Students with military experience should speak with their the Educational Services Officer (ESO) or counselor  within their military service prior to enrolling.  

All Students
Full-time enrollment requires 12 or more credits.  Part-time enrollment is fewer than 12 credits.
The general criteria for admission are

  1. Submission of the application requirements
    • the completed application,
    • the WELS or ELS pastor’s recommendation,
    • a high school guidance counselor, principal, or teacher’s recommendation form (only for traditional first-year students),
    • transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended, and
    • ACT/SAT results (recommended, but applications can be processed without these results).
  2. Interview with admissions personnel (Interview may be conducted by admissions counselors, the Director of Admissions, or the Admissions Committee. Generally, the interview is in person, but phone or other electronic means may be used.)
  3. Some of the pre-seminary and education program options may have other specific requirements.

How to Apply – Traditional Students
Prospective students may apply online to the Admissions Office. For questions regarding the admissions process, contact the Admissions Office by phone (507-233-9133), by email (admissions@mlc-wels.edu.  ), or by FAX (507-354-8225).

How to Apply – Non-Traditional Education Students
Applicants (married or older than 21) who are interested in any education program should initiate the process with the Director of Admissions. Applicants may be asked to meet with the Admissions Committee.

How to Apply – Non-Traditional Pre-Seminary Students
Applicants (older than 21) who are interested in the Seminary Certification Program should initiate the process by contacting the following.

Dr. Allen Sorum
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary
11831 N. Seminary Dr.
Mequon WI 53092
Phone: (262) 208-0063
Email:  e.a.sorum@wls.edu

Processing the Application
Applications for admission are processed upon receipt of

  • the completed application,
  • the completed recommendation form from the applicant’s WELS or ELS pastor,
  • the completed recommendation form from the applicant’s high school guidance counselor, principal, or a teacher (only for traditional first-year students),
  • the official transcripts from all high schools and colleges attended, and
  • any ACT/SAT results (recommended, but not necessary for processing the application).

The Office of Admissions begins processing applications on September 15 of the preceding academic year. The Martin Luther College Financial Aid Office will send cost and financial aid information directly to applicants.

Communication of Admission Decision
Applicants for admission who have completed the application process will receive written notification of their admission status.

Student Responsibility after Acceptance

  1. A non-refundable deposit of $135 is required to confirm enrollment. If this deposit is received by March 15 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester, $100 of the deposit is applied to the enrollee’s tuition. Deposits received after the specified date are not applied to the enrollee’s financial account.
  2. A completed Martin Luther College report of medical history and immunization record are required and due by July 15 for the fall semester and November 30 for the spring semester.
  3. An official, final high school transcript for applicants admitted to college for the first time is required by August 1 for the fall semester and November 1 for the spring semester.
  4. First-time college students receiving college credit through dual enrollment and students transferring from post-secondary institutions are required to submit official, final transcripts of all post-secondary work completed. The fall semester due date is August 1, and November 1 is the spring semester due date. NOTE: An official, final transcript must come from the institution directly via an electronic transcript service or the USPS.
  5. On rare occasion, a student may arrive on campus after the first day of classes. In-person attendance is required within the first two weeks of the start of the semester.

Validation of Final Transcripts and Diploma Completion after Acceptance
Martin Luther College reserves the right to validate any final high school transcripts, post-secondary transcripts, or proof of a student’s high school completion. A student’s self-certification is not a sufficient validation of documents in question. Martin Luther College reserves the right to verify that any submitted document is valid through any of the following processes.

  1. Check with the high school to confirm the validity of the student’s transcripts or diploma.
  2. Confirm with the relevant department or agency within the state in which the secondary school is located that the secondary school is recognized as a provider of secondary school education.
  3. For students who have completed their secondary schooling outside of the United States, comparable documents may be consulted, or the services of an outside company, to determine the validity of the foreign secondary school credentials.

Martin Luther College reserves the right to deny admission, even if initial acceptance has already been granted, to a student whose academic transcripts or completion documents are not able to be validated as listed above.

Student Appeal of Admission Decision Process
Students denied admission by MLC may appeal. The general objective of an appeal is to bring new information that might not have been available or previously considered, to protest a procedural error or inconsistency in the denial process, or to question the appropriateness of a decision.

The appeal process/grievance procedure must be initiated within 10 calendar days after the denial decision is communicated to the student. The appeal must be made in writing on the Student Appeal/Grievance Form located on the MLC website (www.mlc-wels.edu).

Appeals of denial from the Director of Admissions will be considered by the Admissions Committee. Appeals of denial from the Admissions Committee will be considered by the Vice President for Academics or the Vice President for Administration. Appeals are to be emailed to admissions@mlc-wels.edu or mailed to Admissions, Martin Luther College, 1995 Luther Court, New Ulm MN 56073. The prospective student will be informed of the receipt of the appeal and of the appeal decision in writing. The appeal decision is final.