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Empowering the Future

Spirit-Empowered Leadership

We seek the presence and power of God in all we do.

Students and faculty in the College of Ministry are ready for the work of the Spirit inside and outside the classroom. In scheduled lectures and discussions, mentoring conversations with professors and church leaders, and ministry work in the local church, the presence of the Spirit is vital. Professors and pastors are modeling a hunger for the power of God as they invest in our students.

21st Century Critical Thinking

We provide education at the intersection of theology, ministry practice, and cultural engagement.

The College of Ministry desires to train new leaders for our ever-changing and complex world. This involves a deep commitment to the truth of the gospel, top-notch academics, mentoring from high-capacity pastors, and informed engagement with human need. Pastoral practitioners from churches of every size will be present in multiple classroom settings to keep students aware of the practical realities in emerging fields of ministry.

Hands-On Experience

We involve our students in significant on-the-ground learning.

We know that ministry preparation consists of a number of components: classroom learning, mentoring, spiritual formation, and—importantly—hands-on experiential learning. In order to accomplish this, our students not only serve regularly in local churches, but also participate in dynamic supervised residencies, have opportunities for on-campus ministry, and are able to serve on staff at various local churches and ministries.

Groundbreaking Financial Investment

We are dedicated to the financial well-being of the next generation of leaders.

Northwest University is committed to significant financial investment in our Kirkland on-campus College of Ministry students. Combined, these initiatives represent an effort to help students get the high-quality training they need without the fear of excessive cost. Starting this year, Northwest University is providing a 50% tuition discount for every ministry major. They have also provided a path for every ministry major to graduate with no more than a reasonable amount of student loan debt (for students entering 2020–2021, this amount is $36,850).

How the Empowering the Future Program Works

50% Tuition Discount

As a part of Northwest University’s Empowering the Future program, every Kirkland on-campus undergraduate student who is pursuing a College of Ministry degree will receive financial aid, not including loans, equal to at least 50% of tuition.

Financial Commitment

  • This financial aid includes Pell, institutional scholarships, institutional grants, and endowment funding. If these sources do not reach 50% of tuition, an additional discount titled “Empowering the Future” will be given to reach the 50% of tuition amount.
  • This is not a cap; students who qualify otherwise for more than 50% will still receive the higher amount
  • The discount will be set at 50% of the current year’s tuition at Northwest University.
  • Note: if students receive third-party scholarship greater than of 50% of tuition, the tuition discount will be adjusted so that the total is equal to 100% of tuition.

Selection Process

New and transfer students must apply to and be accepted to Northwest University. They must indicate on their university application that they are interested in pursuing a COM degree.

  • NOTE: International students can only qualify once they are fully enrolled; i.e. not while studying English in CELE.
  • New and transfer students will receive the 50% discount for their first year of enrollment based on their university application.
  • Full application to COM will take place in the first two semesters of a student’s enrollment.
    • Failure to be accepted into the COM will result in the loss of provisional status and loss of the 50% tuition discount in future years.
  • New students who did not indicate on their university application that they were interested in pursuing a COM degree but decide during their first term of attendance they want to switch majors to a COM degree must apply by October 15th. The following steps will be followed.
    • The student must complete a COM change of major form and meet with the Dean.
    • Following the Dean’s approval and communication with Advising about the change of major, students will be considered provisional members of COM.
    • Tuition discount eligibility will be available beginning the next semester of enrollment.
    • Failure to apply and/or be accepted to COM will result in ineligibility for future COM tuition discount.
  • Any other Northwest University students electing to change to a COM major must follow the same process outlined in the previous bullet point.

Maintaining Eligibility

To retain this discount after their first two semesters, students must be formally accepted into the College of Ministry. Students who change to a non-COM major or non-traditional program will no longer be eligible for the tuition discount; participation in a COM major will be confirmed via regular reaffirmations during advising meetings and satisfactory progress in the major curriculum.

  • The discount will continue until the student earns 125 credits toward an NU COM degree according to the following guidelines:
    • This discount will apply to a maximum of 8 semesters (Fall/Spring only). The discount does not apply to Summer semester.
    • This discount only applies to Fall and Spring semesters where a student needs 12 or more credits to reach 125 credits. If a student needs less than 12 credits to reach 125 credits, this discount does not apply. Students should plan their courses carefully and utilize the Summer semester to ensure that they complete their degree within the number of semesters the discount is available.
    • All transfer credits that can apply toward the 125 credit degree requirement, must apply.
    • Students must, on average, earn at least 30 credits during every two semester period (excluding Summer). Students who fail to complete 30 credits must take Summer courses to make up the difference. The exception to this is first year students who are admitted on Success standing. These students take only 12 credits their first semester and may complete only 27 credits their first year. These students need to be aware of the number of credits they need complete their degree within the number of semesters the discount is available.
  • The student will be required to maintain satisfactory academic progress.
  • The student will be required to participate in retreats, seminars, etc. put on by COM.
  • After their first semester, the student will be required to serve a minimum of 5–7 hours per week in a local church during the school year, except for those weeks when they are traveling due to a required class trip or Choralons-related event.

Manageable Debt Path

NU will provide a path for all Kirkland on-campus undergraduate College of Ministry students to graduate owing loans borrowed for educational expenses (tuition, on-campus room/board, books, fees) at Northwest that amount to no more than 110% of their freshman year’s tuition (for 2020–2021 the amount is set at $36,850).

Eligibility for the Manageable Debt Path

Our manageable debt path is based on the expectation that students will earn approximately $9,000 per year (after taxes), if necessary, from their own work. This amount is roughly equivalent to minimum wage for 10 hours per week during the school year and full-time during the summer. For most students, meeting this obligation will require living simply to keep other expenses low. These earnings would then be used to cover direct costs (tuition, fees, and room and board) as needed or indirect costs (books, personal expenses, transportation, or other educational costs).

The student (and/or family depending on dependency status) is required to:

  • File a FAFSA each year*
  • Fulfill the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
  • Complete their degree in a timely manner (full-time continuous enrollment averaging 15 or more credits per term)
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
  • Live simply and borrow the minimum amount necessary**

*International students will not be able to participate in the debt path because they are not eligible for the FAFSA program.

**While we cannot compel every student to borrow the minimum amount necessary, we will provide a path for every student to do so.

Debt Education

The College of Ministry will provide regularly scheduled debt and financial management education opportunities for Kirkland on-campus undergraduate College of Ministry students (this may include seminars and individual debt counseling). College of Ministry students are required to participate.

  • A debt worksheet will be provided for students to self-monitor their financial situation.
  • The College of Ministry will work with Student Financial Services to be aware of students taking on an excess amount of loans.
  • If in accordance with our formulas, an individual student is unable to graduate at the aforementioned debt level, during the student’s senior year the university will adjust the financial aid package accordingly.