Education and Clergy Development exists to develop healthy, fit and effective ministers who transform lives, churches, and communities through the hope and holiness of Jesus Christ. One very practical way in which Education and Clergy Development seeks to do this is through the Wesleyan Ministerial Loan Grant program. This program seeks to make it more financially feasible for students to receive a quality ministerial education.

The Wesleyan Church provides loan grant assistance to students enrolled in an approved ordination track at one of our approved schools or seminaries. This student aid program is administered by the Education and Clergy Development Division and is available to juniors and seniors at Wesleyan colleges and those enrolled for graduate theological training up to the completion of a Master of Divinity degree program or its equivalent. More information may be found at the links below!

Resources for Applying
Determine your Wesleyan Ministerial Loan Grant Eligibility

Loan Grant Eligibility Chart Click on the chart above or answer the questions below to determine if you are eligible for the Wesleyan Ministerial Loan Grant. 1. Are you seeking funding for your ministerial studies at an eligible institution? Eligible Wesleyan Colleges and Universities

  • Houghton College
  • Indiana Wesleyan University
  • Kingswood University
  • Oklahoma Wesleyan University
  • Southern Wesleyan University

Eligible Seminaries

  • Wesley Seminary
  • Asbury Theological Seminary
  • Azusa Pacific University Haggard School of Theology
  • Evangelical Seminary
  • Portland Seminary at George Fox
  • Nazarene Theological Seminary
  • Northeastern Seminary
  • Tyndale Seminary
  • Wesley Biblical Seminary

If you are NOT seeking funding for your undergraduate studies at one of the Wesleyan colleges or universities, you are NOT eligible. Stop here. If you are NOT seeking funding for your graduate studies at one of these seminaries, you are may still be eligible. Go to #2. If you are seeking funding for your studies at one of these institutions. please continue to #3. 2. Possible eligibility at a non-approved seminary. A student enrolled at seminaries other than those approved for Wesleyan ministerial students through Education and Clergy Development may receive loan/grants or grants subject to the same conditions as other students provided the following requirements are also met:

  • The student is enrolled with Education and Clergy Development (unless ordained).
  • The student submits to Education and Clergy Development reasons for attending the non-approved seminary.
  • The institution is accredited by the proper accrediting association.
  • The student’s district board of ministerial development approves his/her attendance at the non-approved seminary.
  • The student’s attendance at the non-approved seminary is approved by the Executive Director of Education and Clergy Development and the General Superintendent.

If you wish to pursue this option, please meet the following requirements and then proceed to #3. 3. Do you have the required district Credentials? You must hold one of the following credentials from your district in The Wesleyan Church in the North American General Conference:

  • Are you a Ministerial Student? If yes, continue to #4
  • Are you a Licensed Minister? If yes, continue to #4
  • Are you an Ordained Minister? If yes, continue to #5
  • I do not know. Contact your district to determine your credentialing.
  • None of these – You are not eligible. Stop here.

4. Have you enrolled with the Division of Education and Clergy Development?

  • Yes, I have enrolled. Continue to #5
  • I do not know. Call 317-774-3911 to determine if you have enrolled.
  • No. Please enroll at HERE. Then continue to #4.

5. Are you seeking funding for an undergraduate or graduate degree?

  • I am seeking funding for a undergraduate degree. Continue to #6
  • I am seeking funding for a graduate degree. Continue to #7
  • I am not seeking funding for either of these degrees. You are not eligible. Stop here.

6. Do you meet ALL of the following undergraduate academic requirements

  • Do you have a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale (check with your institution’s registrar office)?
  • Are you in a Wesleyan ordination track degree program at your Wesleyan institution (call 317-774-3914 to determine this)?
  • Have you accumulated 60 credit hours (check with your institution’s registrar office)?

If you can answer “Yes” to all three of these requirements, continue to #8. If you answered “No” to any of these questions, you are not eligible. Stop here. 7. Do you meet ALL of the following graduate academic requirements

  • Do you have a minimum GPA of 2.0?
  • Are you in a ministry degree program at your Wesleyan institution?

