“I will be receiving the Jubilee Scholarship [starting Fall 2022], and I probably would’ve never taken that first step had I not known about the Jubilee Scholarship. I think there is so much stress that comes with [student] debt that it puts up a roadblock. Donors make ministry happen by your generosity, your gifts, and coming along for the mission for the larger church. To know that I have been called and there are people who believe in my call, who trusted in the fact that when someone goes and spends time in seminary, they are going to make an impact on the church and the world from this point on, it is very affirming to know that there are people who trust in that and have hope for the future of the church.”

-Mara Stillson, future Master of Arts student (Fall 2022)

Students answer a call to ministry at great cost to themselves. The cost of a seminary education is rising, and with it, the level of student debt.

The Jubilee Scholarship program, which provides 100 percent tuition scholarships for all incoming Master of Arts and Master of Divinity students, makes a significant impact on our graduates’ indebtedness. The number of loans taken by all students continues to decline each year since the introduction of the Jubilee Scholarship, with 84% of our students not applying for student loans in 2021. Average loan amounts for all students hit a record low for the first time since 1998.

Thanks to generous Jubilee Scholarship donors, 57 percent of seminary graduates leave without educational debt – up from 30 percent in previous years. For the remaining 43 percent, the median indebtedness they leave seminary with is $33,233. High debt levels limit the types of calls students can accept, especially to rural or inner-city congregations that cannot pay high enough salaries to allow students to cover their debt payments.

Your support of scholarships allows students to freely follow their call to ministry, and minimize their debt so they can serve God’s world where they are most needed.

Scholarship facts

Luther Seminary budgeted $8 million in scholarships and financial aid for the 2021-2022 academic year. In addition, local congregations provide assistance to individual students. On average, this covers approximately half of the cost of tuition, but students still incur significant living expenses that must be covered through employment, loans or other sources of income.

57% of Luther Seminary graduates graduated with seminary debt in 2021.

Make a Scholarship Gift Today

The figures are for full-time M. Div. study for the 2021-22 school year.

Tuition	$19,000
Living expenses and books	$24,830
Total	$43,830