Grace School of Theology

About Grace School of Theology

Grace School of Theology began as Houston Theological Seminary after receiving a Texas certificate of incorporation on May 29, 2001. Its first students took classes in Greater Houston churches in fall 2002, and the institution adopted its present name in 2003. It describes itself as private, nondenominational, and governed by a Board of Trustees. Its headquarters moved to The Woodlands in 2012, after online teaching began in 2008. This is a specialized Christian institution rather than a comprehensive university. Its educational identity is rooted in an evangelical free-grace tradition and a plain, normal, and literal approach to biblical interpretation. That perspective shapes the curriculum and community expectations, although the admissions material says students need not agree with every aspect of the institution’s theological position if they acknowledge and respect it. Grace holds institutional accreditation through the Association of Theological Schools, reaffirmed through March 31, 2035. It also reports accredited status with the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, and participation in NC-SARA for interstate distance education. The institution’s official history records undergraduate accreditation in 2013, the launch of the Doctor of Ministry in 2015, and the launch of the PhD in 2025. An active Fall 2026 registration cycle and published 2026–27 academic dates demonstrate continuing operation. Prospective students should understand that Grace is designed principally for biblical, theological, church, and ministry formation; it is not a match for someone seeking the wide subject choice, research infrastructure, or residential experience of a conventional multidisciplinary university.

Admission is program-specific and explicitly faith-based. Undergraduate applicants must identify as Christians who have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and ordinarily present a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. The undergraduate application includes an admissions essay, official secondary and any postsecondary transcripts, one personal recommendation, one pastoral or church recommendation, government-issued photo identification, and a spousal statement when applicable. Applicants unable to document high-school completion may be required to pass a third-party Ability to Benefit test. Master’s applicants need a bachelor’s degree from a USDE-accredited institution or its equivalent and an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.0. They submit an essay, official postsecondary transcripts, personal and church recommendations, identification, and any applicable spousal statement. More advanced programs impose additional preparation. The ThM normally requires an MDiv of at least 90 credits or equivalent, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and prior Greek and Hebrew. Published DMin requirements include a qualifying MDiv or equivalent, normally three years of post-MDiv ministry experience, ongoing ministry engagement, and a substantial research-writing sample. For applicants to English-language programs whose first language is not English, Grace uses iTEP as its official placement instrument and considers approved alternative examinations. The separate Grace English Language Program can support eligible applicants and students, but it is non-degree preparation rather than admission to a degree by itself. For Fall 2026, the official calendar lists module-specific application deadlines rather than one universal annual deadline: July 3 for Module 1 and September 18 for Module 2. Applicants should confirm the deadline, delivery format, language requirements, transfer evaluation, and any program-specific documents directly with admissions before submitting.

Grace’s credit-bearing portfolio spans undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education. Undergraduate options include an Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, alongside certificate and diploma pathways. Graduate offerings shown on the current academics page are the Master of Ministry, Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Counseling, Master of Divinity, and Master of Theology. Doctoral study includes the Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Philosophy. The Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies is a 120-credit program designed for four years of full-time study. Its published structure combines 30 hours of general education with 90 hours of biblical and theological coursework. The curriculum emphasizes Bible exposition, systematic theology, interpretation, research writing, and practical ministry. The stated applications are local churches, missions, and other Christian settings, making this a purpose-built degree rather than a general humanities major. The master’s programs provide several levels of ministry and theological preparation. Applicants considering the Master of Theology should note its advanced prerequisites: an MDiv of at least 90 credit hours or equivalent, a 3.0 GPA, and prior Greek and Hebrew study, with limited provision to complete missing language work. At doctoral level, the PhD in Theological Studies was approved by ATS in 2025 as a five-year experimental offering using synchronous online coursework, comprehensive examinations, research languages, and a dissertation. All courses are advertised as fully accessible online. Students also receive remote access to theological books, ebooks, journals, specialist databases, library training, and a Canvas-based Writing Center. This delivery model can suit working ministers and geographically dispersed learners, but students should compare synchronous participation, field or ministry expectations, and program-specific residency requirements before enrolling.

