For those discerning priesthood or religious life. Seminarians, religious, and lay men and women preparing for the Church's service will find a full pontifical formation in theology, studied from the sources and lived within a community of prayer.
Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology
A five-year pontifical degree in theology, studied from the sources and recognized in Austria as the Magister theologiae.
Faith seeking understanding.
Theology here is the ordered study of God, received from Scripture, read with the Fathers, and held within the living tradition of the Church. It is not information gathered for its own sake but the formation of the whole person, joining study, prayer, and community into a single search for the truth who is God, and drawing the mind more deeply into the faith it seeks to understand.
Quick Facts
- Degree Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (STB) / Mag. theol.
- Duration 5 years
- Cycle First cycle of pontifical theological studies
- Language English · Latin and Greek required, with preparatory courses available
- Location Schlossgasse 21, 2521 Trumau, Austria · Open in Maps
- Format Full-time residential pontifical theology degree with seminar-based study of the sources
- Start Autumn trimester
- Admission Matura, Abitur, or equivalent for first-year entry. Holders of a Bachelor with strength in philosophy and theology may enter directly into the fourth year.
Program Essence
What this formation is made of.
The Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology is a formation in the sources: Sacred Scripture read directly, the Church Fathers, the great councils and creeds, and St. Thomas Aquinas, together with the philosophical foundations that theology presupposes.
It is not a survey of opinions about religion. It leads students to think theologically from the ground up, to reason carefully within the faith, and to hold the whole of Catholic doctrine together as one coherent wisdom.
The program is pontifical in structure and Catholic to its center. Study is joined to the liturgy, the sacraments, and the shared life of the community, so that the same search for truth shapes both the classroom and the chapel.
Who This Is For
For those called to study theology deeply.
For those who want to teach and hand on the faith. You want more than a general acquaintance with religion. You want to read Scripture, the Fathers, and Aquinas closely enough to teach them, and to give an account of the faith with clarity and care.
For those ready for serious theological work. You are willing to learn the languages, follow the arguments, and let study become prayer. You want a first cycle solid enough to carry you toward the Licentiate and a life of theological service in the Church.
Curriculum
From the sources to a whole theology.
The STB follows the pontifical first-cycle sequence in three phases. Philosophical and liberal foundations prepare the ground; Sacred Scripture and systematic theology form the core; a final year of synthesis draws the whole together in St. Thomas Aquinas. The complete course list is set out in the STB course catalog.
Years 1–2 · Philosophy & Foundations
- Foundations of the liberal arts
- Logic and the art of reasoning
- Ancient and modern philosophy
- Latin
- Introduction to Sacred Scripture
- Catechism of the Catholic Church
Years 3–4 · Sacred Scripture & Systematic Theology
- Old and New Testament
- Fundamental theology
- The triune God and creation
- Christology
- Patrology and St. Augustine
- Church history
Year 5 · Synthesis & Aquinas
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Sacraments and ecclesiology
- Moral theology
- Canon law and liturgy
- Synthesis thesis toward the STB
How You Learn
Reading the sources with real responsibility.
Theology here is learned from the texts themselves. Students read Sacred Scripture, the Fathers, and St. Thomas Aquinas closely, prepare carefully, and take part in the argument rather than only receiving conclusions.
- Scripture, the Fathers, and Aquinas are read in the original sources, not only in summary.
- Small seminars make preparation, speech, and listening matter.
- Latin and Greek open the sources in their own languages.
- Study is joined to the liturgy, the sacraments, and community life in Trumau.
- Attendance, preparation, and real presence are expected.
Catholic Formation
The whole person is the subject of education.
Theology is the one discipline whose subject can hear you. The STB therefore forms its students on their knees as much as at the desk: five years in which the daily liturgy of both lungs of the Church carries the daily reading of Scripture, the Fathers, and St. Thomas.
Seminarians, religious, and lay students study side by side, each with a spiritual director, each preparing for a different way of handing on what they receive here — in parishes, classrooms, families, and missions across the world.
Practical Details
What applicants need to know.
- Prerequisite Matura, Abitur, A Levels, or equivalent school-leaving certificate giving access to university studies. Holders of a Bachelor with strength in philosophy and theology may enter directly into the fourth year.
- English English is the principal language of instruction. Applicants who have not completed at least two years in an English-speaking environment or at a school with English as the main language of instruction must submit a standardized test score, such as TOEFL iBT 75 or equivalent.
