Frequently Asked Questions

Applications to BGU are accepted on a rolling basis. Our Academic Affairs Committee meets every other month to review completed admissions applications. Click here to view upcoming AAC meeting dates and deadlines.

No. Our programs are designed for full-time working adults. Each degree program is made up of modular classes held here in Seattle and throughout the world. Unlike traditional courses, our courses consist of one week to two weeks of intensive lecture sessions held in a specific city. It is a requirement that you travel to attend these courses, but the majority of your course work will be completed at home. Generally full-time students travel twice a year to attend courses, but the amount of travel depends greatly on your specific degree program.

Yes. We have a limited number of traditional distance learning and online learning course options. For more information click here to view a course list.

Yes. BGU is nationally accredited through the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS). TRACS is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE), the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE). For more information visit info@tracs.org.

No. BGU courses are held both locally and globally and only as intensives (one or two weeks required on-site, so we do not have a traditional campus with dormitories. Housing options for courses offered in Seattle can be accessed by clicking the following link:Seattle Area Hotels.

You may take a minimum of two years and a maximum of seven years to complete your degree program. However, most students complete their degree within two to four years depending on their program.

Yes. Though the minimum entrance requirement for the Doctor of Ministry program is a Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent, at BGU we have purposed to find students who have significant ministry experience, yet have not always followed a traditional theological educational path. The Extended DMin program affords students who have earned a degree other than the MDiv the opportunity to pursue the Doctor of Ministry degree with extended credit requirements. The Extended DMin degree program requires 60 earned credits rather than the regular DMin 40 credit requirement.

No. Since our courses are generally 1-2 weeks long, we recommend that our students apply for a tourist visa or a business visa. BGU will provide the student with a letter of invitation to a seminar, if necessary.

Yes. All BGU courses may be taken as an audit or as an educational experience at a lower cost. Click here to view BGU’s upcoming course list to register in either of these categories.

• Our Web Site (www.bgu.edu) – Click on Support BGU to learn how to give and what specific opportunities are available.
• Telephone or In Person – President Brad Smith and/or his assistant, Carolyn Cochran, are available to talk w/ you about giving to BGU. Contact Carolyn at 214-432-5857.

• Making a monetary donation is easy and you have a couple of options.
  • Mail – Send your check to
    BGU
    1013 8th Avenue, Suite 401
    Seattle, WA 98104-1222
    (You may designate Scholarships, Special Projects or General Operations. Any undesignated gifts are allocated where needed most.)
  • Credit Card
    • Phone - You can call Lauren Geiser (800-935-4723) and give her the donation information.
    • Web Site – You can go to Support BGU at our web site (www.bgu.edu) and submit the information for a secure electronic donation.
• For donations that are other than monetary, call Controller Art Zylstra (800-935-4723 x115).

Absolutely. BGU is authorized by the IRS as a 501C-3 corporation. You will receive a donation receipt shortly after your gift is received, which serves as documentation for requesting a matching gift. If further information or documentation is needed, contact Controller Art Zylstra (800-935-4723).

Yes, you can designate a gift for a specific project, for scholarships (generally or to a specific geographic location), for a specific degree program, or for specific purchases (technology, etc.). Gifts may not be designated to specific people and remain tax deductible. For further questions regarding restricted giving, please contact Controller Art Zylstra (800-935-4723).

You cannot designate a gift to a particular student and have the gift remain tax deductible. However, donors may suggest that a gift be used for a specific student, leaving the decision to the independent Scholarship Committee.

Absolutely. We recommend consulting w/ your lawyer or contacting BGU Controller Art Zylstra before including a restricted gift in a will.

Absolutely. BGU is authorized by the IRS as a 501C-3 corporation.

BGU does not have an endowment at this time.

Click here to view the scholarship opportunities and to download an application.

Date application must be received:                   Scholarship Decision Date:
        January 31, 2008                                           April 10, 2008
        April 30, 2008                                                July 3, 2008
        July 31, 2008                                                October 2, 2008
        October 31, 2008                                          January 8, 2009 

BGU is not authorized to accept federal loans at this time.

Click here for a cost breakdown worksheet: DMin or MA