Montessori Education & Leadership Admissions

This online program is designed for students who have previously completed a MACTE-accredited Montessori teaching credential. If you have not yet completed a credential, consider St. Kate's elementary-level Montessori certification program, offered at the graduate level, or the early childhood Montessori certification program, offered at the undergraduate level.

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Degree: A completed bachelor's or graduate degree from an institution that is accredited by one of the regional accrediting organizations (e.g. Higher Learning Commission).

• Montessori Credential or Montessori Diploma: Prior completion of a Montessori credential from a program accredited by the Montessori Accredited Council for Teacher Education (MACTE, see application requirements, below).

• Grade Point Average: A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) or higher on a 4.0 scale. If the applicant's GPA is less than 3.0, an explanatory statement should be submitted that addresses any factors that influenced previous academic performance, and how the applicant plans to ensure future academic success. If you are unsure of your cumulative GPA, please use these instructions as a guide to help you determine if an explanatory statement is necessary.

Application form

Please read the application instructions below before completing the online application.

Admission essay

Prepare an admission essay that demonstrates written communication skills and clarifying your purpose in pursuing this graduate Montessori program. All applicants whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 must also include an explanatory statement. Please submit one document addressing the following topics, and provide a separately titled section in the same document if submitting an Explanatory Statement.

• Reflect on your experiences in Montessori education
• Identify your goals for personal and professional growth
• Describe past experiences that have prepared you for the rigor of a writing-intensive, master’s level program
• Describe how you envision this degree will help you in your profession

If you have already submitted the application form, you may upload your admission essay via your Application Status page (instructions for accessing the status page were provided at the time you submitted the application). Please include your full name at the top of the essay.

If you wish to submit the admission essay prior to the application for admission , or if you are unable to upload the document to your Application Status page, you may send the essay as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu with “Montessori Education & Leadership” in the subject line.

Explanatory statement

If you are an applicant who does not meet the minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA requirement, please include an explanation of factors that affected previous academic performance, as well as your plan to ensure academic success in a graduate program. This statement should be limited to 400 words and is in addition to the personal statement described above.

Montessori Leadership for Social Justice Scholarship

This is an optional topic - it is not required as part of the application process for admission into the graduate program. Only individuals who wish to be considered for this scholarship should address the topic below (one page/500-700 words, titled “Leadership Statement” as a separate section in the admission essay). Please note that this essay MUST accompany your application for admission and will be a part of your full review. Post-decision submissions will not be eligible for consideration.

• St. Catherine University’s MAED: Montessori Education & Leadership program prepares Montessori educators who are actively engaged in advancing equity and inclusion for all learners, including anti-bias, anti-racist applications of Montessori pedagogy. The University awards scholarships to new students who demonstrate a passion for, and commitment to, social justice. Please describe how you have demonstrated your commitment to equity and inclusion in your current or past work as an educator.

Résumé

Submit a current, typed résumé highlighting professional and volunteer experiences.

If you have already submitted the application form, you may upload your résumé via your Application Status page (instructions for accessing the status page were provided at the time you submitted the application).

If you wish to submit the résumé prior to the application, or if you are unable to upload the document to your Application Status page, you may send the résumé as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu with "Montessori Education & Leadership Résumé" in the subject line.

Recommendations

Two recommendations are required for MAED applicants.

Recommendation forms must be completed by individuals who can attest to the intellectual ability, professional competence and leadership ability of the applicant. Only professional or academic references will be considered; personal references are not acceptable.

A link to the recommendation form will be sent when the Recommendations section of the application form has been completed. Please alert your references in advance to expect an email from St. Catherine University. These are confidential recommendations submitted directly from the references to the Office of Graduate Admission; applicants who wish to view the recommendations are responsible for making the appropriate arrangements with their references.

Transcripts

To review your admission file, we'll need transcripts from the college or university from which you earned your bachelor's degree and, if applicable, graduate degree. St. Kate's will review your admission file and make offers of acceptance using unofficial transcripts uploaded by you to your St. Kate's admission portal. However, official transcripts sent directly from your bachelor's and graduate (if applicable) degree-granting institutions are required, and must be received before registration for courses is allowed.

Need assistance finding out how to order your official transcripts?  Contact your admission counselor for help!  See contact information at the bottom of this page.

All documents must be up-to-date and include your name, institution name, all courses taken with grades and degrees received (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded using your applicant status page (a link is sent once you’ve started an application) or sent as an attachment to graduateadmission@stkate.edu.  

To be considered official, electronic transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing college or university to St. Kate's (at graduateadmission@stkate.edu). Paper transcripts must be mailed in a sealed envelope directly from the registrar of each institution to the Office of Graduate Admission at St. Catherine University (see address below).

Montessori credential or Montessori diploma

In addition to official transcripts, a copy of any Montessori credential or Montessori Diploma already held must be submitted with the application. The credential must demonstrate that the applicant holds a valid Montessori credential or Montessori Diploma from any level (infant/toddler, early childhood, elementary, secondary or administrative).

This must be a full Montessori credential or Montessori Diploma; not a provisional, temporary or associate credential. The credential must be granted by the American Montessori Society, Association Montessori Internationale or another program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). Please note that upper elementary stand-alone programs are not accredited by MACTE and cannot be granted credit through the Master of Montessori Education program.

If the applicant earned academic credit from this Montessori credential or Montessori Diploma training, the credit must not have been applied toward any other degree or program other than the applicant's original Montessori credential or Montessori Diploma.

TOEFL/IELTS scores

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the iBT, or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.5. This requirement is waived for applicants who have completed a baccalaureate or graduate degree in the United States.

Credential evaluation

Applicants with a college or university degree completed outside of the United States must submit an official course-by-course evaluation from World Education Services (WES) or SpanTran. Original transcripts and official translations of all documents not in English must also be included. All costs related to document translation and evaluation are the applicant’s responsibility.

Submitting materials

Please review all application instructions. Once you’ve submitted the online application, you will have access to your Application Status page to upload any supporting documents (instructions for accessing the status page were emailed at the time you submitted the application). If you are unable to upload electronic documents to your Application Status page, you may send items as an attachment via email to graduateadmission@stkate.edu. Paper documents may be mailed to:

St. Catherine University 
Graduate Admission #4027 
2004 Randolph Avenue 
St. Paul, MN 55105

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that their application is completed by the deadline. The Admission Committee will not review your application until we have received all required documents. Fulfillment of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. No credentials will be returned to the applicant.

PLEASE NOTE: Our Master of Montessori Education program is fully online. Therefore, we are not able to issue a student visa or federal financial aid to applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International applicants who are able to fully fund their education with outside funds and do not need a student visa are welcome to apply.

Please review the information below regarding other application materials that may be required for international applicants.

Deadlines

Earlier deadlines may apply for international applicants to ensure that all requirements can be met in time for you to enroll in the desired term. Contact your admission counselor with questions.

International Student Forms

International applicants for graduate study must complete the International Information section of the application form.

Additional Documentation

Some international applicants may be required to submit additional documentation, such as a credential evaluation, language test scores, etc. Please review the application instructions for your graduate program for more information.