Ordination Program

All applicants for priestly formation receive sponsorship from a diocese or religious order. The sponsoring diocese or religious order indicates sponsorship in a letter issued to the Seminary Academic Dean. A number of other documents are also required before the Admissions Committee can consider an applicant:
• Completed Application which includes:
Saint Vincent Emergency Medical Form
Saint Vincent Student Information and Publicity Record
• Proof of Medical Insurance
• Sacramental Documentation:
Parents’ Marriage Certificate
Baptismal Certificate
Confirmation Certificate
• Criminal Background Check
• Testimonial letters from previous seminaries or sponsoring dioceses (if applicable)
• Academic Records:
Official Transcripts—high school, college, and graduate school (if applicable). This means official copies of transcripts sent by the College/University directly to the Academic Dean.
• TOEFL Score
International students must submit scores from a recent TOEFL examination unless they
have completed an undergraduate degree with an English language faculty. The Seminary
accepts students who have a score of 550 on the paper examination and 213 on the
computer examination.
• Admission Fee

In addition, all applicants for priestly ordination are required to release the results of recent psychological testing to the Rector. These reports remain confidential and do not become part of the student’s permanent record. Saint Vincent Seminary recommends MMPI2; Rorschach Inkblot; Incomplete Sentence Blank; 6 PF; and a Clinical Interview.
The Seminary also expects applicants to meet the requirements for admission to the Master of Divinity degree program. Thirty credits in philosophy and twelve credits in undergraduate theology are required for priesthood candidates by The Program of Priestly Formation, fifth edition (2006, #161). Students lacking philosophy and religious studies prerequisites can enroll in the Seminary’s pre-theology program.

Degree Programs

From 1870 until today, 326 students have earned the Master of Arts degree. In 1966, the Seminary initiated the divinity degree program and since that time has granted over 400 Master of Divinity degrees. On November 24, 1999, the Congregation for Catholic Education affiliated Saint Vincent Seminary with the ecclesiastical faculty of the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., authorizing the Seminary to grant the Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) through the Dominican House according to the provisions of Sapientia Christiana. This affiliation was renewed on July 25, 2005.
Some of our seminarians take advantage of the opportunity to earn the S.T.B. degree while also earning their Master of Divinity or Master of Arts degree. The dual degree option is also available to those who wish to earn a Master of Divinity degree and Master of Arts degree.
The Seminary has been fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (3624 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680) since 1921. It is also accredited by The Association of Theological Schools (10 Summit Drive, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15275-1103).