If you can answer “Yes” to both of these requirements, continue to #8. If you answered “No” to any of these questions, you are not eligible. 8. Determine desire and intention. Is it your desire and intention to serve under appointment by one of the districts of the United States or Canada of The Wesleyan Church in a capacity where cancellation of the loan/grant can occur (typically appointments to a non-Wesleyan church, a non-Wesleyan organization, or a non-Wesleyan institution do not qualify for cancellation)?

  • If you can answer “Yes” to this question, you are eligible to apply.
  • If you cannot answer “Yes” to this question, you are NOT eligible.
Estudiante Ministerial Wesleyano Programa Prestamo/Subvencion Información
Loan Grant Rates

For a list of funding rates (per credit hour) by school provided by the Wesleyan Loan Grant, Click HERE

Loan Grant Guidelines/ DIRECTRICES PARA PRESTAMO/SUBVENCION

Loan Grant Guidelines regarding Repayment & Cancellation can be found HERE   

Se pueden encontrar las pautas de concesión de préstamos con respecto al reembolso y la cancelación AQUÍ

Wesleyan Ministerial Loan-Grant Cancellation and Repayment/Cancelación y Reembolso de Préstamos y Subvenciones Ministeriales Wesleyanos

Loans are interest-free while the student is pursuing training for ministry in The Wesleyan Church. Repayment of the loan/grant begins September 1 following graduation or termination of study for ministry in The Wesleyan Church and may be handled through cancellation on the basis of service in The Wesleyan Church or through cash payments.

Repayment

For those who do not serve The Wesleyan Church after graduation or termination of their studies for ministry in The Wesleyan Church, interest in the amount of ten percent (6%) per annum will begin on September 1 following such termination. A repayment of twenty percent (20%) of principal plus interest will be due one year after said date, with the obligation continuing annually until the note is paid. The minimum monthly payment is calculated on a 5 year repayment schedule.

Cancellation

Those who serve in a qualifying ministerial appointment by The Wesleyan Church will receive a twenty-percent (20%) cancellation of the loan principal plus interest for each year of full-time service following studies. Ten-percent (10%) cancellation of the loan-principal plus interest may occur for part time (20+ hours/week) under qualifying ministerial appointment in the Wesleyan Church.

Special Grant

Aid given as a grant to ordained ministers who are eligible for loan/grants but who have served The Wesleyan Church for five or more years under full-time district appointment subsequent to cancellation of any previous loan/grant service obligations.

Deferment

Deferment may occur for as long as a student is enrolled full-time at an educational institution

  • A student who continues training for service in The Wesleyan Church, but no longer receives loan/grants, may request postponement of his/her loan/grant until the training is completed. This training may be in college, seminary, internship, or advanced studies, and must be validated by the appropriate official.
  • Training is being continued but the student no longer intends to serve The Wesleyan Church. Validation of enrollment from the school is required.

Postponement

A postponement of payment may be requested for one of the following conditions:

  • Training is completed but an appointment in The Wesleyan Church is delayed.
  • Training is completed, appointment in The Wesleyan Church has been declined, repayment may have begun, but extreme financial conditions make normal repayment impossible. A general petition must be completed and approved. If approved, a nominal $25 monthly payment is still required.
  • Postponements are effective for one year at a time. Postponement may be requested only twice and will not be granted in consecutive years. The request may be declined by the Division for any reason.

Reporting Your Status Annually

Education and Clergy Development will verify your status annually with your district in late August after district conferences have concluded. Based on district reporting, your account is placed into a status of cancellation, or repayment. Communication will be sent via e-mail regarding the status of your account. This will be your opportunity to respond and communicate any special circumstances. Those accounts placed in repayment will begin receiving invoices beginning in November to begin repayment.

It is your responsibility to keep your contact information current. If you have any contact information updates, please e-mail those to education@wesleyan.org.

____________________

Los préstamos no tienen intereses mientras el estudiante realiza su entrenamiento para el ministerio en La Iglesia Wesleyana. El pago del préstamo/subvención comienza el 1ro de Septiembre después de la graduación o la terminación de los estudios para el ministerio en La Iglesia Wesleyana y puede manejarse mediante cancelación sobre la base del servicio en La Iglesia Wesleyana o mediante pagos en efectivo.

