Housing

Living on the AMBS campus is the best way to experience all that AMBS has to offer, including ready access to classrooms, the library and faculty and the full range of worship opportunities and community life. Many students comment on how the community on campus reflects the global extent of God's church as students from all over the world live and study together.

AMBS provides 38 units of campus housing, including studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Most units come as furnished apartments, although unfurnished apartments may be available.

Several units are ideal for families with children. Others are available for small clusters of students who wish to live in a community arrangement.

Campus housing is intended for AMBS students, working toward a degree. First priority will be given to full-time degree-seeking students; second priority will be given to part-time degree seeking students. Occasionally AMBS may allow others with seminary connections to rent on a temporary basis. These exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis, and only if they fall within the mission/purpose of the seminary.

Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible for campus housing. A Housing application is available online.

For further information, see the Housing Handbook.

Combining study and volunteer work

One option to help with the expense of study at AMBS is to combine study with volunteer work. Couples who come to AMBS can consider having one spouse be a student and the other be a volunteer in exchange for housing. For example, during the 2006-07 school year, Ryan Siemens was a full-time student and Sandra Sinnaeve, his wife, was a full-time volunteer on the AMBS campus. AMBS provided an apartment for the couple at no charge in exchange for Sandra's contribution to the seminary. This arrangement can be especially good for students who come from outside of the United States and hold visas with employment restrictions.

Another option is to coordinate study with a Voluntary Service assignment. A local congregation, Prairie Street Mennonite Church, sponsors a Voluntary Service unit. While living in the congregation's VS unit house, someone may study half-time at AMBS and have a half-time volunteer assignment, or, in the case of a couple, one spouse can be a student and the other can have a VS assignment. For more information, contact the AMBS admissions office. To see more about Prairie Street's Jubilee House, see the web site for the Voluntary Service unit.