The Admissions Committee looks forward to getting to know you and reviewing your application. We want to make the application process as seamless as possible for you. Feel free to contact the Admissions Office with questions about the application and required materials. 

Our online application for degree programs is open:

Apply to Degree Programs

Our application for the Certificate in Theology and Healthcare and Special Student status (non-degree visitor) is open here:

Apply to Certificate in Theology and Healthcare and Special Students

 

Application Deadlines 

Deadline for D.Min. and Master's programs

Applications to our D.Min. and all master's degree programs are accepted in three rounds. 

DateDeadline
November 1Round 1: Decisions are released in late December. 
January 15

Round 2: Priority deadline. Decisions are released in late March. 

Merit scholarship deadline M.Div. and M.T.S. applicants. 

Final deadline for international applicants seeking a Duke-sponsored visa.

April 15

Round 3: Final deadline for domestic students. 

Decisions are released in early June. 

Deadline for Th.D. program 

Applications to our Th.D. program are accepted in one round. 

DateDeadline
December 15Only Deadline; Decisions are released in late March. 

Deadline for Certificate in Theology and Healthcare and Special Student Status

Applications to our Certificate in Theology and Healthcare (C.T.H.C.) and Special Student Status (non-degree/auditor) are accepted in four rounds. 

DateDeadline
November 1Round 1: Decisions are released in late December. 
January 15Round 2: Decisions are released in late March. 
April 15Round 3: Decisions are released in early June. 
July 15Round 4: Decisions are released in early August. 

Application Information

Begin your application online 

The application portal requires that you register an email. Please use an email that you frequently check. 

You do not have to complete the application in one sitting. The application saves your progress. You may return to your application and continue working on it as often as you would like, using your login information from any computer with internet access. Please ensure you have completed all sections of the application before clicking “Submit.” You will not be able to make changes to the application after submitting it.  

Begin the online application to our degree programs.

Begin the online application to our Certificate in Theology and Healthcare and Special Student status (non-degree visitor).

Recommender Information 

All applicants will be asked to provide recommenders' contact information as part of the online application. After you enter that information, the system will automatically send an email request to your recommender. The email will contain instructions guiding your recommender through the process of submitting a recommendation via our secure form. The number and type of recommendation letters required vary by program. Please consult the program-specific information below.

Please note that letters of recommendation are due by the application deadline. Applications without the required number of letters will are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. 

Funding Information (M.Div. and M.T.S. applicants)

Applicants to the M.Div. and M.T.S program may denote interest in Divinity School scholarships through our houses, centers, and initiatives. A short essay is required for each application. You may apply for more than one scholarship. Please note that this is your only opportunity to apply for these scholarships. We will not accept documentation after your application has been submitted. 

Required Supplemental Documentation 

All applicants are required to submit supplemental information. Supplemental documents should be uploaded as part of the online application and should be added before you submit the application. Applications submitted without the required supplemental documentation will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed for admission. Do not send paper or electronic files to the Admissions Office. Supplemental documents should be uploaded as .pdf files. Please note that the file limit size is 2.5 MB. Please compress files that are over this size.  

  • Unofficial Transcripts
    • All applicants must submit an unofficial copy of their transcript from the college or university that granted or will grant your bachelor’s-level degree.
    • Applicants to the Th.D., D.Min., and Th.M. programs must also submit an unofficial copy of the transcript from the university or seminary that granted or will grant your master’s-level degree. 
    • Additional coursework or degree information from previous colleges, universities, graduate schools, study abroad institutions, and seminaries may also be uploaded as part of the application but are not required. Transcripts may be submitted regardless of when you attended, how many hours you earned, or whether you earned a degree or not.
    • All students who are admitted and matriculate at Duke Divinity School must submit final transcripts showing that the minimally required degree has been granted before enrollment. 
  • Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    All applicants are required to submit a copy of your current resume or CV. It should provide an overview of professional and vocational experiences, including educational background, work experience, church and/or vocational service, leadership roles, professional affiliations, honors and awards, community service, etc. 
  • Statement of Purpose
    A statement of academic purpose is required for all applicants. The length and content vary by program. Please consult the program-specific information below for details.
  • Writing Sample
    An academic writing sample is required for many programs. Attention to theological themes is desired but not required. The length and content of the writing sample vary by program. Please consult the program-specific information below for details.

