In order to guarantee complete freedom for Sangre de Cristo Seminary to operate under the Lord of the Church, without any secular influences, the Seminary does not plan to apply for accreditation with any of the secular accrediting agencies. The Seminary is committed to operating with academic and administrative standards equal to or higher than those set by accrediting agencies. These accreditation agencies are the usual means by which a school is recognized by the Federal Department of Education. Schools that do not seek this recognition may not be eligible for federal scholarships or grants or for the deferment of federal scholarships accepted for previous education.
After reviewing the academic programs of Sangre de Cristo Seminary many other seminaries and churches have recognized our M. Div. curriculum as being in compliance with their own standards. Given this, it is the conviction of the Seminary that as our graduates receive acceptance with the Church, this is the ultimate accreditation for a seminary.
This conviction has led Sangre de Cristo Seminary to pursue membership with the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS). ARTS is committed to serving the church through seminaries and is independent of secular accrediting agencies and the Federal Department of Education. Sangre de Cristo Seminary earned its third, ten-year full-accreditation in October, 2018.
The Colorado Commission on Higher Education authorizes Sangre de Cristo seminary to operate as a Religious Training Institution/Seminary in Colorado.
Students should be aware of such institutions and check with the Council for Higher Education to insure that the institution where they are seeking a degree is not one of these "mills." While Sangre de Cristo seminary seeks to offer classes and degree programs of a very high quality, prospective students need to be aware of this issue.