Admissions
YOUR PILGRIMAGE IN THEOLOGY, PEACE AND RECONCILIATION BEGINS HERE.
WELCOME TO SSU's ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT!
On this page, you will find all necessary instructions for applying to our programs, including the various steps involved in the application process, entrance requirements, and tuition and fees.
St. Stephen's University is graduate school of theology, peace and reconciliation. We offer a range of hybrid-distance master's degrees and graduate certificates to suit students from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who are interested or require training in theology & culture or peace & justice. The curriculum and delivery methods of our programs are flexible and offer a variety of disciplinary combinations.
We invite you to explore the admissions process and entrance requirements below. And if you would like more information about our programs, our fantastic Admissions staff listed below are ready to answer your questions. We hope you will join our enriching learning community and embrace the meaningful experience that awaits you.
ADMISSIONS STAFF
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OUR ADMISSIONS STAFF BELOW WOULD BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH YOU!
Kathy Hull
Jessica Williams
ADMISSIONS PROCESS
DON'T WORRY — IT'S EASY AND IS ENTIRELY FREE UP UNTIL THE TIME A STUDENT DECIDES DEFINITIVELY TO ENROL WITH US
1. APPLY ONLINE
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​The first step in our admissions process is submitting an online application. This process is entirely free and gives the SSU Admissions Committee all of the relevant info for us to determineyour eligibility and if we are a good fit for each other.
2. SEND TRANSCRIPTS
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​After submitting your application to us, you will receive an email requesting that your transcripts be sent to us. This allows us to determine if you are adequately academically prepared for our courses and programs and if our programs fit your vocational needs.
3. GET ACCEPTED
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​If the SSU Admissions Committee determines that you qualify for the program to which you applied, you will receive an email with an acceptance letter and further instructions related to course registration. You're ready to begin your new pilgrimage with us!
4. CONFIRM YOUR SPOT
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​After you've received your acceptance letter from us and you've decided definitively that you would like to enrol in the program into which you've been accepted, you will need to let us know by confirming your spot with us online with a $200 CAD deposit.
5. COURSE REGISTRATION
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​Your final step is to register for your courses online, after which our Registrar will be in touch with you to finalize the details — at about this time, you will also be entered into our system and receive your @ssu.ca email address and access to your courses as needed.
ELIGIBILITY
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU NEED CLARIFICATION ABOUT ANYTHING OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS – WE'RE HERE TO HELP!
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
St. Stephen's University believes that it is better to accept our graduate students on a case-by-case basis rather than setting inflexible entrance standards. This means that in addition to a prospective student's GPA and grades from their undergraduate degree, the SSU Admissions Committee takes into consideration experience, drive and motivation, maturity level, reasons for completing our programs, and many other intangible qualities.
That being said, SSU normally requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited university in a related discipline (broadly defined) that gives the prospective student the tools to complete our coursework and flourish in our vibrant and growing learning community.
Prospective students therefore have a better chance of getting accepted into our program if they meet the following standards:
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UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM AN ACCREDITED UNIVERSITY
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TRANSCRIPTS THAT SHOW A MINIMUM 3.0 GPA (B), WITH A 3.3 GPA (B+) IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THE MAJOR
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WHERE ENGLISH IS NOT THE STUDENT'S FIRST LANGUAGE, DEMONSTRATED PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH BY SCORING 550 ON A PAPER-BASED TOEFL, 86 ON AN INTERNET-BASED TOEFL, OR 6.5 ON AN IELTS EXAM. ALTERNATE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TESTING MAY BE ACCEPTED BASED ON DEMONSTRATED EQUIVALENCY.
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However, we welcome all inquiries and applicants from anyone interested in our programs, including mature students who perhaps don't have the regular requisite undergraduate credentials. SSU defines a mature student as follows:
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30+ YEARS OLD
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FIVE YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
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AT LEAST AN A– AVERAGE IN YOUR PRELIMINARY YEAR AFTER ACCEPTANCE INTO YOUR PROGRAM
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ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR FOUNDATION STUDENTS
When we accept one-year foundation undergraduate students into St. Stephen's University, we look for possibilities and motivation beyond your transcript. Our standard acceptance criterion is a 70% combined average of your university-prep Grade 12 courses. However, if your average is below this level, we will give you a chance to demonstrate to us why your experience at SSU might be more academically successful than your high school marks might suggest. This can be demonstrated in one or more of the following ways:
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A REFERENCE FROM A TEACHER OR ACADEMIC SOURCE THAT WOULD ATTEST TO THE REASONABLE HOPE FOR YOUR ABILITY TO COMPLETE OUR 1-YR FOUNDATION COURSES
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A WRITTEN EXPLANATION BY THE STUDENT OF WHY THEIR HIGH SCHOOL GRADES ARE LOW (E.G., FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES OR BEHAVIOURAL ISSUES), AND WHY THERE WOULD BE A GOOD EXPECTATION FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS AT SSU
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A STATEMENT DESCRIBING A RELEVANT LEARNING DISABILITY INCLUDING A COPY OF A VALID ASSESSMENT OR PLANS TO OBTAIN ONE.
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Depending on circumstances and grades, you may be accepted on the basis of setting up a plan for academic success. This typically includes partnership with an academic mentor to help ensure that everyone is prepared from the beginning to help you succeed in your transition to university studies.
As with our prospective graduate students, undergraduate students whose first language is not English must also demonstrate proficiency in English by scoring 550 on a paper-based TOEFL, 86 on an internet-based TOEFL, or 6.5 on an IELTS exam. Alternate language proficiency testing may be accepted based on demonstrated equivalency.
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TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID
St. Stephen's University offers a limited amount of financial aid for our students through the support of our generous donors and the Jim Forest Scholarship and Bursary Fund. These scholarships and bursaries are merit and needs based respectively and are distributed on a first come, first served basis, so it is important that prospective students apply early in the application process.
