CSP announces tuition guarantee for church work students

The church work tuition guarantee at Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., ensures eligible students enrolled in church work programs will pay no more than $6,000 in tuition each academic year. (CSP)

Beginning in Fall 2021, full-time students at Concordia University, St. Paul (CSP), St. Paul, Minn., who pursue a course of study leading to a degree in church work will pay no more than $6,000 in tuition each academic year. The new guaranteed rate, announced in December, is available for all incoming and current full-time church work students enrolled in any of the following CSP programs:

Director of Christian Education

Director of Christian Outreach

Director of Parish Music

Lutheran Classroom Teacher

Pre-Deaconess

Pre-Seminary

Scholarships and grants from a student’s home congregation, LCMS district and local community may be stacked on top of this guarantee to further reduce the cost of tuition and living expenses.

CSP President Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich said the tuition guarantee is intended to give “even more students … the opportunity to prepare to serve in LCMS congregations and schools. We pray that this university-wide investment will be joyfully received by the church and again demonstrate CSP’s deep commitment to making known the Good News of Jesus Christ on campus, throughout the LCMS and around the world.”

A CSP press release about the new guarantee said, “With this move, [CSP] addresses concerns about church worker indebtedness, a key barrier for those exploring church work professions, and continues to provide a high-quality education led by experienced faculty. This expanded commitment to accessibility and affordability for future church professionals is made possible due to the support of generous benefactors and careful management of the university’s financial resources.”

CSP Christian Ministry major and Director of Christian Education program student Madison Patrow (’22) of Grand Rapids, Minn. said, “When I was first told about the tuition guarantee, my jaw dropped. This is an extraordinary gift … [and] another example of the amazing dedication and care CSP faculty and staff have for their students, during and after our time at Concordia. … I am incredibly grateful.”

The Rev. Dr. Mark Koschmann, chair of CSP’s Department of Theology and Ministry, noted that, in addition to the tuition guarantee, CSP continues to offer three full-tuition scholarships each year to students entering church work programs.

Founded in 1893, CSP is an institution of the Concordia University System with more than 5,500 students representing all 50 states and 29 countries.​ For more information, visit ​csp.edu​.

Posted Feb. 25, 2021