Third Cycle: Doctorate in Sacred Theology

Admission and New Student Registration Information

Prerequisites: S.T.D. Program

In order to be admitted as an ordinary student to the S.T.D. program (“Third Cycle”), the following prerequisites must first be completed/obtained:

1. A Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) degree, with a grade point average that is sufficient for admission to the Third Cycle, according to the standards of the Institute which granted the S.T.L.. Students who received the S.T.L. from the Angelicum are admitted if they have achieved at least an 8.5/10 average in their courses, as well as an 8.5/10 for both their tesina and the final exam (Lectio Coram).

2. A suitable and sufficient knowledge of (1) the form and syntax of Latin, and (2) English or Italian. See “Language Requirements” below.

3. The prospective STD student must present his/her suggestion concerning the field of research and a tentative topic to the Coordinator of the Section to ensure that the Faculty has a professor who can serve as Moderator of the dissertation. The lack of an appropriate expert in a given field of theology or a lack of the professor who can direct a dissertation in a proposed language (other than English and Italian) may lead to the rejection of the application. The Coordinator of the Section then fills out the STD Admission Form (provided by the Dean’s Office) and communicates his/her approval to the Vice Dean responsible for the STD program who approves – on behalf of the Dean – the admission of the STD candidate.

Language requirements

English / Italian

All candidates who want to study at the Angelicum are required to demonstrate at the time of registration proof of B1 level in all language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) in the language that will be their main language of instruction (Italian or English).
All students who do not reach at least the B1 level at the time of initial registration will remain registered as ad tempus extraordinary students until they reach the B1 level in their main language of instruction by the end of their first year of study. Ad tempus extraordinary students can attend all the courses and take the exams in the scheduled sessions, just like the ordinary students. If a student does not reach the B1 level by the beginning of his/her second year of studies, the student will not be permitted to continue studies at the Angelicum.
Those students for whom their mother tongue is not their primary language of instruction (Italian or English) are required to take the Angelicum’s own language proficiency exam. Language proficiency exams will be held three times during the academic year, for both Italian and English: in October (during the registration period), in February (during the registration period), and in May (at the end of classes). Students must be regularly registered at the Angelicum in order to take the language proficiency exam. If an ad tempus extraordinary student does not take the examination, he/she will not have fulfilled the language requirement. Upon request, other examination sessions at a time of the student’s own choosing may be organized at an additional cost to the student.
All students must attain the B2 level in their main language of instruction to be admitted to their ad gradus exam (Bachelor’s, Licentiate, Doctorate). The student must demonstrate the B2 level by sitting for the language proficiency exam offered by the Angelicum. Students may contact the Faculty of Theology to register for this exam via this online form.

Latin

By the end of S.T.B. studies, all theology students are to have suitable knowledge of the form and syntax of the Latin language. As a result, students must achieve a level of competency to be able to understand and make use of the theological sources that are in Latin, with only the aid of a Latin dictionary. Relative to the Latin courses found within the Faculty of Philosophy, this means that theology students must complete a minimum of Latin I, II, III, and IV, which they may do without paying an additional fee. Alternatively, applicants and current students are encouraged to find outside sources (i.e., other universities or institutes) which can provide a faster track toward this equivalent competency.

Other

If competency in the reading of primary source material in other secondary languages is necessary for their dissertation research, S.T.D. students must achieve this competency as part of their individual Plan of Studies, as determined by the Faculty.

First-time registration for students who are new to the Angelicum

STEP #1

If you would like to consider applying for the S.T.D. program at the Angelicum, please fill-out this form. Once you complete the form, we will reply to you right away.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact us here.
Please also note that applicants are requested to make their application to the Faculty of Theology no later than 10 Settember (for Fall registrations) or 10 January (for Spring registrations).

STEP #2

Make sure you have all the documents/materials required to register via our Angelicum online Portal. You will need to upload a digital (scanned) copy of all of the required documents (listed below). Here is a list of all the documents that you will need to upload on our online Portal:

A. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETED STUDIES/ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS, including: a) academic title; b) number of years of study completed; c) content of studies (courses); d) credits; e) grades obtained.

a. We accept the diploma or certification of completed studies/academic transcripts in the following languages: Italian, English, Spanish, Latin, and French. If your diploma/certification/transcripts is not in one of these languages, in additional to submitting the original transcripts, you must submit an official translation of these documents into either Italian or English.

B. COURSE DESCRIPTIONS should be submitted contemporaneously with the incoming academic transcripts. If there is uncertainty concerning course equivalence, the Faculty of Theology will request course descriptions from the applicant in order to complete the evaluation of transcripts. Therefore, applicants should be especially attentive to course titles on their transcripts that do not obviously correspond to the course titles of what might be the equivalent course at the Angelicum, or if there is reasonable cause to believe that the Dean’s Office may not be able to judge equivalence based solely on a course title. For greater convenience, applicants may simply supply a PDF of their University’s/Institute’s entire Handbook of Studies/Academic Catalogue.