Key Highlights

• Private nonprofit, nondenominational theological institution governed by a Board of Trustees
• Incorporated in Texas in 2001; first classes began in 2002
• ATS institutional accreditation reaffirmed through March 31, 2035
• Active Fall 2026 registration and 2026–27 academic calendar

Student Life & Environment

Student experience at Grace is closely tied to its Christian mission and to a cohort that may participate from many locations. The school describes discipleship and mentorship as central to online student success, while new-student orientation is offered at the main location and online. Community life therefore appears to rely substantially on classes, mentoring, ministry relationships, and digital interaction rather than the large-scale clubs, athletics, and entertainment associated with a residential university. Academic support is concrete and accessible at a distance. Enrolled students receive online library access through Canvas, including theological books, ebooks, journals, and research databases. Library training videos help students use those collections. An online Writing Center provides guidance on Turabian documentation and sample research papers, and a writing tutor is available in person, by email, and by telephone. Grace Coaching Services also offers research, writing, reading, and study support. Separate contacts are published for admissions, registration, billing, student success, library assistance, and technical support. The institution’s faith commitments meaningfully shape participation. Applicants must identify as Christians, and students are expected to acknowledge and respect Grace’s doctrinal position and engage disagreements collegially. That environment may appeal to students seeking explicitly evangelical formation, but it warrants careful review by applicants whose beliefs differ. The current official pages do not provide a verified institutional housing offer or a conventional residential-life description. Students planning to attend activities in The Woodlands should therefore ask Grace directly about attendance expectations and make their own housing, transportation, and daily-living arrangements unless the institution confirms otherwise.

Location & Surroundings

Grace’s main administrative offices are at 2700 Technology Forest Boulevard, Suite 225, in The Woodlands, Texas. The official history says the headquarters contains classrooms, faculty offices, and the main library. This differs from the database record’s Conroe city, so prospective visitors should use the current official address rather than assuming the listed database city is the teaching location. The Woodlands is part of the wider Houston metropolitan area, which places the school near a large and diverse urban region while retaining a suburban headquarters setting. Grace’s history emphasizes a distributed model: its earliest classes met in Greater Houston churches, it began online delivery in 2008, and it later developed teaching activity in other Texas locations and internationally. Current applicants should confirm whether any site outside The Woodlands is authorized for their particular language, degree, and term rather than relying on historical site lists. Location is less decisive here than at a traditional residential college because every course is advertised as accessible online. Students considering in-person participation should still investigate commuting, local accommodation, parking, and the frequency of required meetings. Grace’s public pages reviewed for this profile do not establish institution-provided housing, dining, or campus transportation.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Grace’s current tuition page prices both undergraduate and graduate credit at $400 per credit hour, DMin credit at $500, and PhD credit at $600. It states that these rates apply to online and on-campus students. Recurring charges include a $40 administration fee per course and a $100 technology fee per semester. The listed application fee is $55. Certain programs require additional costs; for example, Logos Bible Software is listed at $205 for the MABS, MDiv, and ThM. Doctoral students may also face binding, filing, extension, and graduation charges. These published prices were current on the page reviewed in August 2026, but students should obtain a personalized total for their intended credit load and term. The financial-aid office states that eligible programs can participate in federal Title IV aid, with exceptions that include the Biblical Studies Certificate, Diploma in Biblical Studies, Christian Counseling certificate, and DMin. Grace also publishes information on veterans’ benefits, military tuition assistance, an institutional tuition-assistance program, payment plans, and a spouse audit benefit. Institutional tuition assistance is evaluated by semester and is not guaranteed. The Texas Hazlewood exemption does not apply because Grace is not a Texas public institution. Career preparation is specialized. The BABS is framed around biblical knowledge, interpretation, communication, and service in churches, missions, and other Christian contexts; graduate and doctoral programs similarly emphasize ministry and theological leadership. These pathways may support pastoral, teaching, counseling-related ministry, chaplaincy, missions, or nonprofit service depending on the degree and outside credential requirements. Grace does not supply verified salary or placement claims on the sources used here. Students pursuing licensed counseling, chaplaincy, teaching, or other regulated work should confirm independently whether a chosen program meets the relevant employer, ordination body, state, or professional requirements.