Multicultural Church Scholarship

The Multicultural Church Scholarship was created to increase accessibility to graduate-level Anabaptist theological and leadership education for students of diverse traditions, ethnicities and racial identities.

• Recipient: Awarded annually to a limited number of students beginning a master’s program who are currently serving in or preparing for ministry assignments in a multicultural context and/or who belong to historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups within the Mennonite Church
• Amount: Full tuition for full-time students; 75 percent of tuition for part-time students
• Application deadline: Priority will be given to applications received by March 15

Other scholarship information

• Scholarship type: Merit-based
• Duration: Stated length of the recipient’s master’s program (provided the recipient meets certain conditions each year)
• Recipient’s program: Master of Divinity Campus; Master of Divinity Connect; MA in Christian Formation; MA: Theology and Global Anabaptism; MA: Theology and Peace Studies
• Recipient’s location of study: On campus or from a distance
• Recipient’s enrollment status: Full time or part time
• Recipient’s permanent residence: U.S. or Canada
• Recipient’s church affiliation: Applicant must be a member in good standing of a congregation that is affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group 

Full-time students will receive a 100-percent tuition grant for up to three years for a Master of Divinity degree and up to two and a half years for a Master of Arts degree. (Students need to take at least nine credit hours each standard semester to be classified as full time.)

Part-time students will receive a 75-percent tuition grant for up to six years for a Master of Divinity degree and up to five years for a Master of Arts degree.

Criteria for award recipients

1. Recipients will be from the U.S. or Canada and be members in good standing of a congregation that is affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist church group.
2. The decision to grant an award will be based on four factors:
   • Previous academic performance, including a minimum GPA of at least 2.75 from all undergraduate work, based on information gained from transcripts and references. (Although AMBS is able to admit a limited number of students without a bachelor’s degree, preference will be given to students who have attained one, and all recipients should hold at a minimum an associate’s degree or equivalent.)
   • History of and/or commitment to enter into an active ministry assignment in a multicultural context, and/or belonging to a historically underrepresented racial or ethnic group affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group.
   • Strong leadership potential for serving the local church, based on information gained from references and from a required essay on the applicant’s past, present and future service/ministry.
   • Personal character and emotional health, based on information gained from references.

Procedures to apply for AMBS merit-based scholarships

Applicants must submit the following for the coming academic year: 

1. A completed Admissions Application with all supporting materials, including transcript(s), references and admissions essay.
2. Completed Financial Aid and Scholarship applications.
3. A 1,200–1,800-word essay that includes:
   • demonstrated leadership potential for ministry in a multicultural context and/or for service with historically underrepresented racial or ethnic groups in a congregation affiliated with Mennonite World Conference or a related Anabaptist group
   • description of the applicant’s past, present and future service/ministry
   • description of unique gifts the applicant brings to ministry, shaped by his/her history and culture
   • how an education at AMBS will enrich the applicant’s present and future ministry

The AMBS Scholarship Selection Committee will select the recipient(s) of this award by March 31 and inform the student(s) via e-mail. Recipients must accept their award in writing to confirm enrollment for Semester One.

Understandings for merit-based scholarship award recipients

Eligibility from year to year will be based on satisfactory progress toward the completion of the degree, including:

• maintaining a minimum 2.75 GPA
• supporting and participating in enrollment and recruitment activities and initiatives, as requested by the AMBS Admissions Team
• supporting and adhering to AMBS community standards