Dallas Theological Seminary Announces New “Finishing Strong” Scholarship to Support Master of Theology (ThM) Students

Dallas, TX – December 2024 – Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) is thrilled to introduce the “Finishing Strong” Scholarship, a financial aid initiative designed to ease the path for students pursuing the rigorous four-year Master of Theology (ThM) degree. Recognized as one of the most in-depth theological training programs, the ThM degree at DTS equips students with a comprehensive foundation for ministry, now made even more accessible through this scholarship opportunity.

Beginning in Fall 2025, the Finishing Strong Scholarship provides financial support that increases as students progress, culminating in a final year with zero tuition costs. The tiered structure begins by offering an average scholarship of 25% for the first 72 credit hours, then increases to cover 50% of tuition in the next 24 hours, and finally, provides 100% tuition scholarship for the last 24 hours. With this new model, DTS continues to prioritize affordability while preserving the high standard of theological training the ThM degree represents.

This scholarship initiative is inspired by a generous new endowment fund created by Mr. C. S. Lee and Dr. Keh-Shew Lu, envisioned as a “Third Year Half-off Scholarship.” Lee put both his son and daughter through the ThM at Dallas Theological Seminary. Watching their journey through that program, Lee gained a deep appreciation for the ThM and a strong burden to help other students complete the degree.

In 2016, DTS launched the “Last Year Free” Scholarship, which covers 100% of ThM tuition costs in the degree’s final 24 hours. Lee said, “Since Dallas Theological Seminary already offered the ‘Last Year Free’ ThM scholarship, I felt led to assist in making the third year half-off!” The Lu and Lee Scholarship now ensures students will have at least 50% of their tuition covered in the 24 hours of the program before the Last Year Free scholarship begins. DTS has combined all these financial aid packages into the Finishing Strong Scholarship, which significantly reduces the overall cost of the ThM.

Scholarship Overview

• Stage 1: For the first 72 hours, students may apply for need-based scholarships that average 25% tuition coverage.
• Stage 2: The next 24 hours come with a guaranteed minimum 50% scholarship.
• Stage 3: In the final 24 hours, students receive a 100% tuition scholarship, making their last year tuition-free.

“Through the Finishing Strong Scholarship, we hope to send out a generation of debt-free, biblically centered ministers equipped to meet the dynamic needs of the church and culture,” said Dr. John Dyer, Vice President for Enrollment Services and Educational Technologies. “This scholarship not only makes our ThM program more affordable but also reinforces our commitment to offering a degree that delivers both depth and breadth of ministry training.”

About Dallas Theological Seminary
Founded in 1924, Dallas Theological Seminary exists to equip godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of God’s Word and the building up of the body of Christ worldwide. With a focus on rigorous, biblically centered training, DTS offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for ministry in the church and beyond.