.
Health Service
Students registered half-time or more must submit evidence of hospitalization insurance, either their own or the Northwestern University plan. Students who elect to use the Northwestern plan must also pay to use the health clinic. Those with their own hospitalization insurance may elect to use the health clinic for an additional fee.
In addition, it is a requirement of the Illinois Department of Public Health that seminary students taking 1½ units or more submit a comprehensive immunization record to the seminary dean of students prior to registration, if they were born after January 1, 1957. This record must include proof of immunity to measles (live virus vaccination), mumps, and rubella; a primary series of diphtheria-tetanus; and a diphtheria-tetanus booster within the last ten years. Students born prior to 1957 must sign a form verifying exemption. For further information, call 847.866.3927.
Federal Financial Aid
The seminary participates in the Federal Stafford Loan program for US citizens, both subsidized and unsubsidized. Students are sent financial aid materials shortly after admission to the PhD program. The FAFSA can be completed online. In addition, the financial aid office requires a copy of your most recent federal income tax return. For further information, contact the director of financial aid at 847.866.3987.
For further information, write to PhD Program, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60201; Phone: 847-866-3900; Email.
Who to contact
The following persons can help you in the admissions process:
- Elaine Amerson, Asst. VP for Enrollment Management
800-SEMINARY or 847-866-3880; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Jack Seymour, Director of PhD Program
800-SEMINARY or 847-866-3977; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Vince McGlothin-Eller, Assistant Registrar and Coordinator of the Ph.D program
800-SEMINARY or 847-866-3905; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Margaret Hallen, Director of Financial Aid
800-SEMINARY or 847-866-3987; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Barbara Adams, Director of Hospitality and Housing
800-SEMINARY or 847-866-3939; This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
