Burnham Application Process

Dates

Applications are accepted in the Spring for cohorts beginning the following Fall. The next cohort will run from September 2024 to May 2025. 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 meet on Friday mornings before work or Sunday afternoons (TBD based on the availability of applicants - you can note this in your application). Applications open on March 1 for the next year’s cohort. You can expect to hear from us by early June. At the time we may request an interview and/or follow up with your references.

Cost

The Fellows tuition fee covers the program expenses, including food, books, and all retreat expenses. The fee is $1500 and can be paid in installments throughout the year. There is a $100 deposit upon acceptance to the program.

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.

Applications are now open for the 24/25 Cohort

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 20 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

  • It all depends on the interest and availability of the participants any given year. We offer the option of Friday morning (approx 6-8am) and/or Sunday afternoon (approx 2-4pm). 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!