Reembolso

Para aquellos que no sirven en La Iglesia Wesleyana después de graduarse o terminar sus estudios para el ministerio en La Iglesia Wesleyana, el interés por la cantidad del diez por ciento (10%) anual comenzará el 1ro de Septiembre después de dicha terminación. El pago del veinte por ciento (20%) del principal más intereses vence un año después de dicha fecha, continuando la obligación anualmente hasta que se pague el pagaré. El pago mensual mínimo se calcula sobre un calendario de pagos de 5 años.

Cancelación

Aquellos que sirvan en un nombramiento ministerial calificado por parte de La Iglesia Wesleyana recibirán una cancelación del veinte por ciento (20%) del capital del préstamo más intereses por cada año de servicio de tiempo completo después de sus estudios. La cancelación del diez por ciento (10%) del capital del préstamo más intereses puede ocurrir para tiempo parcial (más de 20 horas por semana) bajo un nombramiento ministerial calificado en la Iglesia Wesleyana.

Subvención Especial

Ayuda otorgada como subvención a ministros ordenados que son elegibles para préstamos/subvenciones pero que han servido en La Iglesia Wesleyana durante cinco o más años bajo nombramiento de distrito de tiempo completo después de la cancelación de cualquier obligación de servicio de préstamo/subvención anterior.

Aplazamiento

El diferimento puede ocurrir mientras un estudiante esté matriculado a tiempo completo en una institución educativa.

  • Un estudiante que continúa entrenándose para el servicio en La Iglesia Wesleyana, pero ya no recibe préstamos/beca, puede solicitar el aplazamiento de su préstamo/beca hasta que se complete el entrenamiento. Esta formación puede ser en la universidad, seminario, pasantía o estudios avanzados, y debe ser validada por el funcionario correspondiente.
  • El entrenamiento continúa pero el estudiante ya no tiene la intención de servir en La Iglesia Wesleyana. Se requiere validación de inscripción por parte de la escuela.

Postergación

Se podrá solicitar una postergación de pago por alguna de las siguientes condiciones:

  • Se completó el entrenamiento pero se retrasó una cita en La Iglesia Wesleyana.
  • Se completó el entrenamiento, se rechazó el nombramiento en la Iglesia Wesleyana, es posible que haya comenzado el pago, pero las condiciones financieras extremas hacen imposible el pago normal. Se debe completar y aprobar una petición general. Si se aprueba, aún se requiere un pago mensual nominal de $25.
  • Las postergaciones son efectivas durante un año a la vez. La postergación podrá solicitarse sólo dos veces y no se concederá en años consecutivos. La División podrá rechazar la solicitud por cualquier motivo.

Reportar Su Estado Anualmente

La Educación y Desarrollo Minsterial verificará su estado anualmente con su distrito a finales de Agosto después de que hayan concluido las conferencias de distrito. Según los informes del distrito, su cuenta se coloca en estado de cancelación o reembolso. Se enviará comunicación por correo electrónico sobre el estado de su cuenta. Esta será su oportunidad para responder y comunicar cualquier circunstancia especial. Aquellas cuentas colocadas en pago comenzarán a recibir facturas a partir de Noviembre para comenzar el pago.

Es su responsabilidad mantener actualizada su información de contacto. Si tiene alguna actualización de la información de contacto, envíela por correo electrónico a education@wesleyan.org.

 

Application for the Wesleyan Ministerial Loan-Grant/Solicitud para el Préstamo-Subvención Ministerial Wesleyana

Students are encouraged to 1) Determine their eligibility (see relevant section) and 2) Consider the repayment and cancellation policy (see relevant section) before applying for the Loan-Grant. Once a student has considered this, they may apply for the Loan-Grant.

  • Applications for FALL semester must be received by September 15th.  Applications for Spring semester must be received by January 15th.

To Apply for the Ministerial Loan Grant Click HERE

Se anima a los estudiantes a 1) Determinar su elegibilidad (ver la sección correspondiente) y 2) Considerar la política de reembolso y cancelación (ver la sección correspondiente) antes de solicitar el Préstamo-Subvención. Una vez que el estudiante haya considerado esto, puede solicitar el Préstamo-Subvención.

