ELCA Fund for Leaders

• Luther Seminary Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
• ELCA Fund for Leaders Deadline: February 21, 2025

Fund for Leaders is a mission of the ELCA to raise up rostered leaders for the church by providing four types of scholarships, including full-tuition scholarships to the recipient’s choice of an ELCA seminary to which they have been admitted. Full-tuition scholarships are awarded to students for the duration of their required seminary coursework, provided they remain in good standing with their seminary and in their candidacy process. Luther Seminary awards an additional $750 stipend for every course covered by the Fund for Leaders scholarship. 

Eligible applicants will be rostered-bound candidates (Word and Sacrament or Word and Service) who have been admitted to one or more ELCA seminaries, will be enrolled full-time or part-time starting Fall 2025, and have received a positive entrance decision or have at least begun the process of seeking candidacy for rostered ministry in the ELCA. Recipients of Fund for Leaders scholarships may apply their full-tuition scholarship to any ELCA seminary that has offered them admission.

How to apply:

• Apply to Luther Seminary by January 31, 2025
• Apply to Fund for Leaders by February 21, 2025
• Both application to Luther and Fund for Leaders requires you to have begun the candidacy process

Have any questions? See the Fund for Leaders FAQ and please don’t hesitate to reach out directly to Fund for Leaders at FundforLeaders@elca.org or the Luther Seminary Admissions office at admissions@luthersem.edu.

Luther Seminary Service Scholarship

Incoming students with a completed year of service in the following organizations will be recognized for their exceptional contributions to the church and God’s world: Young Adults Global Mission (YAGM), Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC), ELCA Global Teach Program (J-3), or Urban Servant Corps.  The scholarship will be awarded in addition to other Luther Seminary awarded aid.

• Must have completed their service within five (5) years of entry date to Luther Seminary.
• Award is $1,000 per year for two years. $500 in fall term and $500 in spring term.
• Will be awarded to Graduate Certificate, Master of Arts and master of Divinity students
• Can only be awarded once over a lifetime.

To apply for the Service Scholarship, please request that your supervising volunteer/program coordinator email admissions@luthersem.edu with a confirmation of your dates of service.

Musician in Residence

Luther Seminary seeks to find one or two musicians to serve as the Musician(s) in Residence.  Priority will be given to candidates with strong instrumental abilities (guitar, keyboard, organ, drum, other) and worship leadership experience.  All musicians seeking to further their worship and music skills while gaining a theological education are encouraged to apply.

The recipient will play a role in worship planning and provide music for Luther Seminary worship on a regular basis (i.e. two times per month).  Applicants will be required to audition.

• Must be a resident, full time student
• Scholarship will be granted for a maximum of 16 courses (M.A.) or 25 courses (M.Div.), not including internship year.
• Along with tuition, Musicians in Residence will also receive a $500 per course living stipend.
• Scholarship amount will increase in size accordingly with any tuition increases as student progresses in years.  The stipend will remain at $500 per course for the duration of your degree.

To apply to the  Musician in Residence Scholarship, please contact the Seminary Pastor’s Office at sempastor@luthersem.edu to express your interest.

Graduate Fellowships

Fellowships are co-curricular leadership development opportunities for small groups of students to explore in-depth particular topics or areas of ministry. Led by key staff and/or faculty, Graduate Fellowships include learning from ministry practitioners, in-person retreats with fellowship participants, monthly gatherings, and experiential learning. Luther Seminary piloted two Graduate Fellowships in 2024 including Cultivating New Christian Communities Fellowship (contact Jody Nyenhuis at jnyenhuis001@luthersem.edu) and Beloved Community Fellowship (contact Samuel Zalanga at abide@luthersem.edu). 

2025-2026 Graduate Fellowship cohorts and application details will be announced in 2025. 

Scholarships for Advanced Theological Education

Th.M. Scholarship – All new Th.M. students are eligible to receive a full tuition scholarship.  This scholarship will cover the tuition cost of the six required courses for the Th.M. degree. These courses must be completed in the first three years of study. The Th.M. scholarship does not include a living stipend.

Ph.D. Students – All new incoming Ph.D. students will be eligible for full tuition scholarships.  The scholarship will also include a living stipend.  Please contact the Graduate Studies Office for more information by emailing ate@luthersem.edu.