You can inquire at any time during the year about admission to The Rabbinical School. Please contact our Admissions Office at rsadmissions@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8818.

Every prospective student will have a preliminary discussion with  our director of admissions. These discussions include an exploration into your readiness for the program. We can arrange campus visits, which include classes, minyan, and one-on-one study or meetings with students and faculty. Following these preliminary contacts, you may be encouraged to submit a formal application.

How to Apply

Contact the Admissions Office

Before beginning your application, we encourage you to have a preliminary discussion with the admissions office. You can reach us at rsadmissions@jtsa.edu or (212) 678-8818.

Submit Online

  • Completed online application 
  • Official transcripts from all postsecondary studies
  • Three recommendation letters, at least one of which should be academic
  • Completed Hebrew placement exam (provided by the Office of Admissions)
  • Completed text skills exam (information about this modest exam will be provided later in the process)
  • Digital photo

Note on recommendations: Please let your recommenders know whether you have waived your right to view the recommendations should you enroll. Applicants should seek out recommenders who can address their academic qualifications and professional, personal, and religious character.

Required Exams and Score Reports

Important Update for Fall 2024 Admissions

We recognize the challenges some candidates face in completing standardized testing. GRE/MAT or other graduate-level testing results are requested, but if not available, an alternative metric may be offered by the director of Admissions. This shift in our testing policy allows applicants to prepare their application without fear of being disadvantaged in the process. Students who are unable or choose not to submit scores will not be penalized as applicants for fall 2024. Please note that current policies around “waiving” test scores are still in-place for fall 2024 admission.

If you have completed testing, we encourage submission of your scores as this information can be a valuable addition in our review. JTS has always practiced a holistic, individualized approach to reviewing our applicants and selecting individuals who are the best fit for our unique graduate programs. Consideration of an applicant includes many factors beyond test scores; we are confident our applicants will continue to demonstrate those qualities to us through their applications again this year.

  • Applicants choosing to submit test scores should submit official scores on the general test of the GRE (JTS GRE code is 2339) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
  • Official scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Duolingo English Test are still required for applicants whose native language is other than English and who have not been educated at a college where English is the language of instruction. These test scores are valid for two years from the date taken.

Testing may be waived for one of the following reasons and is at the discretion of the admissions director or dean:

  • Applicant is a graduate of List College at JTS with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • Applicant holds a relevant graduate degree from an accredited university and can provide an official transcript that indicates successful completion of all required course work.
  • Applicant has completed non-degree courses at JTS with a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Deadline

Applications for the fall 2024 admission are due Monday, January 22, 2024. Contact us at rsadmissions@jtsa.edu or 212-678-8818 to initiate a conversation.

Financial Aid

Please note that the application for need-based financial aid is separate from the application for admission. Learn more.

Admissions Interview 

The final step in the application process occurs when the candidate, upon the approval of the Faculty Committee, is invited to meet with the Admissions Committee. Interviews are generally scheduled at JTS in February through April.

Applicants from List College  

Students attending JTS’s  List College of Jewish Studies who want to apply to The Rabbinical School should speak with a dean at the earliest opportunity. The dean will direct these students to the courses that will best prepare them for entry into The Rabbinical School and which may secure advanced standing for them in the rabbinical program, shortening their time to ordination. Applications from List College students will be considered on the same basis as applications from students in other colleges.

Transferring from Another Rabbinical School

One’s course of rabbinical studies at JTS may be shortened when an applicant has begun studies at another rabbinical school.