Evangelical Theological Seminary

What Evangelical Theological Seminary does

Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETS) is a non-profit theological institution operating as the academic unit of Asian Christian Academy of India (ACA), a society registered in Karnataka in 1978. The seminary delivers postgraduate theological education at the Master's and Doctoral levels through two primary channels: residential on-campus programs at its Hosur, Tamil Nadu campus, and online distance-learning programs (M.A. in Christian Studies and Post-Graduate Diploma in Biblical Studies) for working ministers who cannot relocate. The product portfolio spans eight credentials — M.Th. (with three specialization tracks), MDIV, MABS, MACC, MACS, PGDBS, D.Min., and Ph.D. — with programs at the master's level and the D.Min. accredited by the Asia Theological Association since 2017; Ph.D. accreditation is being pursued.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through tuition and program fees, charged at modest Indian-rupee price points (e.g., Rs. 3,500 per online module and approximately Rs. 20,000 per year for D.Min.), reflecting the institution's non-profit, ministry-oriented model rather than a market-rate commercial pricing structure. Marketing and distribution rely on the ETS website, ETSCast multimedia platform (English, Tamil, Nepali content), Facebook, church and ministry networks, and two academic journals (The Asian Biblical Expositor and ETS Journal). Key customers are individual Christian ministers, pastors, and theological educators across India and Asia, with the MACC program delivered in partnership with Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), under which DTS faculty teach counseling courses and issue transcripts for that portion of the degree. The business is operated with approximately 33 staff and around 13 teaching faculty, suggesting a small, institutionally constrained operating footprint.

Name

Evangelical Theological Seminary

Legal name

Evangelical Theological Seminary (a unit of Asian Christian Academy of India)

Website

https://ets-india.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Evangelical Theological Seminary is a non-profit theological institution in Hosur, India, operating as the academic unit of Asian Christian Academy. It delivers accredited Master's and Doctoral theological programs via residential and online channels to Christian ministers, pastors, and theological educators across India and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Religious Reference & Study Tools Publishing (Commentaries, Concordances, Lexicons) (MPAJAHAL)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Seminary programs
• Biblical studies
• Pastoral training
• Distance learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Hosur

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Doctor of Ministry Tuition: D.Min. program costs approximately Rs. 20,000 per year for the semi-cohort program with five residential modules over four to five years.
2. Online Program Fees: Online programs charge 3,500 INR per module. M.A. in Christian Studies has 20 modules over 5 years; PGDBS has 8 modules over 2 years.
3. Residential Program Tuition: Residential programs including MACC, MABS, MDIV, and MTH charge tuition for multi-year degree programs spanning 2-4 years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETS) delivers postgraduate theological education at the Master's and Doctoral levels through both residential programs at its Hosur, Tamil Nadu campus and online distance learning programs. Core offerings include M.Th., MDIV, MABS, MACS (online), PGDBS (online), D.Min., Ph.D., and MACC (in partnership with Dallas Theological Seminary), with emphasis on Biblical Studies, Bible Exposition, biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew), and Theological Studies.

Product overview

Evangelical Theological Seminary (ETS) offers a comprehensive theological education portfolio with residential and online programs at Master's and Doctoral levels. The core offerings include Master of Theology (M.Th., 4-year residential with three tracks), Master of Divinity (MDIV, 3-year residential), Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MABS, 2-year residential), Master of Arts in Christian Studies online (MACS, 5-year online), Post Graduate Diploma in Biblical Studies online (PGDBS, 2-year online), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min., 4-5 year semi-residential), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D., 4-year residential). A distinctive offering is the Master of Arts in Christian Counselling (MACC) in partnership with Dallas Theological Seminary. Supporting these academic programs are ETS Cast (media platform with podcasts, sermons, videos in multiple languages, and blog) and two academic journals—The Asian Biblical Expositor and the ETS Journal—creating an integrated ecosystem for theological education and church resource dissemination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Theology (M.Th.)

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA) since 2017
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETS partnered with Dallas Theological Seminary to offer the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling (MACC) program. All counseling courses are taught by DTS faculty, while Bible and theology courses are taught by qualified ETS faculty. DTS provides transcripts for completed counseling courses and certificates of completion. Limited to 12-15 seats annually.
• Asia Antioch SeminaryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAsia Antioch Seminary serves as an examination center for ETS entrance exams, hosting Phase 2 of the entrance examination at their Guwahati Campus.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS): SAIACS is a Bangalore-based evangelical/postgraduate theological seminary offering M.Th. and Ph.D. programs in biblical and theological studies. Directly comparable to ETS in location (South India), doctrinal tradition (evangelical), and degree portfolio, and is even mentioned in ETS faculty credentials.
• India Theological Seminary (ITS): ITS Pune is one of India's oldest evangelical seminaries offering M.Div. and M.Th. programs. Comparable in tradition (evangelical), target audience (Indian pastors and Christian workers), and postgraduate theological focus to ETS.
• Union Biblical Seminary (UBS): UBS is a postgraduate evangelical seminary in Pune offering M.Div., M.Th., and D.Min. with both residential and extension programs. Comparable to ETS in target market, doctrinal tradition, and blended residential-extension delivery model.
• Hindustan Bible Institute and College: HBI Chennai offers M.Div., M.Th., and Ph.D. programs in biblical studies from an evangelical perspective. Comparable as a South India-based seminary producing theological faculty, and cited in multiple ETS faculty biographies as a degree-granting institution.
• South India Baptist Bible College and Seminary: South India Baptist Bible College and Seminary is a Baptist evangelical institution in Coimbatore offering undergraduate and graduate theological programs. Comparable in evangelical tradition, South Indian location, and mentions of faculty alumni in ETS management biographies.

Emerging players

• ACTS Academy of Theology and Continuing Studies: ACTS is a Singapore-based evangelical seminary affiliated with Asia Theological Association that offers distance and extension M.Div./M.Th./D.Min. programs across Asia. Comparable as an ATA-accredited seminary operating in the same pan-Asian evangelical distance-learning space that ETS's online programs target.

Regional players

• Serampore College: Serampore College (and affiliated Serampore University) is one of India's oldest Christian colleges in West Bengal offering theological degrees through Senate of Serampore College. Comparable as an India-based theological degree-granting institution, though rooted in a different (Baptist/BMS) tradition and serving an overlapping but distinct student base.

Broad incumbents

• Dallas Theological Seminary: DTS is a large, well-established US-based evangelical seminary that operates a partnership program with ETS (MACC). Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same theological education space, with much larger scale, multiple delivery formats, and decades of brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/etsaca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/etsofaca

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Evangelical Theological Seminary