The purpose of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) is to train, educate and prepare ministers of the gospel for more faithful service. SBTS is an institution of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) that is supported by the Cooperative Program (CP), a giving strategy for contribution and distribution. CP funds support the denominational task of preparing biblically-trained Southern Baptist ministers, subsidizing approximately half of the institutional cost for all Southern Baptist students. SBTS students not identified with the SBC benefit from comparatively lower costs afforded by CP funding.

There are two ways that students may receive the SBC Tuition Rate:

1. Entitlement (Prior Church Affiliation): If the original Church Recommendation Form comes from an SBC church and indicates active membership for a minimum of one year, that student will automatically qualify for the SBC tuition discount as outlined by SBTS.
2. Southern Baptist Membership Verification Form: Students transferring membership from a non-SBC church to a SBC church, seeking to obtain the SBC tuition rate, must complete the Southern Baptist Membership Verification from (SBCMV) with the requisite signature from their pastor. To obtain the SBCMV:

• The student must identify himself/herself as a Southern Baptist out of conviction, agreeing with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Confession of Baptist distinctives is necessary for qualification.
• The student must be an actively participating, regularly attending member of an SBC church to the extent that their association with the church has allowed. 

The SBCMV form is available from the Admissions Office at Southern Seminary, and must be submitted to the Admissions Office before the first day of the term to which the change in tuition rate will apply. The form is for people who are members of an SBC church or have begun the membership process at an SBC church. If a student is not in either of these categories by the due date, which is the first day of the term, the student will be required to pay non-SBC tuition that semester.