Policies

Church Membership: Students must be members in good standing of a fundamental Baptist church and must be in complete agreement with the Institute's Statement of Faith.

Academic Evaluation: Applicants must submit an official certificate of secondary school records or college transcripts to demonstrate their potential for meeting college training requirements.

Application Process: To seek admission, individuals must request application forms, complete them, and submit them alongside a one-time $30.00 application fee.

Program Options: The program spans three or four years and is structured so that students can start during any semester and complete required courses without strict prerequisites.

Credit Requirements: Graduation from the three-year program requires 96 credit hours, while the four-year program requires 128 credit hours. A Certificate of Biblical Studies can be earned upon completing 32 credit hours.

Gender-Based Restrictions: Men and women have slightly different academic tracks. Women are explicitly restricted from taking courses in Homiletics, Pastoral Theology, Church Planting, or Church Administration.

Graduation Diplomas: * In the three-year program, men receive a Graduate of Theology (G.Th.) diploma, and women receive a Graduate of Christian Education (G.C.Ed.) diploma.

• In the four-year program, men receive a Bachelor of Religious Theology (B.R.Th.) diploma, and women receive a Bachelor of Religious Education (B.R.Ed.) diploma.

Biblical Thesis Policy: Every graduate is required to submit a 25-page, typewritten, double-spaced doctrinal thesis containing a bibliography. This must be submitted during the first week of March in the student's graduating year.

Chapel Requirements: Students receive 1 credit hour for chapel but are strictly required to take notes during all chapel sessions and submit them at the end of each semester.

Payment Expectations: Full payment at the time of registration is encouraged, but a deferred plan requiring one-fourth of the total amount due upon registration can be arranged.

Deadlines and Delinquency: Tuition must be paid completely before final exams. Students with delinquent financial commitments are not permitted to attend classes, receive final grades, obtain transcripts, or graduate.

Refund Policy: A 100% tuition refund is available up to three weeks from the start date of the semester.

Audit Fees: Audit students do not receive recorded academic credit and are responsible for a $20.00 semester registration fee and a $40.00 fee per class.

Absence Allowance: Students are permitted a maximum of three absences per course each semester.

Unexcused Absences: Any absences beyond the permitted three are deemed unexcused, meaning no coursework from those days can be made up. Prolonged illness backed by a doctor's note is the only listed exception.

Mandatory Failure for Attendance: No course credit will be awarded to any student who misses one-fourth or more of the classes held for a course during the semester.

Grading Scale: Standard course achievement is evaluated as follows: A (93–100), B (84–92), C (75–83), D (65–74, minimum passing grade), and F (0–64, unsatisfactory/failing).

Special Grading Symbols: * I (Incomplete): Assigned if a student cannot complete work due to an illness or emergency beyond their control.

• WP (Withdrawal Passing) / WF (Withdrawal Failing): Assigned if a student withdraws after the third week of the semester, depending on whether their academic standing was satisfactory or unsatisfactory at the time of withdrawal.
• FW (Financial Withdrawal): Assigned for financial-related withdrawals.

Local Church Service: Students must actively serve in their local church. They are required to complete and submit a weekly Christian Service Report detailing a minimum of one hour of soulwinning/outreach, participation in one church ministry, and the distribution of at least 10 tracts per week.

Substance Prohibitions: Students are prohibited from using drugs, alcohol, or tobacco; violation of this rule will result in the student being barred from attending H.B.I..

General Standard: Faculty and students must come to class neat and clean, adhering to the standards of the Cleveland Baptist Church.

Men's Dress Code: Men must wear dress slacks, a shirt, and a tie, and must have shined shoes. Haircuts must be neat, keeping hair completely off the ears and collar. Beards and moustaches must be kept cleanly trimmed.

Women's Dress Code: Women are required to dress modestly and are strictly prohibited from wearing slacks.