International Seminary

What International Seminary does

International Seminary is a private, non-profit theological education institution and the educational outreach of Tyler Crusades, Inc., a 501(c)(3) church organization. Founded in 1950, it primarily serves working ministers and pastors, with additional constituencies among missionaries, chaplains, Christian workers, Bible teachers, lay leaders, and transfer students. Its educational product is a diploma-to-doctoral ladder anchored by a directed home-study program and supplemented by satellite classes, student representatives, and limited campus instruction.

The core delivery architecture is correspondence-based: students use textbooks and research papers, submit work by regular mail, and communicate with the seminary through phone, email, or fax. The seminary reports that 99% of students complete programs through home study without visiting campus. It also supports life-experience credit, free academic evaluation, nontraditional transcript evaluation, and limited exceptions for doctoral oral defense, but it does not offer internet-based coursework or disclose a software platform, public API, or AI system.

Revenue is generated primarily through fixed program tuition across diploma, associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral offerings, with separate textbook and transcript charges and tax-deductible student donations supporting the 501(c)(3) organization. The go-to-market model is direct to individual students through academic evaluation, enrollment representatives, alumni referrals, and church-based satellite classes. Payment plans and discounts for upfront payment, spouses, missionaries, and qualifying ministers reduce realized revenue per enrollment and distinguish the institution from per-credit residential programs.

Name

International Seminary

Legal name

International Seminary

Website

https://internationalseminary.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Short description

International Seminary is a private nonprofit theological institution serving working ministers, missionaries, chaplains, and lay leaders through correspondence-based diploma and associate-to-doctoral programs, satellite church classes, and limited campus instruction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education / Ministerial Training

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE), Interfaith & Ecumenical Theological Colleges (EDAHAKAL)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Ministerial training
• Distance learning seminary
• Home study theology
• Religious degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth (near Apopka)

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Degree Program Tuition: Tuition fees for associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs. Programs have set tuition costs rather than per-credit pricing. Includes payment plan options.
2. Diploma Program Tuition: Tuition fees for 'Be Successful in Your Ministry' diploma programs (Practical Theology, Advanced Practical Theology, Graduate of Theology). These are non-degree programs that can also count toward degree completion.
3. Textbook Sales: Students purchase textbooks separately from tuition through the Seminary Bookstore. Textbook costs vary by program and student choices.
4. Student Donations: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the seminary accepts donations from alumni and supporters. Contributions are tax-deductible and can be designated for specific uses. The seminary is funded almost entirely by tuition and student donations.
5. Transcript Fees: Official transcripts are available at $5.00 per transcript. Student copies provided upon program completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

International Seminary provides evangelical theological education and ministerial training primarily through directed home study / correspondence, supplemented by satellite classes and a Florida campus. It offers diploma, associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degree programs designed for working ministers who cannot attend traditional on-campus seminary. Coursework is completed via mailed textbooks and research papers, with credit available for prior ministerial experience.

Product overview

International Seminary offers a unified theological education platform providing degree and diploma programs from associate through doctoral levels. The core offering is the directed home studies program, supplemented by satellite class locations and a campus church. Programs include Diploma of Practical Theology, Associate of Arts in Ministerial Studies, Bachelor (Biblical Studies, Ministry, Religious Education, Theology), Master (Arts, Biblical Studies, Divinity, Ministry, Ministry in Christian Counseling), and Doctoral (Theology, Biblical Studies, Ministry, Philosophy, Religious Education) degrees. The seminary also provides the International Ministerial Association for credential endorsement and the Satellite Class Division for local church-based training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• New Vision Community Church: The campus church of International Seminary, started based on the need for a refreshing, vibrant, interdenominational church in the northwest portion of Orange County.

