MDiv Information

Program Objective

The 3535 Foundation’s Education Assistance program exists to financially support local churches in training men for local church ministry, financially support Reformed Baptist scholars who are pursuing a PhD and promote the identification and development of future Reformed Baptist scholars.

This document addresses the MDiv Scholarship program which is in place to fulfill the first objective of the Education Assistance program, which is to support local churches in training men for local church ministry. The other two objectives are addressed elsewhere.

Applicant Qualifications

We expect the applicant to meet the following requirements:

He has been identified as a gifted brother and is a member in good standing of a Reformed Baptist church.
He is represented by a qualified Scholarship Committee that unanimously recommends he receive scholarship funding.
He has a demonstrable financial need.
His chosen institution meets the approval of the Scholarship Committee and the 3535 Foundation.
He intends, and has a plan to, complete the education within 4 years.
He is aligned with the system of theology set forth in 1689.

Scholarship Committee

We believe that Reformed Baptist ecclesiology places the authority and power of Christ for building the church within in the local congregation. Therefore, we have setup our scholarship process in a manner intended to respect the biblical structure, promote an encouraging environment for the scholarship recipient, and provide proper accountability for scholarship funds.

To achieve these goals, our MDiv Scholarship process centers around a Scholarship Committee. In general, we expect the committee to be made up of a minimum of three members with at least one of the members being the applicant’s elder. The responsibilities of the committee are as follows:

Identify the gifted brother that meets the scholarship requirements and recommend him for scholarship funding.
Ensure there is a wholistic financial plan in place – church support, family support, other funding (i.e. scholarship). The 3535 MDiv scholarship is not intended to replace all other sources of funding.
Ensure complete and timely submission of all required 3535 MDiv Scholarship application or renewal documents.
Ensure proper spiritual and academic accountability is taking place including weekly attendance at a church approved by the applicant’s elders.
Provide end of Quarter or Semester updates on academic progress, spiritual development, life changes, or any other information impacting on scholarship funding.
Ensure the recipient is involved in regular preaching and teaching opportunities and provide periodic evaluations to the 3535 Foundation.

Process

To apply, the committee must submit the Committee Application and Student Application found on the following pages, along with all supporting documentation, to scholarships@3535foundation.com or by mail to 3535 Foundation; Attn: Scholarships; 3535 25th St N; Fargo, ND 58104. Any questions may be addressed to us through the email address above. All required documents should be submitted at least six months before the funding is needed.

You can expect acknowledgment of your application within one week after it is received, if you do not receive an acknowledgment within that timeframe, please contact us at the email address above to ensure the submission was received. Acceptance or denial of a scholarship application will be communicated as soon as possible, but no exact timeframe can be provided.

Scholarship recipients will be required to renew their application annually to be approved for continued funding. The renewal process will not be as rigorous as the initial application process. More information on renewal will be provided to scholarship recipients upon approval of the initial application.

Funding Information

Funding is available for tuition, books, and fees; consideration will be given for housing needs depending on the circumstances.

If approved, funding will be given to the applicant’s local church rather than directly to the individual. If a different payment arrangement is needed, the Scholarship Committee may make the request as part of the application process.

Additional Information

The applicant qualification section references an institution that meets the approval of the Foundation. We do not currently have a list of approved institutions. Therefore if you are considering applying for this scholarship, we encourage you to reach out to us early in the process to discuss your desired institution prior to submitting your application. The same would apply for any other questions you may have on qualifications or other related matters.

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