- Languages Latin and Greek are required for the study of theology from its sources. Students who begin without them can prepare through preparatory courses offered alongside the program.
-
Degree
On completion, ITI awards the pontifical STB together with the Magister theologiae (Mag. theol.), recognized by the Austrian state under the Concordat.
- Thesis The first cycle concludes with a synthesis thesis in which the student draws together the theological formation of the program under the guidance of an adviser. It may be written in English, German, or another modern language by agreement.
-
Documents
Use these for exact requirements, course descriptions, policies, and current academic regulations.
Costs and Aid
Tuition, living costs, and financial aid.
Yearly cost estimate
Tuition
12 000 €
Regular tuition is 25 000 €. Every accepted student automatically receives the Standard ITI Scholarship.
-
Total21 510 € 1 793 € / month
Financial aid
- Standard ITI scholarship: Every accepted student receives the standard ITI scholarship, which reduces annual tuition from 25 000 € to 12 000 €.
- Room stipends: ITI may offer additional help in particular cases, including room stipends tied to service on campus.
- 50% tuition reduction for a spouse: When both spouses are studying at ITI, the second spouse may receive a 50 percent tuition reduction, along with other possible tuition reductions in particular cases.
- Private loans: US private loans are available through Sallie Mae. US federal loans are not available for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
Community service
All students are expected to contribute two hours of service per week for the upkeep of chapel, living areas, library, and other common spaces. This is part of the shared life of the university, not an optional extra.
Admissions
Everything you need to apply.
For most applicants, the best order is simple: gather your documents, ask for recommendations early, complete the online application, and then follow through quickly on language or visa requirements if they apply to you.
Your application checklist
Use this as a working list while you prepare your application.
- Deadline The regular application deadline is July 1. Do not wait until the last week to request transcripts or recommendations.
- English If you have not completed at least two years in an English-speaking environment or at a school with English as the main language of instruction, prepare a standardized English test. The handbook lists TOEFL iBT 75 or equivalent.
- Visa If you need a visa or residence permit, start early. ITI advises submitting residence permit materials before March 1, since the process can take up to six months.
After the STB
Toward the Licentiate and the service of the Church.
The STB completes the first cycle of pontifical theological studies. It gives students a whole and ordered theology and forms the habits of reading, argument, and judgment that mature in further study and in a lifetime of service in the Church.
Continue into the Licentiate. The STB is the ordinary path into the second cycle, the Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL), and from there toward the doctorate for those called to teaching and research.
Teach and hand on the faith. The degree prepares students for catechesis, teaching, publishing, and other work in which Scripture, doctrine, and careful judgment are handed on to others.
Serve in ministry. For seminarians and religious, the STB provides the theological formation that grounds priestly and pastoral service in the Church.
Discern a vocation. Residential Catholic life gives students time and space to discover how study, prayer, friendship, and mission belong together, and to become free for what God asks.
Alumni Voice
What these years become in a life.
“I arrived in Trumau with questions I could barely name. I left with a way of life.”
When I came to ITI, I thought I was choosing a degree. What I actually found was a community that took my questions seriously — professors who read Plato and Aquinas with us line by line, friends who argued about truth over dinner and then knelt beside me at Mass the next morning. Slowly, study and prayer stopped being two separate things in my life. They became one movement toward the same God.
These years gave me more than knowledge. They taught me how to read slowly, how to speak honestly, and how to judge what matters. Today I serve in pastoral ministry and continue my theological studies, and hardly a week passes in which something from those years in Trumau does not resurface — in a conversation, in a decision, in prayer.
I am more grateful for my time at ITI than I can easily say. It gave me my closest friendships, it gave me the intellectual foundation I stand on, and it gave me the certainty that a life ordered to truth is possible. If you are discerning this path: come and see. These years will stay with you for the rest of your life.
FAQ
Questions applicants usually ask.
Do I need Latin or Greek beforehand?
Latin and Greek are required for the study of theology from its sources, but you do not need them before you arrive. Students who begin without them can prepare through preparatory courses offered alongside the program.
Is the program residential?
Yes. The STB is a full-time residential program in Trumau, where study, the liturgy, and community life belong together.
What English level do I need?
English is the principal language of instruction. If your previous schooling was not primarily in English, you will need a standardized English test score.
What can I do after the STB?
The STB opens into the second cycle, the Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL), and prepares students for teaching, ministry, and further theological study.
Take the next step
Apply now
If you are ready for an education where study, prayer, and community belong together, apply now. If you are still discerning, plan a visit and experience ITI in person.