Burnham Application Process

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Dates: Sep 2026 -May 2027

Applications are accepted in the Spring for cohorts beginning the following Fall. The next cohort will run from September 2026 to May 2027. There will be a Meet & Greet cookout in late August to get to know your cohort. The program begins with our first retreat at the end of September.

Fellows will be selected who best demonstrate 1) commitment to the city, 2) spiritual maturity, and 3) ability to fulfill the responsibilities of the program. Participants must be able to meet in the Loop for our weekly cohort meetings.

We expect that for 2026/27 we will only be able to offer one Cohort time - Friday mornings, approximately 6:15-8:15 AM. If you can't do Burnham at that time, you can indicate that in your application, as we may be able to explore other options in the future. Applications open on March 15 for the next year’s Cohort. You can expect to hear from us by early June. At that time, we may request an interview and/or follow up with your references.

Cost: $1800

The Fellows Tuition fee covers all program materials, including: eight months of seminary-level weekly teachings, ~17 books, 3 retreats + meals, several lunches and snacks!

Tuition is $1800* and can be paid in installments throughout the year. Applications will open March 15, with an Early Bird deadline of May 1. Those who apply by May 1 and are accepted into the program will receive a $200 early-bird discount. The regular application deadline is June 1. Applications will be accepted after June 1 on a rolling basis as space permits, with a late application fee of $100.

We are seeking donors who would enable us to provide financial aid as needed. A limited number of scholarships are available. Please submit this form along with your application if you need to apply for financial help.

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Applications open for the 26/27 Cohort on March 15.
Please drop us an email if you have any questions.

Early Bird Tuition (Apply by 5/1)
$1600

Right on Time (Apply by 6/1)
$1800

Late Tuition (Apply after 6/1)
$1900

*While the program fee is not an insignificant amount, for perspective, it may be helpful to consider that the average tuition for one seminary class is $2,000, one 3-hour credit MBA class is $3,500, and a typical executive-level leadership development course costs from $3,500 to $7,000 for a five-day program.

FAQs

  • We accept applications through June 1 for the next fall cohort. On occasion we can extend the deadline, please reach out to us

  • Nope! We’ve had fellows from over 25 churches across Chicagoland participate in the program since 2016. Roughly half of our participants come from other churches and we love having that kind of diversity

  • We will meet on Friday mornings (approx 6-8 am). There are also 3 retreats and 5 Saturday sessions over the course of our 9 months together.

  • You will do approximately 2 hours of outside reading and/or projects per week. We read ~100 pages a week, so it depends on the speed at which you read. Don’t let this intimidate you!

A Taste of Burnham

Not quite sure if you’re ready to apply yet? We’d love to invite you to an info session over lunch coming up this spring. Click below to learn more from our alumni and register for lunch!

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