General Admission Requirements

Applicants to Trinity Graduate School must meet the following requirements:

1. Possess an earned bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.¹
2. Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale). If the undergraduate GPA falls below a 3.0 GPA, submit scores  from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal and analytical sections or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). Test scores must be less than five years old.
3. Provide an official transcript from each degree granting undergraduate school, seminary or graduate school attended.  In order to be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to Admissions Operations in sealed envelopes from each school or electronically from the institution’s Registrar or Records Office.²
4. Submit the completed application form. Please send all required admissions pieces to:
   Trinity International University Admissions Operations
   2065 Half Day Road
   Bannockburn, IL 60015​
5. Solicit and ensure submission of recommendation forms as follows:
   • Pastoral - a pastor or church leader who knows the applicant
   • Academic - a faculty member in a school where the applicant recently pursued academic studies (undergraduate or graduate)
6. Provide personal statements that include the following:
   1. A statement of the applicant’s past and present spiritual life. This may include one’s Christian conversion and/or other significant spiritual events and formative influences in one’s life.
   2. A statement outlining the applicant’s motivation to study at Trinity Graduate School, an evangelical Christian school, and one’s future goals.
7. Demonstrate English competency if English is not the student's native language or primary language of instruction from the degree-granting institution. Competency is normally measured by the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum score required is 92 (internet-based test), 237 (computer test), or 580 (paper-based test).  Scores submitted must be less than two years old. Waivers from TOEFL are not normally granted. Failure to submit required TOEFL scores may result in denial of admission or postponement of the application decision to a subsequent semester.

¹

Qualified Trinity undergraduates may begin TGS coursework as part of the university's dual degree programs. For these students, the bachelor's degree must be earned prior to completion of the MA.

²

Note: For university coursework done outside the U.S.A., students may need to submit transcripts through a foreign credit evaluation service. The Admissions Office must receive a "course-by-course evaluation" or a "detail report." There are several such services that are acceptable, including the following:

• World Education Services
• Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
• International Education Research Foundation

Program Prerequisites

Each program will have required relevant prerequisites defined in at least one of the following categories:

1. Undergraduate coursework
2. Program-oriented extensive or intensive experience
3. Other (writing, etc.).

Prospective students should note specific program prerequisites in the individual program prospectus and in the catalog.

Application Procedure

The application process is detailed on the admission web page. Trinity follows a rolling admissions process; thus, master’s program applicants may begin their application during fall, spring, or summer terms.  We strongly encourage application six to twelve months prior to the expected enrollment date. Applications for admission and all accompanying materials should be submitted by the following deadlines:

U.S. Citizens

Grad-Application Process

Deadline	Semester
August 1	For fall semester admission
December 1	For spring semester admission
April 1	For summer session

International Applicants

Grad-Application Process

Deadline	Semester
June 1	Fall semester application deadline
July 1	Fall semester deposit deadline
October 1	Spring semester application deadline
November 1	Spring semester deposit deadline

 

Applications received after these deadlines may not be considered in the term for which originally applied, and no applications will be considered for a given semester after the add/drop period of that semester.

If you are admitted to Trinity, you must submit a tuition deposit of $125 to the Admissions Office as a confirmation of your acceptance of our offer of admission. This deposit is refundable only if the Admissions Office receives written notification of cancellation by the following dates: July 1 (Fall semester), December 1 (Spring semester).  Students who participate in the deposit match program may not receive a refund for their deposit at any time. Deposits are only good for the academic year for which originally submitted and will be forfeited if applicants postpone to the following academic year.

Denied applicants may appeal in writing to the Trinity Graduate School Academic Council no later than ninety days following the date of the admissions decision.