 Confirmed on 24 July 1887, he studied at the seminary in Essen and the University of Tübingen (from where he obtained a doctorate in theology on 5 March 1903).Schulte was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Hubert Simar on 22 March 1895.He then did pastoral work in Paderborn, including serving as a vicar in Witten, until 1901.