The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church seeks to offer financial support to seminary students from its Ministerial Education Funds according to the following guidelines and eligibility requirements.
Scholarships for eligible seminary students (eligibility requirements listed below) will be disbursed at a per-semester credit hour rate reviewed and set annually by the board.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the MEF disbursement rate is $100 per semester hour ($75 per quarter hour).
The MEF award is capped at a total of 15 semester hours (20 quarter hours) per award period (Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer).
Scholarships will be disbursed twice a year — once for the fall/winter term and once for the spring/summer term.
Priority will be given to applications for fall/winter term that are submitted on or before July 15. The deadline to request a fall/winter scholarship is November 30. Requests submitted after July 15 will be subject to availability of funds.
Priority will be given to applications for spring/summer term that are submitted on or before November 15. The deadline to request a spring/summer scholarship is April 30. Requests submitted after November 15 will be subject to availability of funds.
Exception: Candidates who are certified by their DCOOM in December may contact the BOOM registrar that month to submit a late Fall/Winter scholarship request. Candidates who are certified by their DCOOM in May may contact the BOOM registrar that month to submit a late Spring/Summer scholarship request.
Scholarships will be paid directly to the seminary.
Scholarships will not be given for coursework beyond the basic seminary degree
For persons on an elder track, coursework must be for a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree or for completion of Advanced Course of Study (ACOS) requirements (see Book of Discipline ¶335(3)(c) and (3)(d))
For persons on a deacon track, coursework must be for a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree, for another theological master’s degree or for completion of the Basic Graduate Theological Studies – depending on the deacon educational track (see ¶330.3(b) or .3(c))
Exception: the board may provide seminary scholarships for persons who are taking courses for seminary credit beyond a basic seminary degree to fulfill denominational or conference requirements for ordination. This includes OE and OF clergy working on educational requirements for a transfer request.
MEF scholarships will not be given after reception into full membership in the conference.
Students are required to include a current seminary transcript (an unofficial transcript is sufficient) as part of their application
Students who are awarded the Great Plains BOOM matching grant for the GBHEM Excellence in Clergy Leadership Scholarship will have their Fall/Winter award reduced by the amount of the matching grant ($2,500). Students will be eligible for the full amount for Spring/Summer MEF/Seminary Trust scholarship requests, i.e. there is no “carry over” of any difference between the standard MEF/Seminary Trust Fall/Winter award, even if it is less than the $2,500 Excellence in Clergy Leadership award.
Eligibility Requirements
Enrolled in good standing at a University Senate approved seminary and completing courses for credit towards a specific degree or educational program as indicated. (Find list of approved seminaries here.)
For persons on an elder track, coursework must be for a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree or for completion of Advanced Course of Study (ACOS) requirements (see Book of Discipline ¶335(3)(c) and (3)(d))
For persons on a deacon track, coursework must be for a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree, for another theological master’s degree or for completion of the Basic Graduate Theological Studies – depending on the deacon educational track (see ¶330.3(b) or .3(c))
Exception: the board may provide seminary scholarships for persons who are taking courses for seminary credit beyond a basic seminary degree to fulfill denominational or conference requirements for ordination. This includes OE and OF clergy working on educational requirements for a transfer request.
Eligible credentialing statuses include:
Certified candidate in the Great Plains Conference
Provisional member of the Great Plains Conference
Great Plains local pastor (FL or PL) in the Great Plains Conference completing a degree or Advanced Course of Study (ACOS) program to meet eligibility requirements for provisional membership
Other denomination (OF) clergy completing the required UM studies classes (Polity, History & Doctrine)
All applicants, other than OF clergy only completing the UM studies courses, must certify that she or he plans to seek ordination or associate membership and to serve in the Great Plains Annual Conference at the end of seminary studies. UM Studies courses completed through GBHEM are only eligible for the COS scholarship (below) as these courses are not considered transferable credit.
UM Studies courses completed through GBHEM are only eligible for the COS scholarship as these courses are not considered transferable credit.
Cumulative seminary grade point average of 2.7.
