As you prepare yourself to be or to continue to be a Christian Public Leader, it is important for you to engage in a variety of areas of ministry leadership development, including tools to be a healthy leader holistically. Luther Seminary’s commitment to you is to provide a variety of opportunities and tools to help you continue growing and forming into a self-aware Christian Public Leader, who recognizes and responds appropriately to the responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges in ministry, including recognizing, developing, and practicing healthy boundaries.

Current students can verify their fulfillment of Non-Degree Requirements under the “My Degree” tab on MyLutherNet.

• Immunization Form
• Background Check
• Healthy Boundaries Workshop
• Authorization for Release Form
• Annual Title IX Training

Immunization Form

The Immunization Form is required of all students and must be completed within forty-five days of the start of the academic term for which you are registered. Forms submitted via the Admission portal are reviewed and entered at the beginning of every month.

Fill out the top portion of the form and complete the section (Part 1-4) which applies to you (you only need to complete one section). International Students will indicate this information on the Certificate of Health sent by ISSA prior to your arrival on campus. Students should keep a copy of the form for their reference. Do not send your medical records in lieu of the form. Read Immunization Form FAQs here.

DOWNLOAD AND COMPLETE THE IMMUNIZATION FORM.

Return the completed, signed form to studentaffairs@luthersem.edu or: 
Student Affairs
Luther Seminary
2481 Como Ave
St. Paul MN 55108

Minnesota Law (M.S. 135A.14) requires proof that all students born after 1956 and enrolled in a public or private post-secondary school in Minnesota are vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and rubella, allowing for certain specified exemptions. The statue excludes students who are only enrolled in online courses; however, if you are ever planning to come to campus for a course (ex: RFS, Intensive), submit the form. This form is designed to provide the school with the information required by the law and will be available for review by the Minnesota Department of Health and the local community health board.

As outlined by the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO), student immunization records collected by schools are deemed education records, and are thus exempt from HIPAA, the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and the HIPAA Security Rule.

Submit a Background Check

Background checks are required of all students in every degree program by the end of their first semester. 

The background check will include a social security trace, a seven-year period covering a criminal history database search, a county and federal record criminal check, and a national sex offender database search. Payment of the fee for the background check will be the responsibility of the student.

There is more than one method to fulfill this requirement:

• Grant permission for your ELCA synod or denominational judicatory body to send a copy of your most recent background check to Luther Seminary, Student Affairs office. We will accept the summary page of the Background Check indicating the date the check was completed and the final results, thus keeping the full, detailed report in the synod. The Background Check must cover the required searches noted above.
• Complete a background check by logging into Castle Branch at www.castlebranch.com  and follow these instructions.
  • Click on the ‘Place Order’ button in the upper right-hand corner of the page. Next, enter the Package Code LU20 in the box to continue. Students are responsible to pay the $50 fee.
  • The Student Affairs office automatically receives notice of completed checks and processes them in a batch at the beginning of each month.
    
• International Students: International students who were granted a student visa by a U.S. Consulate or Embassy and have not previously been in the U.S. may have fulfilled this requirement; contact the International Student and Scholar Affairs (ISSA) office to verify.

Luther Seminary can only share a Background Check that was initiated through our provider, Castlebranch, with written permission (contact Student Affairs for the form). We can’t share a background check that originated from another entity (for example, a synod). 

Complete a Healthy Boundaries Workshop

Workshops are required of every student in a degree or certificate program.

Luther Seminary hosts free workshops for both returning and incoming students based on the academic calendar. Note that this is Part I of a two-part non-credit degree requirement for all students. Students will register for the first part during Orientation.

Documentation of successful participation will be noted in a student’s record. Students should make a copy/save a PDF of their participation certificate for future use. Many CPE and internship sites will require you to show proof of having completed such a training.

Master of Divinity

Internship placement will not be possible without documentation of successful participation in such a workshop. For M.Div. students who have the internship requirement waived, completion of the workshop is required for registration for senior-level courses.

Master of Arts

Students need to complete the workshop prior to the semester in which they intend to complete their academic program.

Advanced Theological Education

Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy students need to complete a workshop prior to graduation.

Authorization for Release Form

For all students in a candidacy process, Luther Seminary must have your signed permission before releasing information to your denominational judicatory.  If students change denominational affiliation while enrolled, a new Authorization for Release form must be submitted.

The form is included in the admission application. Current students needing to update the Authorization can submit this form online on MyLutherNet→ Registration Tab→ Forms→ Authorization for Release (on the right-hand side). Questions may be directed to candidacy@luthersem.edu.

Complete Title IX Training (annually)

Title IX Training is an annual requirement for the Luther Seminary community. Further information for Fall Semester 2024 will be forthcoming. Questions should be directed to Kenneth A. Reynhout, the Title IX Coordinator.

As Luther Seminary fulfills our mission to educate leaders for Christian communities, we are committed to a work and learning environment free of harassment. To demonstrate our commitment and fulfill the requirements of the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act of 2013, we are required to have every faculty member, staff member, and student complete a sexual harassment prevention training program.

This education will empower you to make well-informed decisions about issues that affect your years at Luther Seminary and beyond.