Several of the country’s best institutions offer excellent divinity programs with a variety of degree options. A number of other colleges and universities are also known for their divinity programs. Graduate divinity schools train students to become ministers, chaplains, and church leaders by combining theological study with fieldwork in congregations, hospitals, and local communities. Some undergraduate degrees in divinity-related fields are also offered.
Here are nine of the best divinity schools in the U.S. These schools have a legacy to uphold and have some of the greatest faculties working and producing noteworthy scholars in recent times as well. This article will be worth the read if you are looking to study in the top divinity schools in the country. Wishing you good luck!
Yale Divinity School
Yale Divinity School is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in American culture. Since its founding in 1822, YDS has produced some of the world’s most renowned leaders, ranging from professors and researchers to politicians and athletics. They have nominated more presidents and deans of colleges, universities, and seminaries, as well as denominational leaders, than any other divinity school or seminary in the United States to date. This is your community if you’re seeking a place where religion and intellectual inquiry are valued equally, where the community is loved and nurtured, and where knowledge of God and service to humankind are considered as two sides of the same coin.
Founded In: 1822
Tuition: $30,198
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 50%
GPA: N/A
Rank: 1
Contact: 203-432-6340
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Columbia University for students
- Marquand Scholars: Full tuition and $10,000 living allowance
- The William Sloane Coffin Scholarship: Full tuition and $10,000 living allowance
- The St. Luke’s Scholarship: Full tuition and $10,000 living allowance
Apply for Admission
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is a nonsectarian school of religious and theological studies that prepares students for the academic study of religion as well as leadership roles in religious, political, and a variety of humanitarian organizations. HDS, one of Harvard University’s professional schools, was founded in 1816 and is one of the oldest. It has a long tradition of developing research and critical thinking, as well as promoting service and ministry. The academics, researchers, and counselors of HDS are some of the world’s most renowned experts on religious practice and belief. Specialists from the Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, African, Mesoamerican, and Latino traditions teach students at HDS. Graduates of HDS work in a wide range of fields.
Founded In: 1816
Tuition: $30,472
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 50%
GPA: 4.1
Rank: 2
Contact: 617-495-5761
Financial Aid: Available
Apply for Admission
Duke Divinity School
Duke Divinity School, as the spiritual core of a major research institution, embodies Duke’s motto, Eruditio et Religio (Knowledge and Faith). The Divinity School, which was founded in 1926 as the first of the university’s graduate professional schools, draws students from all over the country and the world. The institution, which is one of 13 seminaries created and financed by the United Methodist Church, has been ecumenical in its aspirations, teaching, and practice since its inception. Students discover common ground via immersion in Scripture and the church’s heritage for tackling the problems of faith in modern contexts, despite the many different theological positions represented in this school.
Founded In: 1926
Tuition: $26,150
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 61%
GPA: 2.75 minimum
Rank: 3
Contact: 919-660-3400
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Duke Divinity School for students
- Thriving Communities Fellowship: Full tuition scholarships
- Field Education Internships: Financial Support for M. Div Placements
- Rural Ministry Fellowships: Full Scholarships
- Div. Merit Scholarships: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Following the University’s foundation in 1873, the Divinity School was established in 1875. It was founded as Vanderbilt University’s Biblical Department, and it was overseen by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South from its inception until May 1914. With the help of faculty advisers, degree programs allow students to plan a path of study based on their capabilities, interests, and professional goals. The Vanderbilt University Divinity School is one of only six graduate schools of religion in the United States that serves mostly mainstream Protestantism and is not affiliated with any denomination. The institution provides four levels of degrees, three for graduate students and one for undergraduate students.
Founded In: 1875
Tuition: $24,936
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: N/A
GPA: 2.9 minimum
Rank: 4
Contact: 615-322-2776
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Vanderbilt University Divinity School for students
- Brandon Honor Scholarship: Educational Fund
- The Carpenter Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Dean’s Scholarship: Full tuition
- The Kelly Miller Smith Scholarship: Educational fund
- Divinity Merit Scholarship: Educational Fund
Apply for Admission
College of Arts and Letters University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s mission to be the world’s leading Catholic research institution is made possible through the College of Arts and Letters. Arts and Letters is Notre Dame’s oldest college, having been established in 1842, the year the university was founded. There are about 500 academic members, 3,000 undergraduates, and 1,100 graduate students on the campus. All Notre Dame students pursue core curriculum courses and electives in liberal arts subjects ranging from theology and philosophy to economics and creative writing at the College. The College’s award-winning professors bring a research emphasis to the classroom, sharing fresh discoveries with their students, instilling a love for inquiry, and inspiring them to become researchers themselves.
