Chapel Policies & Frequently Asked Questions

Standard Behavioral Statement

As a Christian institution, we are intentional in gathering as the Biola community for corporate worship and the hearing of God's Word outside of the classroom. These times are designed to foster student engagement as a community. Cooperation with these policies and directions of all chapel staff is expected. Students who do not cooperate with Chapel policies or Chapel staff may have chapel credit removed at the discretion of the chapel accountability coordinator.

Tech-Free Zone

YOU are a necessary part of the Biola community. And you have an impact on those around you. That's why as we gather together in times of corporate worship during chapel, we need your presence and not just your attendance, for your own sake and the sake of others. Similar to silencing your phone in a movie theater, we ask each student to take the same posture when approaching chapel.

We offer an abundance of chapel credit opportunities each semester; Please choose your chapel attendance at times that you will not be distracted by academic requirements or electronic devices. If you need help scheduling your chapel requirements around your academic schedule, please reach out to Chapel Accountability for assistance.

Full Time Undergraduate Student (12+ credits)

• 20 Spiritual Development/Chapel Chapels + 5 Conference credits

Part Time Undergraduate Students (9–11 credits)

• 12 Spiritual Development/Chapel Chapels + 3 Conference credits

8 credits or less

• Encouraged, but not required to attend

Graduate Students

• No requirement for graduate students

Remember, “Chapels” are not the only way to fulfill the 20 required Spiritual Development credits. Spiritual Direction, is another option for students to receive up to 6 credits towards their Spiritual Development requirement.

Yes, unless your Degree Status on your Degree Audit is SO (cleared to graduate) by the deadline of March 15th for Spring graduation or by the deadline of November 15th for Fall graduation. A student who has a Degree Status of PO after the deadlines will need to complete the required amount of chapels.

If you have not submitted your grad petition, please contact the Registrar's office and let them know you need to talk to a graduation counselor to ensure you have met all academic requirements and are cleared to graduate. Your student records will be updated when you have met those requirements, and your chapel requirements will become zero. This may take a couple of days so please be patient.

If you are not graduating in the current semester, you will have a chapel and conference requirement even if you are a senior by credits.

Just as commuter students are expected to attend class as scheduled and fulfill their Bible minor, they are expected to fulfill their chapel requirements. However, if you have a commute that regularly takes 1 hour and 20 minutes or longer, you may contact Chapel Accountability at the beginning of the semester to request a Chapel & Conference Requirement Waiver Application.

Chapel & Conference Requirement Waiver Applications are due by the 4th week of the semester. No exceptions can be made. If we are unable to verify your employment or circumstances, your waiver cannot be approved.

No, you do not. There is no requirement for graduate students. However, given both the caliber of speakers in our teaching chapels, and the space provided for prayer in our services of guided prayer, we encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to integrate your faith and learning in worship.

Yes, unless you are financially obligated to work 35+ hours a week and your employment has been verified by our office, you are required to participate in chapels. 

If you are financially obligated to work, please contact Chapel Accountability for a Chapel & Conference Requirement Waiver Application. 

Chapel & Conference Requirement Waiver Applications are due by the 4th week of the semester. No exceptions can be made. If we are unable to verify your employment, your work waiver cannot be approved.

The chapel/conference requirement is a necessary portion of the curriculum and an integral part of earning a degree from Biola University. Should the occasion arise, we are willing to make accommodations for extenuating circumstances that have been approved by the Learning Center or Student Care.

Students with extreme circumstances should be connected to the Office of Student Accessibility to receive academic accommodations for classes. Please contact the Office of Student Accessibility to ensure you are getting the support you need to complete the semester at Biola.

Learn more about our chapel programs on our "About Chapel" page.

Thank you for your interest in holding a Department Chapel! 

Along with our modified overall chapel schedule, we will now be offering two time slots for chapels sponsored by your department. We value your partnership in ministering to our students together through larger worship gatherings, so please know that these changes are to streamline not only our efforts in Spiritual Development, but Event Services as well. This will also give set times for students so they know when they can expect chapel credit opportunities.

