Applicants to the GTU Common M.A. program must have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution by the time they intend to enroll in the program.

Application Deadlines
Applications must be received or postmarked by February 15 for the following fall semester
Applications must be received or postmarked by September 30 for the following spring semester

Request Application and Catalog

• Online information request form
• Apply Online
• Download an Application (26KB PDF)
• Instructions for completing the application forms

Before You Complete the Application
Choose a School of Affiliation for your M.A. Program.
Determine which schools offer an M.A. in your field of interest. Don’t overlook the options of the specialized M.A. concentrations in Buddhist Studies, Jewish Studies, Orthodox Christian Studies, and Biblical Languages. Contact the school(s) with which you are considering affiliation and have a discussion with the Admissions Director to determine whether your sense of “fit” with the program is well founded. Explore with him or her whether your background and interests are suitable for their program.

The GTU Admissions Office can also help direct you to an appropriate school, but a conversation with admissions staff at the school, center or institute is strongly recommended. Here is a list of admissions staff at the schools of affiliation to contact to find out more about a particular school.

• American Baptist Seminary of the West
  Ray Montgomery
  Director of Recruitment
  2606 Dwight Way
  Berkeley, CA 94704
  510/841-1905
  admissions@absw.edu
  
  
• Church Divinity School of the Pacific
  Kathleen Crisp
  Director of Admissions
  2451 Ridge Road
  Berkeley, CA 94709
  510/204-0715
  admissions@cdsp.edu
  
  
• Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology
  John Knutsen
  Director of Admissions
  2301 Vine Street
  Berkeley, CA 94709
  888/450-3778
  admissions@dspt.edu
  
  
• Franciscan School of Theology
  Pat Morgan
  Admissions Coordinator
  1712 Euclid Avenue
  Berkeley, CA 94709
  510/848-5232
  800/793-1378
  info@fst.edu
  
  
• Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley
  Patricia Abracia
  Director of Admissions
  1735 LeRoy Avenue
  Berkeley, CA 94709
  510/549-5016
  800/824-0122
  admissions@jstb.edu
  
  
• Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary
  Rev. Greg Schaefer
  Director of Admissions
  2770 Marin Avenue
  Berkeley, CA 94708
  510/524-5264
  800/235-7587
  admissions@plts.edu
  
  
• Pacific School of Religion
  Nicole Naffaa
  Director of Admissions
  1798 Scenic Avenue
  Berkeley, CA 94709
  510/848-0528
  800/999-0528
  admissions@psr.edu
  
  
• San Francisco Theological Seminary
  Rev. Kyle Matsumoto Burch
  Associate Dean of Enrollment
  105 Seminary Road
  San Anselmo, CA 94960
  415/451-2832
  800/447-8820
  admissions@sfts.edu
  
  
• Starr King School for the Ministry
  Becky Leyser
  Dean of Students
  2441 LeConte Avenue
  Berkeley, CA 94709
  510/845-6232
  admissions@sksm.com

Students interested in the M.A. in Buddhist Studies should contact:

Richard Payne, Dean
Institute of Buddhist Studies
2410 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA  94707
Telephone: 510/649-2482
admin@shin-ibs.edu

Students interested in the M.A. in Jewish Studies should contact:

Naomi Seidman, Director
Richard S. Dinner Center for Jewish Studies
Graduate Theological Union
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, CA 94709
Telephone: 510/649-2482
cjs@gtu.edu

Students interested in the M.A. in Orthodox Christian Studies should contact:

Metropolitan Nikitas Lulias, Director
Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute
2311 Hearst Avenue
Berkley, California 94709 USA
Tel. 510/649-3450
paoi@gtu.edu

Components of the GTU Common M.A. Application

The Application form
You can apply online or with a paper form. Make sure to indicate your proposed area of study and choice of school of affiliation. Provide accurate contact information and include details on any prior language study and research and writing experience. You may attach a resume on a separate page if you like.

An Academic Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose is not a personal biography, but a statement of goals that explains your study interests, and outlines the reasons the GTU and the school of affiliation are an appropriate place for the proposed program of study. This statement should be approximately one page in length.

Three academic letters of recommendation
Choose people who can speak knowledgeably and articulately about your academic and intellectual potential and will write specific letters. Academic references are different from general character references. Provide your recommender with a GTU letter of recommendation form and a stamped envelope. If you are submitting a paper application, we suggest that after your recommenders seal the letter in the envelope and sign across the seal, they return it to you to send with your application. If recommenders prefer to send the letter directly to the GTU, or if you are applying online, inform them of the application deadline and provide them with a stamped envelope addressed to: Admissions Office, Graduate Theological Union, 2400 Ridge Road, Berkeley, CA 94709.

Two official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate school
Applicants are expected to have a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) for the bachelor’s degree. Transcripts should show a range of undergraduate courses which demonstrate solid preparation in the humanities and some knowledge of religion.

Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
GRE scores are required of all applicants whose native language is English or who have completed a degree at an institution where English is the primary language. Students are strongly advised to sign up early for the examinations so that scores will be available to the Admissions Committee. Applicants are generally expected to have a GRE verbal score of at least 550 unless there are extenuating circumstances. For further information about how to register for these examinations visit www.gre.org. Scores must be from tests taken within the last five years.

The GTU’s institution code is 4336.

International applicants from a country where English is not the official language must submit scores from the TOEFL examination rather than the GRE. Applicants to the M.A. program are expected to have a TOEFL score of at least 550 (written) or 213 (computer) or 80 (internet based) from an exam taken within the last two years. For registration information visit www.toefl.org.

Application fee of $40
The fee should be sent in a check payable on a U.S. bank or by means of an international postal money order. Online applicants will pay the application fee when submitting the application via CollegeNet.

Send applications and all materials to:
Admissions Office
Graduate Theological Union
2400 Ridge Road
Berkeley, CA 94709

Telephone: 510/649-2460 or 800/826-4488