Founded In: 1842
Tuition: N/A
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 14.9%
GPA: N/A
Rank: 5
Contact: 574-631-7811
Financial Aid: Available
Apply for Admission
The University of Chicago Divinity School
The scientific study of religion should be one of the core tasks of a major research institution, according to William Rainey Harper, a famous Semiticist and member of the Baptist clergy. As a result of these commitments, he founded the Divinity School, the University of Chicago’s first professional school. Harper’s goal of an institution committed to methodical study into the many elements of religion has been realized at the Divinity School, which seeks to assist both students preparing for careers in teaching and research as well as those preparing for ministry. The curriculum of the Divinity School is divided into three basic committees and two additional study areas.
Founded In: 1856
Tuition: N/A
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 44%
GPA: N/A
Rank: 6
Contact: 773-702-8200
Financial Aid: Available
Apply for Admission
Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology is a part of Emory University, a prestigious research university. Candler’s faculty includes some of the most brilliant brains in theological education. Candler is the perfect place for imaginative and inquisitive students to join their Christian community to discern, study, pray, minister, and serve God and the church. They will be exposed to tough academics, intensive fieldwork, and purposeful contemplation, which no other seminary offers. The school offers a master’s degree in divinity. The Master of Divinity is a professional degree for people who want to work in ministry, church leadership, social services, or chaplaincy in a variety of settings.
Founded In: 1914
Tuition: $24,000
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 85%
GPA: 3.0 minimum
Rank: 7
Contact: 404-727-6326
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at Candler School of Theology for students
- Bishop Woodie W. White Scholarship: 100% tuition for 3 academic years
- Candler Dean’s Scholarship: Full tuition + $19.040 stipend
- LGBTQ Ministry: 75% tuition for 3 academic years
- Master of Divinity Scholarships: 50% tuition for 3 academic years
Apply for Admission
School of Divinity- Wake Forest University
The School of Divinity, which began accepting students in 1999, is a vibrant and ecumenical theological school that trains students to be religious leaders in a changing society. The School now provides a Master of Divinity degree, as well as joint degrees in law, bioethics, counseling, education, and sustainability, as well as a dual degree program in business, all of which are provided in collaboration with other University institutions. Students will relate their understanding of a wide range of theological and ministry subjects with what they face in ministry settings and the world as part of their MDiv study. Optional specialized study at the School of Divinity is also available within the Master’s degree.
Founded In: 1999
Tuition: $44,374
ACT/SAT: Test-optional
Acceptance Rate: 25%
GPA: 2.8 minimum
Rank: 8
Contact: 336-758-5121
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at the WFU School of Divinity for students
- The Frances and Charles R. Council Award: Full tuition
- The Baugh Divinity Scholarship: Full tuition
- Dean’s Scholarship: Full tuition
- The Honors Scholarship: Full tuition
- Divinity Grants: Educational Funds
Apply for Admission
Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry is a world-class center for theological study, where students flourish thanks to a brilliant faculty and a varied, caring community. The university offers eight graduate degree programs as well as a variety of certifications and non-degree programs. They nurture students’ intellectual, spiritual, professional, and social growth through courses, one-on-one contacts, daily liturgies, retreats, and other formation-based events. Scholars, clergy, and mentors at STM work with students to help them grow into leaders who will serve Catholic and Christian communities in the Church and beyond.
Founded In: 2008
Tuition: $53,500
ACT/SAT: Test-Optional
Acceptance Rate: N/A
GPA: N/A
Rank: 9
Contact: 617-552-6501
Financial Aid: Below are some of the best funding programs open at The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry for students
- Dean’s Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Works of Mercy Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Karl Rahner SJ Scholarship: Educational Fund
- Pops on the Heights Fellowships: Educational Fund
- The Negri Family Endowed Fellowship: Educational Fund