Products and services

• Be Successful in Your Ministry Diploma Programs A three-tier non-degree diploma program providing in-depth education in church and ministry functions, designed for ministers, church leaders, and lay people and often used as an ordination prerequisite. Each tier is a 30 credit hour course of study.
• Associate of Arts in Ministerial Studies A two-year associate degree program for students with a high school diploma or equivalent, awarded upon successful completion of the first two diploma programs, Old and New Testament reading requirements, and a 50-75 page research project.
• Bachelor Degree Programs Four bachelor degree programs (Biblical Studies, Ministry, Religious Education, and Theology) requiring at least 120 semester credit hours and 90 transferable theological credits, with coursework delivered through lecture-based home study.
• Master Degree Programs Five master degree programs (Master of Arts, Master of Biblical Studies, Master of Divinity, Master of Ministry, and Master of Ministry in Christian Counseling) requiring a bachelor degree, a master thesis, and oral defense; standard programs require 45 credit hours, with Master of Divinity requiring 91 credit hours.
• Doctoral Degree Programs Five doctoral degree programs (Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Biblical Studies, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Religious Education) requiring both bachelor and master degrees, comprising 40 semester hours of coursework plus 20 hours of dissertation with a mandatory oral defense.
• Directed Home Studies Program Non-traditional distance education delivery format that allows students to complete bachelor, master, or doctoral degrees without leaving their ministry, using standard textbooks and research papers submitted through regular mail, with 99% of students completing programs entirely via home study.
• International Ministerial Association (Credentialing) Service for International Seminary graduates providing ecclesiastical endorsement for military, law enforcement, hospital, and industrial chaplains, ministerial credentials, and placement/referral services, with more than 350 member ministers across 44 US states.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-95% of graduates experience no problem with degree acceptance for job placement, career advancement, or graduate school acceptance
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Liberty University: Liberty University operates one of the largest online theological and divinity programs in the U.S. with extensive distance undergraduate and graduate ministry degrees. It is the most direct competitor to International Seminary's correspondence-style, affordable ministry training model, though with regional accreditation and vastly larger scale.
• Dallas Theological Seminary: DTS is a well-known evangelical seminary with a Th.M. focus and growing online/distance program in Bible and theology, serving working pastors. It overlaps directly with International Seminary's master-level Bible and ministry programs and competes for the same working-minister segment.
• Moody Bible Institute: Moody is a long-standing evangelical Bible college offering undergraduate and graduate theological education, including distance-learning programs. It competes with International Seminary for students seeking Bible-centered, ministry-focused credentials at scale.
• Regent University: Regent University operates an online College of Arts and Sciences and School of Divinity with regionally accredited distance theological degrees. It is comparable to International Seminary in targeting adult learners and working ministers via non-residential formats, but with broader program scope and accreditation.
• Wesley Biblical Seminary: Wesley Biblical Seminary is a smaller evangelical seminary with online master's programs designed for working ministers. Its size, distance-first delivery, and focus on equipping pastors closely parallel International Seminary's positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary: SBTS is the flagship seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention, offering residential and distance theological degrees at scale. While broader and more established than International Seminary, it competes for the same Bible-believing, ministry-track students and accepts some non-accredited credits.
• Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: MBTS is a regionally accredited SBC seminary with strong online and distance programs in biblical and theological studies. It competes with International Seminary for adult learners seeking accredited, flexible theological education.
• New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary: NOBTS operates one of the largest extension/distance programs in the SBC system, serving pastors across the U.S. Its extension model for working ministers is structurally similar to International Seminary's Satellite Class Division.

Emerging players

• Tyndale University: Tyndale is a Canadian Bible college and seminary with hybrid undergraduate and graduate theology programs. It overlaps with International Seminary in Bible-focused ministry training but serves primarily Canadian students and has broader accreditation.
• Biola University: Biola's Talbot School of Theology offers a mix of residential and online theological degrees and certificates for ministry leaders. While broader and more academically research-oriented than International Seminary, it competes for similar evangelical students seeking flexible Bible and ministry education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Seminary