Candidacy Status and Update Form

To be completed by an official Judicatory Representative:

Applicants to Luther Seminary pursuing ordination into rostered ministry and applying to the Master of Divinity degree are required to submit additional supporting documents from their respective judicatory body indicating support of their application. Applicants do not need to be fully entranced into their candidacy process to apply to Luther Seminary, unless requested by the Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis.

Luther Seminary requires this extra step as a good faith measure in partnership with judicatory authorities and to ensure applicants are 1) taking the necessary steps to begin the ordination process with their judicatory body as they pursue their theological studies and 2) have had conversation with their judicatory body to confirm that the degree program and contextual education offerings at Luther Seminary meet the requirements of their judicatory body's ordination process.

For more detailed information about Luther Seminary's degree programs, please see our most current Academic Catalog.

Judicatory Confirmation Authority Contact Information

Judicatory Authority Name (i.e. synod, diocese, conference, church, council)

Judicatory Address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

Judicatory Phone Number

Your Full Name (i.e. Judicatory Representative submitting form)

Your Email Address
Must be an official judicatory or professional email address

Candidacy Status Update

You are completing this form for the candidate you identify below. By completing this form, you are 1) confirming the current candidacy or ordination status of the identified candidate and 2) confirming support for the candidate's pursuit of a degree program at Luther Seminary.

Full Name of Candidate

Denomination/Faith Community in which candidate is seeking candidacy/ordination

ELCA Candidacy Status
What is the candidate's current candidacy status?

Expected Month/Year of Entrance Interview

Date of Entrance

Date of Endorsement

Date of Approval

Date of Denial

Candidacy/Ordination Status
How would you best describe the candidate's current status in the candidacy/ordination process?

Please note that as of January 1, 2026 Luther Seminary will no longer be an approved seminary by the University Senate for students seeking ordination in the United Methodist Church. Luther Seminary will, however, continue to offer excellent educational options for UMC students seeking non-ordained ministry or ministry as a Local Licensed Pastor (LLP) and continue to have the support of our Methodist faculty in the Methodist House of Studies.

Please see the University Senate's list of approved seminaries. Luther will no longer be listed after January 1, 2026.

Luther Seminary wants to collaborate in full transparency and integrity and therefore needs explicit approval from the candidate's Conference in order to proceed with their application to Luther Seminary.

If your candidate plans to pursue ordination in the UMC, please verify that they have been approved to take courses at Luther Seminary for the purpose of ordination in the UMC:

I understand that courses will not be approved by the University Senate for the purpose of ordination in the United Methodist Church beginning January 1, 2026 but am still encouraging this candidate to pursue their studies at Luther Seminary.

I do not approve this candidate's pursuit of studies at Luther Seminary and will encourage them to apply for an approved seminary through the University Senate.

Support for Seminary
Do you support this candidate's immediate pursuit of a degree program at Luther Seminary?

Yes

Expected Degree Choice
In the email sent to you by this candidate, an expected degree choice was indicated.
Please select the degree choice preference indicated by your candidate here (must match email):

Expected Program Duration
In the email sent to you by this candidate, an expected program duration was indicated.
Please select the program duration preference indicated by your candidate here (must match email):

Regarding an Accelerated MDiv Process
Some ELCA MDiv degree students may choose to pursue an accelerated degree by taking an overload of courses in Year 1 and then taking a full-time course load and completing a half-time internship in Years 2 and 3.

If you your candidate is planning to complete an MDiv degree within 3 years, they will need to complete the following process:

Pre-Admission: complete an application for admission by January 31 (prior to the Fall entry term)
Pre-Admission: demonstrate the ability to manage an overload schedule for three years (candidates who need to work full time outside of their studies will not be approved for an accelerated pathway)
Pre-Admission: have the approval of you, the Synod, to participate in an accelerated process (noted below)
Post-Admission: receive approval through Luther's Contextual Learning Office, in partnership with you, the Synod

Do you the Synod representative support this candidate's desire to complete their MDiv degree as an accelerated MDiv student?

Pre-Admission: complete an application for admission by January 31 (prior to the Fall entry term)
Pre-Admission: demonstrate the ability to manage an overload schedule for three years (candidates who need to work full time outside of their studies will not be approved for an accelerated pathway)
Pre-Admission: have the approval of you, the Synod, to participate in an accelerated process (noted below)
Post-Admission: receive approval through Luther's Contextual Learning Office, in partnership with you, the Synod

Do you the Synod representative support this candidate's desire to complete their MDiv degree as an accelerated MDiv student?

Yes

Expected Internship Type
In the email sent to you by this candidate, an expected internship type was indicated.
Please select the internship type preference indicated by your candidate here (must match email):

Regarding an Embedded Internship Type
There are two ways for candidates to complete their internship requirement as part of their degree program at Luther Seminary:

Culminating Internship (standard/default) - this internship is the recommended pathway for the majority of individuals and is completed after they conclude most or all of their coursework as the final requirement of their program.
Embedded Internship (permission required) - this internship is a specialized pathway for individuals who have explicit permission from their Synod, a ministry site and Luther's Contextual Learning Office to complete their internship at a ministry site they are currently serving or plan to serve while simultaneously completing coursework.

If requesting an embedded internship, the candidate must complete the following steps:

Pre-Admission: complete an application for admission by January 31 (prior to the Fall entry term)
Pre-Admission: have the approval of you, the Synod to explore the possibility of an embedded internship (noted below)
Post-Admission: receive site approval through Luther's Contextual Learning Office, in partnership with you, the Synod

Do you the Synod representative support this candidate's desire to explore the possibility of completing an embedded internship as part of their seminary studies?

Regarding an Embedded Internship Type
There are two ways for candidates to complete their internship requirement as part of their degree program at Luther Seminary:

Culminating Internship (standard/default) - this internship is the recommended pathway for the majority of individuals and is completed after they conclude most or all of their coursework as the final requirement of their program.
Embedded Internship (permission required) - this internship is a specialized pathway for individuals who have explicit permission from their Synod, a ministry site and Luther's Contextual Learning Office to complete their internship at a ministry site they are currently serving or plan to serve while simultaneously completing coursework.

If requesting an embedded internship, the candidate must complete the following steps:

Pre-Admission: complete an application for admission by January 31 (prior to the Fall entry term)
Pre-Admission: have the approval of you, the Synod to explore the possibility of an embedded internship (noted below)
Post-Admission: receive site approval through Luther's Contextual Learning Office, in partnership with you, the Synod

Do you the Synod representative support this candidate's desire to explore the possibility of completing an embedded internship as part of their seminary studies?

Yes

Other Information/Comments
Is there anything else you would like us to know?

Have Additional Paperwork to Forward? Please send a copy of any relevant documentation (i.e. entrance paperwork, etc.) as an attachment to admissions@luthersem.edu.

Please note this form can be filled out multiple times as updates are available for your candidate.

Thank you!

In lieu of signature, type your full name below