Las aplicaciones para el semestre de Otoño deben recibirse antes del 15 de Septiembre. Las aplicaciones para el semestre de primavera deben recibirse antes del 15 de Enero.

Para solicitar la subvención de préstamo ministerial haga clic AQUÍ

I've applied for the Wesleyan Ministerial Loan Grant. Now what?

Thank you for applying online for the Wesleyan Ministerial Loan-Grant program. You might be wondering what’s next.

Once you’ve applied

Once your application is received, ECD will confirm your eligibility. If you meet all the requirements, your application will be approved.

If your application is approved, you will receive an email notifying you that your application has been approved.

If your application is denied, you will receive an email notifying that your application has been denied. It will state why it was denied.

After you’re approved

  1. Complete the “Institutional Authorization” form under the forms tab on the portal. Submit this to your educational institution. Do NOT send this to ECD.

How loans are disbursed

  1. ECD will automatically certify your enrollment at your institution for each semester. For each semester that you remain eligible for aid, ECD will disburse a loan.
  2. Find your program to see how your loan check is disbursed
    1. Checks for all traditional undergraduate programs (HC, IWU, KU, OKWU, SWU) are sent to the Loan-Grant representative at each school. This representative will then contact you with instructions.
    2. Checks for Indiana Wesleyan University non-traditional programs (Wesley seminary and the BSBO degree) as well as our approved seminaries are sent directly to the student.
  3. A Master Promissory Note is sent with a student’s first loan check. It is the students responsibility to return the completed and signed promissory note. Failure to do so will result in lack of future eligibility.

Ongoing

It is your ongoing responsibility to keep ECD updated with your most current contact information (name changes as well as email, phone, and address changes).

What happens when you’re done with your studies?

Once you graduate, terminate studies, or lose eligibility, your account will be adjusted to reflect your new status. You will need to complete a PIS (Personal Information form) upon graduation or termination of studies.  For more information regarding what occurs after this, please see our Repayment and Cancellation Information Section.

Resources for Current Loan Grant Recipients
Questions about your Loan Grant Account?

Contact Education and Clergy Development at education@wesleyan.org

Financial Wisdom Requirement

About Wisdom Literacy & Clergy

Education and Clergy Development seeks to development healthy, fit and effective ministers for a lifetime of ministry. We desire to see pastors who are able to overcome the stressors of ministry and flourish. Finances are the source of one of key stressors for clergy today and it’s why we are helping to tackle the issue of school debt and financial illiteracy. The Wesleyan Ministerial Loan-Grant program is one way we are seeking to do this. In additions to receiving funding for ministerial education, loan-grant recipients have the opportunity to complete the Financial Literacy requirement. After a recent survey we conducted of Wesleyan Pastors, their spouses, and key laity in their church, we are discovering more than ever the need for pastors to have adequate training in personal finances. For this reason, we have collected (and will continue to do so) a list of opportunities at our schools, our approved seminaries, and via other independent methods for developing the competencies of financial literacy.

About Financial Wisdom and Loan-Grant

Ministerial Loan-Grant students are required to certify completion of one of these courses or demonstrate mastery of our financial literacy outcomes as a pre-requisite for eligibility of cancellation of their loan-grant. (Loan-grant recipients are able to receive disbursements before completing this requirement. However, no cancellation will occur post termination of studies if they have not fulfilled this requirement).

Options for Completion

The form below identifies the methods of completing this requirement. Students are welcome to select “Other” for course options not listed here. Such courses will be subject to approval. Students should submit a syllabus of any such courses.

How to Certify Completion

All recipients must complete this form.

Personal Information Sheet (Required after graduation)

This form must be completed upon graduation or completion of studies.

Personal Information Sheet 

Deferment Request Form

This form can be used to request a deferement on your loan while you are enrolled as a full-time student.

Make a Loan-Grant Payment
To make a loan-grant payment, click HERE and you will be taken to a new page to process the payment.
Automatic Deduction Form

This form can be used to set up an automatic deduction from your bank account to make your monthly loan grant payment.  There is also a secure docusign form that can be sent to you via e-mail to complete and set this up.  Please contact Education@wesleyan.org to complete this form electronically via Docusign.

For more information or questions, please contact us at:  education@wesleyan.org