1. If you need Event Services support, we ask that you plan for your chapel on Mosaic Mondays from 7-8 pm in Calvary Chapel. You will still need to cover the Events Services costs as well as the chapel scanner fees (which has been standard practice already). You can focus the chapel content with your department in mind, but we do anticipate that a wider portion of our student body will attend these chapels.

2. If you do NOT need Event Services support, we will ask you to plan for chapels on Thursdays at 9:30-10:20 am for Community Chapels sponsored by your department. You will need to book the room through 25Live on your own, and chapel scanner fees will also be covered by your department (again, this has been standard practice already). Per usual, ALL students must be welcome to attend the chapel sponsored by your department though you can tailor the content toward your primary audience.

Please note: whether you want a Monday evening or Thursday morning time slot, you will need to complete an application form with our chapel accountability office by mid-August. Only one chapel hosted by a department will be allowed per time slot. We will disperse the chapels as equally as possible throughout the semester. Each department will be allowed to host up to 3 chapels per semester. We will NOT be granting chapel credit for events after the semester begins. The form to submit your request is listed here: Department Chapel Form.

Chapels hosted by a department should be characterized by being chiefly a Godward time that has as its end (telos) interaction with, enjoyment, knowledge, and worship of God and fellowship with others. Although the chapel may be geared towards a specific major or vocation, the chapel must be open to the whole student body and Biola community at no cost. Chapels sponsored by a department could be characterized by a number of elements:

• Personal and vocational testimonies from faculty, staff, and students that serve to mentor others not merely in their professional lives but in the life of faith.
• Teaching from the Word or on wisdom from the discipline that connects with or expands upon the truths and commands of scripture.
• Musical and non-musical worship.
• Discussion of and reflection on readings or media that bring those present into a deeper knowledge and awareness of God and his kingdom.

A department chapel should not be a time characterized chiefly by:

• Curricular lecture (e.g. visiting lecturer on some aspect of the discipline apart from a significant integration or implications for faith, wisdom, etc.)
• Awareness or promotion of particular ministries or clubs on campus (we don’t want a club or ministry external to the dept. using a dept. chapel as has happened)
• Exclusively social or fellowship
• Academic or informational orientation or meetings
• Awards ceremonies
• Academic advising

Consider your target audience and your subsequent outcomes for your time together. What God is doing in their lives? How is God working and moving? What are they bringing with them to your chapel? What are their felt and actual needs? How could you minister to, equip, and teach them during this time?

Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions (chapel.accountability@biola.edu), or would like some assistance ensuring your Department Chapel is a success!

-The Office of Chapel Accountability

Students will attend Chapel on their own schedule. The Chapel Schedule is the most accurate source of Chapel offerings.

Check with your Department and check the chapel schedule.

The most up-to-date number of chapels/conferences you have participated in can be found on your My Account page. Please note that credits may not be uploaded until 24-48 hours after the chapel has occurred.

Students are responsible for checking their chapel attendance report (found in your My Account profile) on a regular basis.

If a chapel is missing from a student’s chapel report, that student must contact the Office of Chapel Accountability (chapel.accountability@biola.edu) within 1 week of the date of the chapel.  

Any missing chapels that are not reported within 1 week of the missing chapel will not receive credit.

Chapel scanning ends promptly 5 minutes after chapel begins. If you arrive late, you are welcome to participate in chapel, but you will not receive chapel credit.

Yes, you can receive 1 credit for each time you meet with your Director, up to a maximum of 5 credits per semester.

If you need to leave chapel before it ends, your chapel credit will be removed.

Your student account will be automatically fined $375 if you do not complete your requirement for the semester.

Note: Student loans or grants usually do not cover the chapel requirement fine.

No, just one $375 fine per semester.

All university educational requirements have some form of accountability. If you don’t meet the minimum requirement of courses, for instance, you are get a non-passing grade. This in some ways, means you have to pay more (like a fine) to make up those classes, and in some cases costs students another semester.