More than 85,000 of other faiths enroll in seminary and institute

With the help of the Invite a Friend initiative, seminary and institute students are inviting their friends at an unprecedented rate

Published: Aug 13, 2026, 1:53 p.m. MDT

Students attend an institute class in Toronto, Canada. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2026 has been a banner year for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In 2026, institute marked its 100th anniversary. Also in 2026, the Lord’s Prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks, promised special blessings to those who attend. Then in March, seminaries and institutes announced a major milestone: a combined enrollment of more than one million students worldwide.

And that momentum continues. Close to five months later, worldwide enrollment in the seminary and institute programs now exceeds 1,090,000, including more than 85,000 friends of other faiths, according to a notice published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

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