In seminary
Studying is not the same as being credentialed — mind both tracks.
You're already in a divinity school or seminary — perhaps you enrolled before sorting out candidacy, or you're testing the call by studying first. Either is fine, and more common than people admit.
The thing to watch is that the academic track and the conference's candidacy track are two different processes. Your degree progress does not automatically advance your credentialing.
What to actually do next.
- 1
Contact your home conference's Board now
If you haven't entered candidacy, write to your district superintendent and begin — don't wait until you graduate.
- 2
Map degree requirements against Board requirements
Sit down with both lists side by side. Ask your Board's registrar what they require beyond the M.Div.
- 3
Decide elder vs. deacon before residency
Your courses, field education, and the Board's process all bend around this choice. Settle it with your mentor while you still have electives.
- 4
Find your candidacy mentor and a field-ed setting that fits your call
when you're readyLet your placements test the form of ministry you think you're headed toward.
The things worth naming honestly.
Your school and your conference are separate
Seminary grants the degree; your annual conference grants the credentials. You have to tend both relationships deliberately.
Candidacy has its own clock
Boards expect certain steps (certification, Board approval) on their timeline, not your registrar's. Starting candidacy late can delay commissioning even with a degree in hand.
Where you study can matter for credentials
The UMC asks for some coursework from approved settings. If your school isn't a UMC seminary, confirm what your Board requires before you're surprised.
Keep these in view.
- A degree alone does not make you commissioned — start candidacy early.
- If your seminary isn't UMC-affiliated, verify your Board's coursework requirements now.
- Use field education to test the call, not just to check a box.
Your annual conference is the on-ramp.
Candidacy is run by your annual conference. We've mapped the on-ramps for Rio Texas and North Georgia — and how to find yours if it isn't listed yet.