Degree Program-Specific Application Materials

Application requirements vary depending on the academic program. In addition to fulfilling the common requirements listed above, please review the program-specific application material requirements by clicking below.

Application Fee 

A $55 non-refundable application fee is collected by credit card when you submit the online application. 

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M.Div. (Residential and Hybrid) Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letters
    Three (3) letters of recommendation submitted through the online application system are required: 1 academic, 1 church, and 1 personal/character or additional academic or church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    A 1500-word essay addressing the following questions: (1) Please tell us about your sense of vocational call. What people, ideas, books, experiences, or events have led you to apply to Duke Divinity School? (2) Why is it important for you to be formed in an ecumenical environment that is committed to the flourishing and mission of the Christian church? (3) Please tell us what you hope to gain and contribute to Duke Divinity School's diverse learning environment. How will you help advance our commitment to fostering dialogue through intellectual responsibility and ecclesial generosity across theological perspectives? (4) What resources (faculty, centers, initiatives, programs, etc.) at Duke Divinity School do you anticipate being most valuable for your academic and vocational development? 
  • Writing Sample
    All applicants must submit a sample of academic writing. Attention to theological themes is desired but not required. The writing sample should be a piece of original research that best demonstrates your ability to present and support an argument in conversation with other scholarly voices. You may submit an excerpt of a longer work. If doing so, please include a cover page that contextualizes the excerpt within the larger work's argument. The sample should be 4-8 pages in length, double-spaced. 

M.T.S. Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letters
    Three (3) letters of recommendation submitted through the online application system are required: 2 academic, 1 personal/character or church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    A 1500-word essay addressing the following questions: (1) Please describe your goals for pursuing a Master of Theological Studies degree. What people, ideas, books, experiences, or events have led you to apply to Duke Divinity School? (2) Why is it important for you to be formed in an ecumenical environment that is committed to the flourishing and mission of the Christian church? (3) Please tell us what you hope to gain and contribute to Duke Divinity School's diverse learning environment. How will you help advance our commitment to fostering dialogue through intellectual responsibility and ecclesial generosity across theological perspectives? (4) What resources (faculty, centers, initiatives, programs, etc.) at Duke Divinity School do you anticipate being most valuable for your academic and vocational development? 

    For those applying for the two-year TMC Fellowship, please also address the following: (5) To what and to whom are you called? How is it related to health care? What educational, religious, volunteer, and other communities have nurtured this understanding?  (6) How do you understand the TMC Fellowship fitting your vocational trajectory? What are your purposes and objectives in applying to the fellowship? 
  • Writing Sample
    All applicants must submit a sample of academic writing. Attention to theological themes is desired but not required. The writing sample should be a piece of original research that best demonstrates your ability to present and support an argument in conversation with other scholarly voices. You may submit an excerpt of a longer work. If doing so, please include a cover page that contextualizes the excerpt within the larger work's argument. The sample should be 4-8 pages in length, double-spaced. 

M.A. Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letters
    Three (3) letters of recommendation submitted through the online application system are required: 1 academic, 1 church, and 1 personal/character or additional academic or church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    A 1500-word essay addressing the following questions: (1) Please tell us about your sense of vocational call. What people, ideas, books, experiences, or events have led you to apply to Duke Divinity School? (2) Why is it important for you to be formed in an ecumenical environment that is committed to the flourishing and mission of the Christian church? (3) Please tell us what you hope to gain and contribute to Duke Divinity School's diverse learning environment. How will you help advance our commitment to fostering dialogue through intellectual responsibility and ecclesial generosity across theological perspectives? (4) What resources (faculty, centers, initiatives, programs, etc.) at Duke Divinity School do you anticipate being most valuable for your academic and vocational development? 

