Program and Admission FAQs
Yes. The Master of Divinity program is a graduate program and a Bachelor degree must be earned before applying.
In order to provide theological students with the best education possible, CRTS uses the guiding principle of on-campus as much as possible, online as much as necessary. Therefore, the expectation is that students will complete their studies in person. It is recognized, however, that there may be exceptional circumstances that make it necessary for a student to study online. Please contact the Registrar for more information.
Students from other denominations are welcome. Students from denominations with whom the Canadian Reformed Churches do not have ecclesiastical fellowship will be asked to sign a declaration that they agree with the basis of the seminary. CRTS submits to the infallible Word of God and is faithful to the ecumenical creeds and the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort.
CRTS has a policy concerning the admission of mature students. In order to be considered a mature student, the applicant must turn 30 prior to or at some point during their first academic year. For information on this policy, please contact the Registrar.
Language Pre-requisites FAQs
At CRTS we believe that it is important that preachers of the gospel should be able to study the Word of God in the original languages. This allows preachers to interpret the Scriptures for themselves and not be dependent on what commentaries or other resources tell them. For this reason, in the exegesis courses at CRTS students learn to interpret God’s Word starting from the original text in Hebrew or Greek. While Hebrew and Greek are taught at CRTS, they are taught at an advanced level.
Take Classical Greek (or Biblical Greek) and Biblical Hebrew before applying to CRTS. Applicants do not need to know modern Greek or Hebrew.
Two years of Greek or Hebrew means four one-semester courses (assuming that a semester has a length of about 12-14 weeks). At most North American universities a semester course has 3 credits. This means that 2 years of Hebrew or Greek would translate to 12 credits.
It is preferred that prospective students take their Hebrew and Greek instruction in a traditional classroom environment as part of their undergraduate degree. There are several reasons for this. One is that languages are best learned in a classroom environment with a well-trained instructor. Another is that your results will then appear on a transcript, which will make it easier for us to gauge your level of language competency when we consider your application for admission. A third reason is that fewer and fewer students are taking language courses (particularly Hebrew) in a university setting, so ongoing demand for such courses from students such as yourself can help to keep them alive.
If on-campus instruction is not available, students may opt for BibleMesh’s online language courses (https://courses.biblemesh.com/). For both Hebrew and Greek, students should then take BibleMesh up to and including the “Reading 3 Level.” Students taking BibleMesh must take the Transcript Service Package (sometimes referred to as the Academic Support Package) so that they can include transcripts of their results in their application to CRTS. Students are advised to contact the Registrar before beginning online language training.
Finally, we also recommend that students start early with taking their language courses. Do not wait till the last year. This will yield better results (long-term) and also allow your results to be available on your transcripts when you apply with us.
This is an understandable question. The original languages of the Bible are Hebrew (as well as some Aramaic) and Greek. So learning those languages helps future preachers dig further into the riches of God’s Holy Word. But what about Latin? At one time, centuries ago, it was the lingua franca (the common language), also in the life of the church. Today that is no longer the case. However, there are at least three key reasons that having a rudimentary understanding of Latin is important for theological studies.
1. Latin serves as an excellent introduction to the world of learning other languages. It uses the same alphabet as English and the vocabulary, generally speaking, is more familiar to English speakers. In this way Latin serves as a helpful “on-ramp” to studying Hebrew and Greek, both of which are more foreign to English speakers than Latin. For this reason, the sooner you can learn Latin in your pre-seminary studies the more advantageous it will be for you.
2. In the area of dogmatics, or systematic theology, many Latin phrases and short sentences are still used. Here are just a few examples: communicatio idiomatum, iustitia aliena, and opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa. Sometimes these phrases are translated in theological books, but often they are not.
3. One of the subjects in Old Testament studies is the study of the original Hebrew manuscripts, also called textual criticism. This area of study requires a working knowledge of the footnotes that appear in the most widely used version of the Hebrew OT: the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. These footnotes also contain short Latin phrases or sentences.
In short, while knowing Latin is not as important for gospel ministry as learning Hebrew or Greek, it certainly remains useful and therefore is also included in the preparatory studies for the MDiv program.
International Student FAQS
Yes, those international students for whom English is not their first language must provide a TOEFL score with their application. Full details on the requirements for international students can be found here.
International students are required to obtain a study permit to enter Canada. More details can be found here.
Students are not required to obtain a work permit, even though students at CRTS are required to complete an internship as part of the PTP program. Government regulations allow full-time international students enrolled at designated institutions in certain programs to work part-time off-campus and full-time during scheduled school breaks without a work permit.
No. International students are not covered under OHIP nor does the Seminary offer any type of health insurance. International students must come to CRTS with at least a 30-day travel insurance policy and then can obtain a more permanent health insurance plan once in Canada. The administration office can assist international students with this.
Application FAQs
Please see here for the full application procedure.
Who are you as a person?
Why are you applying to CRTS in particular?
What does the Reformed faith mean to you?
What is your motivation and what encouragement have you received to pursue ministry?
What has been your involvement in the local church?
What have been some of your most significant learning experiences?
Applicants are also asked to disclose any serious medical conditions in their autobiographical letter. This information is important to ensure that CRTS prepares to meet, as much as feasible, each student’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. The institution wishes to ensure that its facilities and environment promote the progress of all students. This letter should be sent in electronically with your application form.
International students should submit their application documents by January 31 in order for them to have enough time to apply for a study permit. Applications from Canadian students should be received no later than March 15. If this deadline cannot be met for some reason, please contact the Registrar.
Yes. There is a $50 application fee payable at the time of application. Your application will not be considered until the fee has been paid and all application documents are received. Please note that payment of the application fee does not guarantee acceptance into a CRTS program.
Finances and Housing FAQs
CRTS does not offer any scholarships or financial aid. However, members of the Canadian Reformed Churches may apply for financial aid through the Needy Student Fund of the Canadian Reformed Churches. Please contact the Registrar for more information.
CRTS owns the house beside the seminary for single students. The administrative office can offer assistance in finding suitable housing for other students. Further details can be found here.
The cost of living varies for each person as situations are different. For a general guideline to the cost of living in Hamilton, please see here.
Other FAQs
Please see here for details on requesting a transcript.
