Starr King School for the Ministry

What is the accreditation of Starr King School for the Ministry?

Starr King School for the Ministry is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools, the accreditor for participating graduate theological schools. This is accreditation of the theological institution and its approved graduate degree offerings, rather than a separate professional license for graduates.

Accreditation provides external review of matters such as educational quality, governance, and financial resources. It does not guarantee that another school will accept a course in transfer or that a graduate will meet a religious body's ordination rules. Applicants should check the accreditor's current directory for the school's status and approved degrees, and check with the relevant religious or professional body about credential requirements.

What are the admission requirements at Starr King School for the Ministry?

Starr King admits applicants to graduate theological study rather than to a first-year undergraduate program. Prospective degree students should expect an application centered on prior college education, academic records, their reasons for pursuing the program, and their readiness for graduate work.

The Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Social Change serve different goals, so applicants should read the current requirements for their chosen degree before preparing materials. In particular, confirm which transcripts, written statements, references, or interviews the school requests, and whether an international credential or English-language assessment is needed in an individual case. Undergraduate SAT and ACT scores are not useful substitutes for graduate-program requirements. Published admission procedures and deadlines, rather than assumptions about undergraduate admissions, should guide an application.

What are the application fees and waivers at Starr King School for the Ministry?

Applicants should check Starr King's current application instructions for the fee attached to their specific program and application route. An application charge is distinct from tuition, an enrollment deposit, or any fee assessed after admission.

Anyone for whom a fee would be a barrier should ask the admissions office about waiver eligibility before submitting an application. The amount due and any waiver procedure should be confirmed in the application portal rather than inferred from older tuition schedules.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Starr King School for the Ministry?

Starr King is a graduate theological school and does not identify an on-campus Army, Navy, or Air Force ROTC unit as part of its academic offerings. Applicants should not assume that attending a Bay Area institution creates a cross-enrollment option with another college's ROTC program.

ROTC participation is governed by the host unit's eligibility rules, enrollment arrangements, and military obligations. A prospective student interested in both graduate theological study and military service should establish eligibility directly with a host unit before relying on ROTC for funding or a commissioning pathway.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Starr King School for the Ministry?

For Starr King applicants, "transfer" generally means asking whether previous graduate coursework can count toward a theological degree. It should not be confused with transfer admission to a bachelor's program: the school reported no incoming undergraduate transfer students in the 2024-25 IPEDS figures.

A useful first step is to send the admissions or academic office transcripts and course descriptions from the prior institution and request a written evaluation. Admission to Starr King does not automatically make every earlier course applicable to a degree. Applicants should confirm any limits on transferable credits, required Starr King coursework, and whether the earlier course satisfies a specific program requirement before deciding how long the degree may take.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Starr King School for the Ministry?

Applicants should evaluate international study at Starr King against the requirements of their particular graduate program, rather than assume a conventional undergraduate semester-abroad model. Theological study may involve community-based or cross-cultural learning without requiring international travel.

Before committing to an overseas course, placement, or independently arranged experience, a student needs approval for how it would count toward the degree. They should also establish the costs, supervision arrangements, travel requirements, and treatment of financial aid in writing. Participation in a third-party program is not the same as enrollment in a Starr King-operated study-abroad program.