Admissions
Registration and How to Begin
Saint Luke's College of Theology offers two credentials: the Professional Diploma in Biblical Foundations and the Master of Christian Catechesis. Each has its own admissions requirements, described below.
Contact us at admin@saintluke.college to receive the enrollment packet for either program.
Professional Diploma in Biblical Foundations
The Professional Diploma is open admissions. Any student aged eighteen or older may register and begin coursework. No formal application, no prior credentials, and no prerequisites are required. Registration is the only step necessary to begin.
Students proceed one course at a time, in sequence, beginning with The Gloss. All courses are self-paced. There is no tuition. There is no application fee. The entire program, every course, every textbook, every evaluation, is free.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum Age | 18 years old |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Application | None required. Register to begin. |
Graduation and Identity Verification
Anyone may take the program. Only a verified individual may receive the credential. When a student applies to graduate, they must submit a photograph of a valid, state-issued identification card through the College's secure upload system. The legal name as it appears on the ID will be the name printed on the diploma and recorded on all official College documents. The College uses the submitted image solely to verify the applicant's legal name. Once validated, the image file is permanently deleted. The College retains only the verified legal name.
This means the front door is wide open. A student can register, begin coursework, and complete the entire program without submitting personal identification. The verification step occurs only at the point of credentialing, because the College is printing a legal name on a legal document and needs to know that name is real.
Completion of the Professional Diploma qualifies the graduate for the Internal Ladder admissions path into the Master of Christian Catechesis. Because the legal name is already verified at diploma graduation, Internal Ladder applicants to the MCC do not need to resubmit identity verification.
Master of Christian Catechesis
Initial Registration (MCC Course 1)
The first course in the MCC program, The Soul's Legal Status, is open to any student aged twenty-one or older who registers with the College administration. No formal application is required. Registration is the only step necessary to begin. The first course serves as both an introduction to the College's approach and an opportunity for the student to determine whether the full program is the right fit.
Formal Application (MCC Course 2 and Beyond)
To continue beyond the first MCC course and enroll in the second course, Structural Christianity, a student must submit a formal application to the College. The applicant must be at least twenty-one years of age, hold a high school diploma or GED (or equivalent), and qualify under one of the four admissions paths described below.
Admissions Paths
The Master of Christian Catechesis does not require a bachelor's degree. It does require a documented foundation. The College recognizes four paths by which an applicant may demonstrate that foundation, each grounded in the applicable provisions of Florida Administrative Code Rule 6E-2.004:
| Path | Documentation Required | Regulatory Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Traditional Path | An official transcript showing a conferred bachelor's degree from any institution. | Rule 6E-2.004(4)(q): standard graduate entry requirement. |
| 2. The Professional Path | Documented five or more years of professional ministry, teaching, or equivalent vocational experience, submitted via the College's Documented Equivalency Process. | Rule 6E-2.004(4)(q): the first professional degree exception for practitioners. |
| 3. The Internal Ladder | Completion of the Professional Diploma in Biblical Foundations conferred by Saint Luke's College of Theology. | Rule 6E-2.004(4)(l): sequenced instruction where lower-level work prepares the student for higher-level work. |
| 4. The Combined Path | A combination of postsecondary education and professional ministry or teaching experience totaling a minimum of four years, with at least one year in each category, submitted via the College's Documented Equivalency Process. | Rule 6E-2.004(4)(q): admissions via documented equivalency. |
Applicants who do not yet qualify under any of the four paths above are encouraged to begin with the Professional Diploma in Biblical Foundations, which is open to students aged eighteen and above with no prerequisites. Completion of the Professional Diploma qualifies the graduate for the Internal Ladder path into the MCC.
Application Requirements
In addition to qualifying under one of the four admissions paths, every formal MCC application must include the following:
- Passing score from MCC Course 1. The applicant must cite their passing score from The Soul's Legal Status as evidence that they have completed the first course.
- Proof of high school completion. A copy of a high school diploma, GED certificate, or equivalent documentation.
- Admissions path documentation. The transcript, diploma, or experience documentation required by the applicant's admissions path, as described in the table above.
- Letter of intent. The applicant must submit a written letter of intent demonstrating that they understand what the catechist role is and expressing their willingness to help restore it. Catechesis is among the oldest professional ministries of the Church, and it is sorely missed. The letter should reflect a genuine awareness of this history and a personal commitment to its renewal.
- Volunteer commitment. The applicant must agree that, upon graduation, they are willing to volunteer to teach courses through the College if the opportunity arises. This is a commitment of availability, not a binding employment obligation. The College exists to form catechists, and catechists are formed to teach.
- Identity verification. The applicant must provide a photograph of a valid, state-issued identification card through the College's secure upload system.
No student may enroll in any MCC course beyond the first without an approved application on file.
Identity Verification Policy
The College uses the submitted ID image solely to verify the applicant's legal name. The legal name as it appears on the state-issued ID will be the name of record on all official College documents, including academic transcripts and the diploma. Once the College has validated the applicant's name, the image file is permanently deleted from the College's systems. The College retains only the verified legal name.
Cost
Both the Professional Diploma in Biblical Foundations and the Master of Christian Catechesis are free. There is no tuition. There are no application fees. There are no graduation fees. Every course, every textbook, every evaluation, every digital credential is provided at no cost to the student. The College does not participate in federal Title IV financial aid programs because there is nothing to finance.
The only cost in either program is optional. Every graduate receives a PDF diploma at no charge. Graduates who wish to receive a signed, printed diploma may order one for $195.00 plus shipping. This is the only fee in the entire institution, and no student is required to pay it.
Why Free
The College exists to restore a profession the Church lost. Placing a price barrier between a willing student and the formation the Church needs would contradict the purpose of the institution. The catechist's work is the Church's work, and the Church's work should not begin with a bill. All course materials, including the textbooks the College has authored, are provided as part of the program. A student can register, complete every course, graduate, and receive their credential without spending a dollar.