C. If the applicant has attended an Ecclesiastical Faculty, or an Affiliate, Aggregate, or Higher Institute of Religious Sciences linked with a pontifical university, or an institution that is by some other agreement recognized by the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the applicant should submit a STATEMENT OF ATTESTATION indicating this fact. The statement of attestation would be acquired from the Secretariat of the student’s home institution. This statement of attestation may be uploaded in the Portal under the Transcripts section. Otherwise, this may be sent as an attachment to an email to the Secretary of the Faculty of Theology ([email protected]).

D. Copy of a VALID IDENTITY DOCUMENT (photo page of passport / ID)

E. Copy of the CODICE FISCALE (Mandatory for all Italian students and the EU and non-EU students who have it. Non-EU students are not required to have a codice fiscale). The Codice Fiscale is an alphanumerical number given for tax purposes. It is most commonly found on one’s Italian National Health Insurance Card (Tessera Sanitaria) or on the Permesso di Soggiorno. For information on obtaining one, please contact the Student Office: [email protected].

F. OFFICIAL LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION/AUTHORIZATION from: [see example letters here in English and Italian]

For clerics or seminarians: from their Bishop or the Rector of the student’s College of residence.
For diocesan seminarians / priests residing in Rome in a non-authorized College: issued by the Vicariate of Rome.
For Secular or Religious priests living outside the Diocese of Rome: from their own Ordinary, presenting the nihil obstat, which proves their diocesan incardination, or affiliation to a particular religious institute, and the place of their habitual residence. The nihil obstat is an official authorization of validity of an ecclesiastical document; in this case, that of the Bishop’s recommendation.
For religious: from one’s Major Superior;
Lay students: are required to have a letter of recommendation from some ecclesial person (for example, a cleric or pastor). The brief letter of recommendation must be on letterhead, signed, and with an official seal (“timbro”) of the signer.

G. PASSPORT-SIZE PHOTOGRAPH IN DIGITAL FORM (WITH PLAIN BACKGROUND)

H. Certificate for the course – SAFEGUARDING: MISSION AND COMMITMENT OF THE CHURCH: All students of the Angelicum are required to either provide documentation of safeguarding training to [email protected] or to attend a safeguarding course offered at the beginning of each semester. Students will receive notification from the Angelicum, and students can sign up online for the session in either Italian or English. For more information, please contact: [email protected].

STEP #3

Once the Dean’s Office has indicated to you that you may proceed to the Portal, please do so. At this point, please create an account and begin the student application on the Angelicum’s online Portal: https://portale.angelicum.it/. Upload all the documents indicated in STEP #2 above. Once you upload all these documents and register via the online Portal, then wait for an final acceptance decision by the Dean. You will receive notification via the Portal once you have been accepted. If the applicant has questions that need to be resolved at this time, he/she may do so by contacting the Secretary of Theology at [email protected].

Please note that you are required to upload your academic transcripts (and course descriptions) to the Angelicum Portal even if you sent them to us previously.

STEP #4

FOR NON-EU CANDIDATES WHO NEED A STUDENT VISA (TYPE “D”) FROM THE LOCAL ITALIAN CONSULATE OF THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Once you have been informed of your acceptance, please request the following from the Faculty by emailing the Secretary of the Faculty of Theology at [email protected]:

Letter of Acceptance

To attain this certificate, priests, seminarians, and lay students must:
- Contact their Italian Embassy to ask:
  - for specific requirements as to the language of the Letter (Italian or English);
  - whether the Embassy requires the vidimazione (i.e., endorsement) from the Vatican State of the pre-registration Letter.
- Contacting the Administration Office at [email protected], pay for the cost of the Letter (choose one option below):
  - 1. The Letter only: 5 euro + shipping: 45 euro.
  - 2. The Letter with Vatican vidimazione (no shipping): 45 euro.
  - 3. The letter with Vatican vidimazione (with shipping): 85 euro.
- Submit a shipping address to the Secretary of the Faculty of Theology.

STEP #5

Return to Angelicum’s online Portal and select the courses you must take. The Dean’s office will review your course selections, and either modify them to accurately reflect your individual Plan of Studies, or immediately approve your selection of courses. You will receive notice via the Portal once the Dean’s Office has approved your Plan of Studies.

If you need to meet with the Vice Dean to ask a specific question about the selection of course and course options, please fill-out a request here.
If you wish to make a request to be dispensed for any course or seminar, please make that request here.

STEP #6

After the Dean’s office approves and confirms all your courses via the Portal, you must then pay all academic fees for the semester or full year (or at least the minimum deposit amount of €250.00 for the semester). Payments can be made online or in-person at the Administration Office by (1) credit/debit card, (2) bank transfer, or (3) by mail. Online payments may be made here.

Permesso di soggiorno - Certificate of Enrollment

Non-EU students must register with the State of Italy within eight days of arrival in Rome and request the Permesso di Soggiorno. In order to apply for a Permesso di Soggiorno, the student will need a Certificate of Enrollment requested from the office of the Secretariat General ([email protected]). The office will not prepare the certificate until the student has completed registration with the Dean’s Office and paid the fees of one full semester.

Policy on the transfer of students from other Institutions

Tuition fees

Payments can be made online or in-person at the Administration Office by (1) credit/debit card, (2) bank transfer, or (3) by mail. Online payments may be made here.