ADMISSION TO THE LICENTIATE IN S. SCRIPTURE - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• I have finished all my course work for the Bachelor in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) degree, but I still have one or two examinations to take (or the final exam). Can I register for the courses leading to the licentiate in Sacred Scripture?

  You can register as an “extraordinary” student and begin the language courses (or any of the courses in the Isagogic/History-Geography Division) provided you pass the examination on general knowledge of the Bible. But it is essential to take the missing examinations for the S.T.B. as soon as possible so that you can be admitted as an “ordinary” student the year following matriculation.

• I have obtained a Master in Religious Studies degree. Can I be accepted as an “ordinary” student?

  No. The Master in Religious Studies degree is not the equivalent of the S.T.B. You should consult a Faculty of Theology and find out what courses are still necessary for you to obtain the S.T.B. Normally a further year of studies in theology is required.

• May I register at the beginning of the second semester?

  Yes. But there remains the problem of what courses you may follow. If you pass at once the examination on general knowledge of the Bible you may take courses in the Isagogic/History-Geography Division. If you pass at once both the qualifying examinations in Hebrew and Greek you may take courses of introduction in the Exegetical-Theological Division.

• For some years I have studied Greek (and/or Hebrew), and passed all the appropriate examinations in these courses. Do I have to take the Qualifying Examination in each of these languages?

  Yes. The Qualifying Examination in Hebrew and Greek is required of all students without exception.

• Do I have to register in advance of my official matriculation and, if so, how do I go about it?

  You must register in advance of your official matriculation only if you are not a citizen of the European Union and thus have need of a visa to enter Italy as a student. To register in advance you must send to the Secretary of the Institute:

  1. A letter of presentation-recommendation. For seminarians, priests and members of a religious congregation this means a letter from one's major superior. For laity this means a letter from some ecclesiastical authority.
  2. An official document attesting the possession of the Bachelor in Sacred Theology degree or, if there is question of matriculation on the basis of an equivalent amount of study, a document listing all courses in philosophy and theology.
  3. The official document of registration duly filled out (to be sent via the internet to: www.biblico.it/iscrizioni.htm).
  4. Photocopy of the passport (only page with personal data and expiry date).

  N.B.: The Italian consulate of your country will ask you to indicate your means of support during your stay in Italy.

• Do I have to take the examination in general knowledge of the Bible before registering?

  If you wish to follow only the propaedeutic courses during your first semester at the Institute it is not necessary to take this examination. You can take it in February of your propaedeutic year, or even in June (provided you take nothing but propaedeutic Hebrew and Greek the previous semester).

• Given the fact that the Introductory Year has only two classes a day (one for Hebrew, the other for Greek) the year would seem not to be particularly challenging, especially since one may not take other courses at the beginning.

  This is the impression many students have before they actually begin the courses, but they soon find out differently. The description given for the Introductory Courses (“Two or three hours of preparation for each Greek class, and three or four for each Hebrew class are a customary minimum needed to profit from the course”) is not a formality but corresponds to reality. Students should not enroll at the Institute if they and their superiors do not accept these conditions.