Th.M. Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letters
    Three (3) letters of recommendation are required: 2 academic, 1 church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    A 1500-word essay addressing the following questions: (1) Please describe your goals for pursuing a Master of Theology degree. What people, ideas, books, experiences, or events have led you to apply to Duke Divinity School? (2) Why is it important for you to be formed in an ecumenical environment that is committed to the flourishing and mission of the Christian church? (3) Please tell us what you hope to gain and contribute to Duke Divinity School's diverse learning environment. How will you help advance our commitment to fostering dialogue through intellectual responsibility and ecclesial generosity across theological perspectives? (4) What resources (faculty, centers, initiatives, programs, etc.) at Duke Divinity School do you anticipate being most valuable for your academic and vocational development? 
  • Writing Sample
    All applicants must submit a sample of academic writing. Attention to theological themes is desired but not required. The writing sample should be a piece of original research that best demonstrates your ability to present and support an argument in conversation with other scholarly voices. You may submit an excerpt of a longer work. If doing so, please include a cover page that contextualizes the excerpt within the larger work's argument. The sample should be 4-8 pages in length, double-spaced. 

D.Min. Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letters
    Four (4) letters of recommendation are required: 2 academic, 2 church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    All applicants must submit a statement of academic purpose. This two-page statement should describe your goals for undertaking doctoral study, the academic and life experiences that have prepared you for doctoral work, your proposed area(s) of focus, and your particular reasons for applying to the D.Min program at Duke.
  • Writing Sample
    All applicants must submit a sample of academic writing (research paper or article, newsletter, and/or revised sermon or presentation). Attention to theological themes is desired but not required. The writing sample should be a piece of original research that best demonstrates your ability to present and support an argument in conversation with other scholarly voices. You may submit an excerpt of a longer work. If doing so, please include a cover page that contextualizes the excerpt within the larger work's argument. The sample should be no more than 15 pages in length, double-spaced. 

Th.D. Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letters
    Four (4) letters of recommendation are required: 3 academic, 1 church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    An essay of one to two pages (single spaced) describing your goals in undertaking doctoral study, the academic and life experiences that have prepared you for doctoral work, your proposed area(s) of focus, and your particular reasons for applying to the Th.D. program at Duke.
  • Writing Sample
    All applicants must submit a sample of academic writing. Attention to theological themes is desired but not required. The writing sample should be a piece of original research that best demonstrates your ability to present and support an argument in conversation with other scholarly voices. You may submit an excerpt of a longer work. If doing so, please include a cover page that contextualizes the excerpt within the larger work's argument. The sample should be 15-20 pages in length, double-spaced. 
  • GRE Scores 
    Duke Divinity School has a test-optional policy for the GRE for students applying for admission to the Doctor of Theology program. If you elect to send official GRE scores, they must be transmitted electronically from the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to Duke (institution code 5156). ETS will not send scores that are more than five years old; Duke Divinity School will not accept personal or paper score reports. Official GRE scores must arrive before the application deadline date to be considered with your application.

Certificate in Theology and Health Care Application Requirements

The Certificate in Theology and Health Care (CTHC) is available in two modalities- the immersive residential and flexible hybrid. All who apply to the immersive residential will also be considered applicants to the TMC Fellowship. Applicants must select a track- healthcare for mental health in the application. 

  • Recommendation Letters
    Two (2) letters of recommendation are required: 
    • Immersive Residential: 1 academic, 1 personal/character or church.
    • Flexible Hybrid: 1 from a colleague or instructor, 1 personal/character or church.
  • Statement of Purpose
    A three-page essay (1) reflecting on your vocation to health care in your current context as a practitioner OR, if you are in training, your vocation to and hopes for future work in health care;  (2) describing your goals for enrolling in the CTHC and how you see the immersive residential or flexible hybrid format allowing you to pursue those goals; (3) integrating your reflection on a theological book(s) that has helped to shape your theological imagination; and (4) how you understand your goals and development of theological imagination in relation to the mission of Duke Divinity School to prepare leaders for the church, academy and world.

Information for Dual Degree Applicants

Dual degrees are only available to students in residential programs (M.Div., M.T.S., and C.T.H.C. residential). Applicants must complete all application requirements for both programs separately, and you must be admitted to both programs to be eligible to pursue a dual degree program of study. Please check the relevant application requirements online: 

Additional Requirements for International Applicants

All non-U.S. citizens must review the application requirements for international applicants. International students may not apply for programs delivered in the hybrid modality. 

