The Fund for Theological Education was established in the early 1950s as a response to a perceived crisis in Protestant theological education. At that time, a group of leading seminary educators, clergy and interested lay persons had become convinced that the quality of those entering the ministry had declined and that many of the best and brightest students were choosing professional careers outside the ministry. In order to encourage talented college graduates to consider the ministry, an unprecedented initiative was launched in 1954 to attract promising but otherwise undecided candidates to seminary education. Begun in close affiliation with the American Association of Theological Schools, The Fund for Theological Education grew both in scope and size over the next 50 years and became a leading force in support of excellence in theological study and the wider inclusion of African Americans, Hispanics and other underrepresented racial/ethnic groups in theological education. To date, the Fund has awarded more than 5,600 fellowships. FTE has awarded fellowships to some of today's leading theological educators and clergy, serving churches, seminaries and communities across North America.

• Rockefeller Brothers Theological Fellowships (Trial Year Program) (1954-76), 1192 scholars
• Rockefeller Doctoral Fellowships (1959-69), 322 scholars
• Protestant Fellowship Program (1961-76), 445 scholars
• Ministerial Recruitment Program (1964-76)
• Rome Ecumenical Seminar (1968-69), 50 scholars
• Parish Ministers Fellowship Program (1969-76), 120 scholars
• Rockefeller Doctoral Fellowships (1970-76), 106 scholars
• North American Ministerial Fellowships (1976-94), 748 scholars
• Special Opportunity Fellowships for the Doctoral Study of Religion for Black North Americans (1976-78), 26 scholars
• Special Opportunity Fellowships for Blacks in Ministry (1976-78), 105 scholars
• Special Opportunity Fellowships for the Doctoral Study of Religion for Hispanic Americans (1976-78), 9 scholars
• Special Opportunity Fellowships for Hispanics in Ministry (1976-78), 39 scholars
• Doctoral Scholarships for the Study of Religion for Black North Americans (1978-96), 329 scholars
• Benjamin E. Mays Scholarships for Ministry (1978-96), 793 scholars
• Doctoral Fellowships for the Study of Religion for Hispanic Americans (1978-96), 168 scholars
• Fellowships for Hispanic Americans Preparing for Christian Ministries (1978-95), 473 scholars
• Fairfax-Muskiwinni Scholarships for Black Women (1985-89)
• Hispanic Summer Program (1988-95)
• Urban Ministry Program (1989-93), 57 scholars