On Jan. 22, 1999 the Concordia Seminary Board of Regents voted to guarantee that tuition costs will be covered in full for all students at Concordia Seminary who are preparing to serve as pastors in The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The tuition costs will be covered through three financial aid sources: (1) gifts from donors to Concordia Seminary, (2) gifts from students' home congregations and (3) grants from students' home districts. The new policy is contingent upon students submitting the necessary financial aid forms and meeting all applicable deadlines.

During the 1995 Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod Convention in St. Louis, the church passed a resolution stipulating that tuition costs for those preparing to serve as pastors should be covered in full. In January 1998 the Concordia Seminary Board of Regents voted to guarantee that tuition costs for new, first-year students would be met in full from the same three sources. It also expressed the desire that this new policy could be extended on a year-by-year, class-by-class basis until all students preparing to be pastors would have their tuition costs covered.

"We are accepting the challenge to extend this policy sooner than initially planned to all of our students who are preparing to be pastors," commented Dr. John F. Johnson, President of Concordia Seminary. "We also are issuing an appeal to the people of God, who have consistently demonstrated their commitment to the preparation of their pastors, to do so with renewed vigor. It is our goal to remove as many obstacles as possible for men who have the desire to serve as pastors, missionaries and chaplains. This new policy, I believe, removes a significant obstacle for many prospective and current Seminary students. I am convinced that it is the right thing to do, and I know that it is consistent with the expressed will of the church."

"Faithful friends who support our students through such avenues as the Adopt-A-Student program and endowments are what really made this commitment possible," said Leonard Fiedler, Vice President for Development. "Continued gifts will allow us to sustain this commitment in future years as we anticipate increasing numbers of students enrolling to meet the growing demand for additional pastors."

Prospective students who wish to learn more about the new financial aid policy are urged to contact the Financial Aid Office at 314-505-7202 or the Admissions Office at 1-800-822-9545. Those who wish to assist this effort through a gift to Concordia Seminary are urged to contact the Development Office at 1-800-822-5287. All three offices also may be reached via e-mail ([email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]).