The Cambridge Dictionary defines innovation as “the creating and use of new ideas or methods.” In the realm of finance and student tuition at Winebrenner Theological Seminary, innovation is put into practice by abandoning the traditional per credit hour charge in favor of a flat tuition fee of $1,200 per trimester. This $1,200 charge may be spread out over four months resulting in a monthly charge of $300. Believing that a monthly charge of $300 would be manageable for most students, beginning with the fall trimester in 2023, Winebrenner discontinued offering federal student loans. Certainly, a new idea for Winebrenner and higher education as many students rely on debt to finance higher education. Winebrenner relies on both student tuition and donor contributions to fund operations, attempting to be a lean as possible on expenses while recognizing the value of its employees. Biblical stewardship and transparency are guide words when innovating and as a member of the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability (ECFA), any innovations in finance must be weighed against ECFA’s Integrity Standards (found here).
- Tom Weaver, Director of Finance
[…] our tuition model to $300 per month. You can read more about that here (I will link the url) (https://winebrenner.edu/2025/04/07/the-road-to-innovation-tuition/). This change reflects our belief that education should be attainable for all, and financial […]