  • Recommendation Letters
    One letter of recommendation must be from a church official affirming support of your pursuit of theological education in the United States. This document can be your church letter or an additional recommendation.
  • Language Test Scores for International Applicants
    International students must either submit proof of English language proficiency or meet the Divinity School's waiver criteria. 
    • Waiver Criteria: Applicants may be eligible for a waiver if they (1) graduated from an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program in the United States within the last five years; or (2) graduated from an accredited English-medium post-secondary institution within the last five years; or (3) Studied full-time for at least two academic years at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or English-medium institution post-secondary institution, within the last five years. 

      Acceptable Tests: 

    • Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet-based test (iBT): Official TOEFL scores must be transmitted electronically from the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to Duke using institution code 5156. ETS will require you to select a department code, but it does not matter which department code you choose. We will receive the scores as long as you choose institution code 5156. Personal copies are not accepted and must be less than two years old.
      • The Divinity School requires a cumulative score of 93, a minimum score of 23 in each subtest for M.Div. and M.T.S. applicants. 
      • The Divinity School requires a cumulative score of 108, with a minimum score of 27 in each subtest for Th.M. and Th.D. applicants. 
    • IELTS: the IELTS is administered by Cambridge ESOL, British Council, and IDP: IELTS Australia. See www.ielts.org for more information. Official IELTS scores must be sent by the testing agency directly to: Duke Divinity School Office of Admissions Box 90965 Durham, NC 27708.
      • The Divinity School requires a cumulative score of 6.5, a minimum score of 6.5 in each subtest for M.Div. and M.T.S. applicants. 
      • The Divinity School requires a cumulative score of 7.5, with a minimum score of 7.5 in each subtest for Th.M. and Th.D. applicants. 
    • Duolingo English Test: There is no institutional code for Duolingo, but applicants will need to select “Duke University” at the "Graduate" program type level as the institution to send scores to. Please Note: Make sure to include sub-scores when you select your institution. Score reports without sub-scores will not be accepted. If you are not sure how to include sub-scores in your score report, please contact Duolingo English Test support on the Duolingo English Test website.
      • The Divinity School requires a cumulative score of 115 for M.Div. and M.T.S. applicants. 
      • The Divinity School requires a cumulative score of 130 for Th.M. and Th.D. applicants. 
    • Test Score Validity: Score reports for valid for two years. Scores will be considered expired if the test was taken more than two years prior to the application deadline. 

Additional Requirements for Transfer Applicants

All transfer applicants are evaluated on the same basis as other applicants. However, students applying to transfer from another seminary or theological school must include the following:

  • Recommendation Letters
    A fourth letter of recommendation must submitted as part of the application, and it must be written by the director of field education or student life at the school from which the transfer is sought. 
  • Statement of Purpose
    Applicants must include an extra page in their essay that provides an explanation of and purpose for the proposed transfer.

Special Student (non-degree, for academic credit) Application Requirements

  • Recommendation Letter
    One (1) academic letter of recommendation submitted through the online application system is required.
  • Statement of Purpose
    A one-page essay describing (1) your reason for wanting to take a course or courses for non-degree credit at Duke Divinity School; and (2) how you understand your call in relation to the mission of Duke Divinity School to prepare leaders for the church, academy, and world.

Auditing (non-degree, non-credit) Application Requirements

  • Instructor Permission
    Before completing the auditor application form, you must obtain permission from the course instructor. Email confirmation of this permission must be attached as a PDF at the end of the auditor application form.
  • Auditor Application Form
    Complete this short online application form. Fees for auditing as a non-enrolled student are $700 ($350 audit fee Duke Divinity School alumna/us) per course. Completed audit forms (including instructor permission) must be received before the start of classes for any given term to be considered for that term.

Have Questions?

Schedule a Short Appointment or Watch A Webinar

Connect with an Office of Admissions representatives on campus or online to learn more about applying, or watch a webinar. You’re always welcome to email the Office of Admissions staff for assistance, too.