Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! A central pillar of our Dominican identity is community and we are excited to welcome you to visit ours. Contact the Admissions Office to arrange a visit day that fits your schedule. We encourage you to join us for Mass on Tuesdays at 11:30am or sit in on a class and experience what life at Aquinas is like. 

We're available at admissions@ai.edu or 314-256-8800. 

Of course! Students may take classes at Aquinas as a non-degree seeking student, either for credit or as auditing student.

For credit students complete all the work required in classes and receive a letter grade at the end of the course. Auditing students participate in class, but do not fulfill the requirements for credit. Auditors receive a transcript from Aquinas, but do not receive letter grades. 

Should you take classes as a non-degree for credit student and later choose to apply to a degree program, you will be required to complete the additional application requirements for the respective degree program. Classes taken for-credit may be credited toward your degree.

See the How to Apply page for more details on the application requirements for non-degree seeking students. 

Aquinas Institute of Theology's tuition rates for 2020-2021 are available here.

We would love for you to follow us on social media!

Instagram: @aquinas_institute

Facebook: @AITheology

Twitter: @AITheology

Yes. With the permission of their advisor, masters students may take elective coursework at several other area institutions, including the Department of Theological Studies at Saint Louis University, Concordia Seminary, Covenant Seminary, and Eden Theological Seminary. 

After consulting with their advisor, students in the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching may take their elective coursework outside of Aquinas Institute of Theology. 

To learn more about the application process visit this page or email admissions@ai.edu.

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No. Once you start your application, you will create a login and be able to access your work at any point. If you require assistance use the chat feature within the application or contact our Admissions Team at admissions@ai.edu or 314-256-8800. 

All undergraduate majors are considered and welcome to apply. While a strong liberal arts background is very helpful, our students come from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. 

Students whose undergraduate studies did not include the required 12 credit hours in theology or philosophy may be required to make up deficiencies with additional coursework at Aquinas. Contact our Admissions Team for more details at admissions@ai.edu or 314-256-8800. 

Students seeking acceptance to masters programs or graduate certificates at Aquinas Institute must take either the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). The test scores must be sent directly from the testing center to Aquinas Institute. The MAT institutional code for Aquinas Institute is 2110. The GRE institutional code for Aquinas Institute is 6023.

Students who have either an undergraduate degree in theology or religious studies or any post-baccalaureate/graduate degree from an accredited institution may request a waiver for the exam. Aquinas Institute must receive the transcripts from these institutions prior to granting a waiver. Waivers are granted at the discretion of Aquinas Institute of Theology.
 
Non-degree seeking students are not required to take the MAT or GRE.
 
International applicants who take the TOEFL do not need to take the MAT or GRE.

Aquinas Institute of Theology reviews each application holistically and takes into account all components of the application. While we list a 3.0 as a minimum GPA for many degree programs, we do not use this as a cut-off. If you have concerns about meeting the admission criteria or the application requirements, contact the Admissions Office at admissions@ai.edu or 314-256-8801.

Applicants provide the names and email addresses of recommenders within the application. Recommenders will receive an email with a reference form they are to fill out. Please be sure that your recommenders are aware of the application deadlines and online process, and choose them carefully to ensure that they can write on your behalf in a timely manner.

If recommenders do not receive the email link, we recommend they check their spam or junk folders. The Admissions Team can re-send a recommendation form at any time. 

Transcripts and other materials may be sent via email to admissions@ai.edu or via mail at:

Aquinas Institute of Theology
Admissions Office 
23 S. Spring Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63108
USA

Most professional fields today, and ministry is no exception, place a premium value on the ability to communicate orally and in writing to a range of audiences. For that reason, we place a high value on written communication. We expect incoming students to have a solid base of competency and evaluate this in the admissions process through the Personal Assessment and the Reflection Paper.

In two core courses, Pro Seminar and Introduction to Theology & Theological Method, we cover the particulars of research and writing in the discipline of theology. Additional resources for students are the Aquinas writing coach and Saint Louis University's writing center. The great majority of our students make this transition smoothly.

Yes. Applicants may defer their offer of admission for up to one year. Applicants who have been accepted into a program should notify the Admissions Office as soon as possible with any changes in their enrollment plans. Scholarships and other financial aid awards, however, cannot be deferred.

Aquinas Institute of Theology does not offer on-campus housing. However, St. Louis offers a wide variety of affordable housing options. Learn more about living in St. Louis here. 

Aquinas Institute of Theology offers full-tuition scholarships through the Aquinas Scholars Program, as well as partial-tuition scholarships that are offered on both merit and need-based. Students may also apply for Federal financial aid. Learn more about financial aid here. 

We review applications on a rolling basis and students typically receive an admissions decision within two weeks of submitting their completed application. 

Financial aid decisions are reviewed separately . Learn more about financial aid here. 

International students must first complete the application to their desired program by the specified deadlines. International students must also complete the following requirements, as necessitated by their program. 

