Applicant Requirements


  • You must be a citizen of the United States of America. 
  • You must be a resident of:

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee or West Virginia.
Students must have lived in one of these states for a minimum of twelve months immediately prior to entering any educational institution.  You cannot establish residency while you are a student.  The Trustees reserve the right to determine residency. 

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required of applicants.

  • See eligible schools tab.
  • See eligible degree programs tab. 
  • You must be preparing to enter the Baptist ministry or religious work in the Baptist denomination as defined in the application and as determined by the Board of Trustees.  
  • You must be a member of a Baptist church affiliated with a recognized national, state or local Baptist convention or association. Applicants are required to upload a letter or e-mail from their church pastor or other ministerial staff member verifying the applicant is a church member, the date the applicant joined the church, the church's denomination and national, state or local Baptist convention or association. Applicants are unable to apply without uploading this information.
  • You must attend at least one class on the main campus of the eligible institution, a hybrid class, an equip class, class at an extension center, practicum or mentored internship class each semester. A hybrid class must meet on-campus at least once during the semester to qualify. Zoom or other virtual platforms are not considered as on-campus time for Keesee grant purposes. Equip and extension center classes must be endorsed by the eligible school, taught in person by a professor approved by the eligible school and at a location approved by the eligible school in order to be considered. Practicum/Mentored internships must be endorsed by the eligible school.
  • Grants are not available for independent courses, conferences, workshops, seminars, colloquium classes, Competency Based Theological Education (CBTE) classes, synchronous classes in which you are virtually attending or individualized courses. Grants are not available for fully on-line students. Grants are not available for J-term/winter term.
  • Required hours for students in eligible Master’s degree programs:

Full-time students (9 hours or more per semester) may take all courses on-campus, hybrid classes, classes at an extension center, equip classes, practicum or mentored internship courses OR students may take two online courses (6 hours) per semester to be counted toward the 9 hours required to receive the Keesee grant as a full-time student. The remaining course (3 hours) must be taken on-campus, a hybrid class, class at an extension center, equip class, practicum or mentored internship course as defined above. Only required courses toward an eligible degree from an eligible school count as credit for a Keesee grant.

Part-time students may take one online course (3 hours) AND one on-campus course, hybrid course, class at an extension center, equip class, practicum or mentored internship course to receive the Keesee grant. Only required courses toward an eligible degree from an eligible school count as credit for a Keesee grant.

  • You must reapply each year you wish to receive a grant. Grants are available for a maximum of 8 semesters for an eligible Master's degree, 6 semesters for Doctoral degrees and 4 semesters for the BA degree at The College at Southeastern (please see separate tabs).
  • Students must complete the number of hours for which a grant was awarded. Failure to complete your courses (dropping a course) may result in a grant refund being due Keesee Educational Fund.
  • Grants are not available for fully online degrees.
  • Submitting an application does not guarantee approval of a grant.  
  • See separate tabs for Doctor of Ministry/Doctor of Educational Ministry/Doctor of Education/Doctor of Philosophy and students enrolled at The College at SE.