Baptist University of the Americas

Each year, the excellence of education, the personal size, the encouraging character of the student body and the beauty of the campus and surrounding area draw new students from diverse cultures all over the world to Baptist University of the Américas. We take pride in bridging cultures to share the word of God: three out of every four Hispanic Baptist pastors in Texas attended BUA, and we have extension centers in three countries, with plans for further expansion. At BUA, we will offer you a full 4-year program of study, a superb personal scholastic environment, an outstanding faculty, affordable tuition, and a full range of scholarships and financial assistance.

BUA is all about providing a quality, affordable education in a cross-cultural community where mission and service to Christ set the tone of every day on campus. Whether you see yourself in a traditional ministry role in a church, serving Christ in the marketplace, or working in a Christian non-profit or social services agency, Baptist University of the Américas can be the place for you.

At Baptist University of the Américas, we’re bridging cultures and building lives through personalized, affordable, culturally affirming Christian education for those planning to work in cross-cultural settings.BUA is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) to award degrees.

We are dedicated to providing our users quality resources and services to accomplish their academic and personal goals. Our facilities include individual and group study space, computers with internet access, and a copying/creative center.

The university will determine appropriate student awards and issue award letters identifying the financial aid offered, based on an individual’s application and eligibility. The university reserves the right to review and modify any award in response to changes in eligibility requirements or a student’s enrollment or financial status; unsatisfactory academic progress; limited governmental funding; or unforeseen events. The Financial Aid Office assists students in financing educational expenses, but the applicant is responsible for determining, prior to Registration, if personal resources and financial aid awards will be sufficient to meet expenses. Students failing to demonstrate financial responsibility may be denied registration or barred from further attendance during the semester.

We are a vibrant Christian community with a heart for Hispanic cultures. We believe passionately in the Hispanic faith experience and how it uniquely prepares our students to serve the needs of the emerging multicultural world. Experts believe Hispanics will be the next great missionary force to cross the globe, while rapidly growing Hispanic populations in North America have created an urgent need for cross-cultural leadership. At BUA we will help you discover your cultural assets and how God has uniquely formed you to effectively serve in a variety of cross-cultural situations for the cause of Christ.

We bring a 70 year history of training Hispanic ministers to the task of forming the next generation of cross-cultural leaders.In fact, BUA has provided 3 out of 4 Hispanic ministers that serve churches related to the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Not only do we have a proven track record for quality theological education, we have a future-focus on issues such as diversifying worship forms, urban ministry movements, innovative church starting models and new technologies for ministry.

BUA is intentionally designed to develop every student’s highest potential and train them to invest themselves for the good of the world. Our holistic student services philosophy shapes our approach to the total economic, emotional, relational, physical and spiritual needs of our students, in addition to our basic concern for their academic success.

The mission of Baptist University of the Américas, as an institution of higher education, is the formation, from the Hispanic context,of cross-cultural Christian leaders.It is our passion to fulfill our mission. We believe that mission is a job description from God for what he desires BUA to be. The words were chosen through a deliberate and specific process to identify that invitation from God.

Baptist University of the Américas, with the context of its Hispanic heritage, will be the standard for educating all students for Christian ministry and missions to change our world.

For almost 70 years, BUA staff and students have responded passionately to the call of God to serve Him with all of our “heart, soul, mind and strength.”Baptist University of the Américas began life as the Mexican Baptist Bible Institute in San Antonio in 1947. The Institute started under the auspices of the San Antonio Baptist Association, conducting its first classes in the evenings at Palm Heights Baptist Church.

BUA currently receives a diverse student body, predominantly Latino (about 90% among the American students). Our international students (28% of total spring enrollment) represent 20 different countries and speak 11 different languages. We also count on a diverse and well qualified faculty who serve our students with excellence and individualized care. This cultural and ethnic diversity provides a strong statement of commitment toward our cross-cultural mission. It also represents our efforts to demonstrate the hospitality promised in the Kingdom of God where all are welcome and have a place at the table.

This welcoming and vibrant environment is felt at Piper Village, our student housing complex, where since 2008 we have been able to offer excellent accommodations to single and married students. In the spring semester of 2016 we housed 76 single students and 36 families at Piper Village.

Finally, in order better to serve our students and to continue our journey toward excellence, we acquired a new campus, a single building, re-designed as a college campus to promote a sense of community and, at the same time, foster student learning. We moved into the Baugh Building in July 2016 and will start the 2016-2017 academic year in a home that will serve our BUA community for years to come.