1. International applicants are required to demonstrate English fluency. See the question below for more details. 
2. If you will require a visa, complete the International Student Supplemental Application. This will require you prove you can fund your studies at Aquinas. See the below section for details.
   1. Applicants with an active F-1 Visa who wish to transfer their current SEVIS record to Aquinas Institute from another institution are exempt from this supplemental application, but must complete the Transfer Verification Form available from the Registrar’s Office.
3. If your collegiate studies were done outside the United States, you will need to complete a transcript evaluation. See this section in the FAQs for more details.

International students are required to secure their own housing.

Applicants who require an F-1 Visa to study at Aquinas Institute must complete this application in addition to the application for their respective program.

Applicants with an active F-1 Visa who wish to transfer their current SEVIS record to Aquinas Institute from another institution are exempt from this supplemental application, but must complete the Transfer Verification Form available from the Registrar’s Office.

Successful acceptance to Aquinas is required before Aquinas may issue the Form I-20 for F-1 Visa application.

Applications for international students to Aquinas Institute of Theology will not be complete without this supplemental application.

Application components include:

1. A completed online application
2. Immigration Documents

Non-U.S. citizen applicants must submit a copy of any and all documents issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for entry into the United States as a non-immigrant student, religious worker, or permanent resident. The documents include:

• Current Passport (required of all applicants)
• U.S. Visa (if applicant already has an active visa)
• I-94 (if the applicant has already entered the United States)

3. Financial Support Documentation

International students must be prepared to provide evidence of financial support for the duration of their studies in accord with U.S. Immigration Regulations.

Aquinas Institute must have documentation to prove that a student will have the financial resources to support their educational and living expenses for at least the first year of study, and that, barring unforeseen circumstances, adequate funding will be available from the same or equally dependable sources for subsequent years.  This is the standard that consular and Department of Homeland Security officers will use to determine a student’s financial ability. 

Appropriate documentation can include: official award letters (for scholarships and grants) from the sponsoring institution on letterhead, a letter on bank letterhead stationary documenting personal or family funds, Form I-134 “Affidavit of Support” can also be used to document support being provided by a U.S. Citizen or U.S. legal permanent resident.

4. Nonrefundable application fee of $75. Application fee must be paid before submission of your application for review. 

Applicants who have completed a degree abroad should submit non-U.S. transcripts to an evaluation service for review. The evaluation review report must indicate what the non-U.S. transcripts are equivalent to in United States academic institutions.

Aquinas Institute will accept evaluations from any reputable transcript evaluation company. However Aquinas Institute recommends that student use Education Perspectives (EP) if they are beginning the transcript evaluation process because EP is knowledgeable of, and able to, accommodate those coming from a religious seminary or other faith-based institution. A general evaluation from Education Perspectives is required.

If accepted and after meeting the financial certification requirements within the International Student Supplemental Application, Aquinas will send you the Certification of Financial Support form for the I-20 document. Filling out and returning these forms to the Aquinas Admissions Office will start the process of obtaining an F-1 visa to study in the United States.

Aquinas will then issue you the Form I-20, which certifies to the U.S. government that you are eligible for F-1 Visa Student Status. It certifies that you have met our admission requirements, have been accepted for a full course of study, and have proven to us that you have enough money to study and live in the United States. 

The forms are mailed only after you have been accepted, have confirmed your intention to enroll, and have submitted financial certification.

Applicants with an active F-1 Visa who wish to transfer their current SEVIS record to Aquinas Institute from another institution are exempt from this supplemental application, but must complete the Transfer Verification Form available from the Registrar’s Office. Contact the Admissions Team for information on this process. 

Take your acceptance letter, your I-20 form, your bank statement or financial certification, and passport to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, preferably in your country of citizenship, to obtain your student (F-1) visa. Be prepared to explain to the embassy or consulate officials how your U.S. education will relate to your future in your home country.

Once you have your F-1 visa, you will not be admitted to the United States until a date 30 days or less prior to the beginning of your program date, or start date, as given on your I-20 Form. Please consider that date carefully when making your travel plans to the United States.

While a student at Aquinas Institute of Theology, there are several requirements international students with an F-1 Visa must meet. 

Full-Time Status

Students who study in the United States on the F-1 student visa must maintain their full time status through out their time at Aquinas.  Students may not drop a class without first receiving permission from the Primary Designated School Officer (PDSO), which in this case is the Aquinas Registrar.

Student Check-In

Each semester the student is enrolled in classes, the student is required to report IN PERSON to the principal designated school official (PDSO) to check in for the semester. This check in should be completed on or before the first day of classes. At this time, students will complete a form which asks for the student’s current address and phone number. Students are required to bring a photo ID to the check in. 

Mandatory Reporting to PDSO

The student must contact the PDSO immediately if there are changes in any of the following:

• address and housing
• phone number
• change in registration
• change in degree program
• a change in financial sponsorship
• full-time status

Travel Outside of the United States

If students are required to travel outside the United States after their initial entrance, they must have their original I-20 form endorsed for travel.  These endorsements are good for one year and may be obtained from the PDSO.

Transfer (to or from another school)

Students with an F-1 Visa who wish to transfer their current SEVIS record to Aquinas Institute or from Aquinas Institute to another institution must complete the Transfer Verification Form available from the Registrar’s Office.