Persons submitting this application will simultaneously apply for a Great Plains Seminary Scholarship Trust Fund Scholarship and may not submit a separate application.
The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church seeks to offer financial support to seminary students from the Great Plains Seminary Scholarship Trust Funds administered by the Board according to the following guidelines and eligibility requirements.
Scholarships for eligible seminary students (eligibility requirements listed below) will be disbursed at a per-semester credit hour rate reviewed and set annually by the Board.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the Seminary Trust disbursement rate is $50 per semester hour ($37.50 per quarter hour). The Seminary Trust award is capped at a total of 15 semester hours (20 quarter hours) per award period (Fall/Winter or Spring/Summer).
Scholarships will be disbursed twice a year — once for the fall/winter term and once for the spring/summer term.
Priority will be given to applications for fall/winter term that are submitted on or before July 15. The deadline to request a fall/winter scholarship is November 30. Requests submitted after July 15 will be subject to availability of funds.
Priority will be given to applications for spring/summer term that are submitted on or before November 15. The deadline to request a spring/summer scholarship is April 30. Requests submitted after November 15 will be subject to availability of funds.
Scholarships will be paid directly to the seminary.
Students are required to include a current seminary transcript (an unofficial transcript is sufficient) as part of their application.
Persons that have applied for MEF scholarships will be considered for these scholarship funds without additional application.
Eligibility Requirements
A student from the Great Plains Annual Conference enrolled in good standing at a University Senate approved seminary and taking coursework for seminary credit. (Find list of approved seminaries here.)
Applicant must certify that he or she plans to serve in ministry (lay or clergy) in the Great Plains Annual Conference at the completion of seminary studies.
Cumulative seminary grade point average of 2.7.
Persons who submit an application for an MEF scholarship will be considered to have applied for this scholarship as well and may not submit a separate application.
The Board of Ordained Ministry approved changes to the Course of Study grants administered by the Board. Starting January 2018, the Board will provide grants of up to $300 per Course of Study class for tuition and up to $300 per Course of Study class for books/travel expenses associated with the Course of Study class. Instead of paying money directly to seminary, upon completion of an application and after providing proof of payment of tuition/expenses and completion of class, the Board will directly reimburse Course of Study students. A COS/non credit or certificate ACOS grant request must be submitted no later than nine (9) months following completion of the class for the request to be processed/paid.
The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church seeks to offer financial support to Course of Study (COS) and Advanced Course of Study (ACOS) students according to the following guidelines and eligibility requirements.
Course of Study - Eligibility Requirements
Appointed as a licensed local pastor in the Great Plains Conference.
Working toward the completion of the basic course of study or enrolled in the advanced course of study (non-transferable credit/certificate program) following completion of the basic course of study.
Other Methodist (OE) or Other denomination (OF) clergy completing coursework to qualify for consideration of transfer for provisional or full (Other UM Conference only) membership.
The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church seeks to offer financial support to Licensing School students according to the following guidelines and eligibility requirements.
Candidates attending the Great Plains School for License for Pastoral Ministry will pay a fee of $100 with the Board of Ordained Ministry covering all other costs of the school.
Candidates attending a School for License for Pastoral Ministry other than the Great Plains school shall bear the entire cost and may be reimbursed at the current year-per student rate of the Great Plains School less $100.00, or the actual total cost, whichever is less.
The Pass the Torch Scholarship is made possible by gifts of retired clergy and their spouses, as well as surviving spouses of clergy to the Pass the Torch endowment. Download brochure.
Pass the Torch scholarships are available only to students who are least Certified Candidates. The Pass the Torch Committee seeks to use available funds for seminary education. The limit for a seminary scholarship is $1,000 per year. Download an application.
The deadline for receiving applications is July 15 of that year. Please return completed applications to the Pass the Torch coordinator, Rev. Ken Parker, at kparker@greatplainsumc.org.
The Kansas Area and Nebraska United Methodist Foundations offer scholarships to seminary students. You can find their applications on each of their websites.
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The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church seeks to offer financial support to seminary students from its Ministerial
Education Funds according to the following guidelines and eligibility requirements.