Summer Sanskrit Language Study
Join us this summer to begin your Sanskrit language studies, or to build on what you’ve already learned. The summer Sanskrit courses are rigorous but students progress very quickly, completing the equivalent of two semesters of coursework over the span of 8 weeks. At the conclusion of the courses, students are well on their way toward attaining a high degree of proficiency in classical Sanskrit.
Visit our admissions page for application details and program-specific dates
Beginning Sanskrit (SLAN 120) 6 Credits
This intensive Sanskrit course is designed to facilitate the rapid acquisition of basic Sanskrit vocabulary and grammar for beginning students with no prior knowledge of Sanskrit. This course will introduce the basics of Sanskrit grammar using both indigenous and non-indigenous pedagogical methods and terminology. By the end of the course, students will be on their way towards working with original Sanskrit texts on their own.
The course includes an introduction to the Devanāgarī script which students use in class and for homework and quizzes. Classes also cover native pronunciation, basic conversational skills in Sanskrit language, and an introduction to the study of Sanskrit meter.
Students are lead through the grammar in a detailed and gradual manner so that even complete beginners will benefit while building a basic vocabulary and gaining familiarity with the intricacies of Sanskrit grammar.
Class Structure
Classes meet Monday through Friday for four hours per day and include two hours of grammar class, a one-hour traditional class, and a one-hour review class. Additionally, there are office hours for extra support. The level of intensity of the courses is high and students are expected to invest considerable time and effort in order to meet class requirements and academic expectations.
The grammar classes (120 minutes per day, 5 days per week) comprise the largest portion of the course. In these master classes, the teacher will introduce and explain grammar using non-indigenous grammatical categories. Student progress will be assessed on an ongoing basis through homework assignments and quizzes.
The traditional classes (60 minutes per day, 5 days per week) include reading and pronouncing Devanāgarī texts, reciting and chanting Sanskrit prose and poetry, and learning spoken Sanskrit.
The review classes are led by an experienced teaching assistant, who will provide additional practice for the master grammar class.
Class Schedule
On-campus and Online
All times are NPT Nepal Time UTC +5:45.
Please ensure you are available Monday-Friday during the respective scheduled hours for on-campus or online study.
| Class | Title | Type | Time |
| SLAN 120 MC 1 | Beginning Sanskrit Master Class 1 | OC | M-F 10:30a-11:30a and 11:45a-12:45p |
| SLAN 120 TR 1 | Beginning Sanskrit Traditional Class 1 | OC | M-F 9:15a-10:15a |
| SLAN 120 Rev 1 | Beginning Sanskrit Grammar Review 1 | OC | M-F 2:00p-3:00p |
| SLAN 120 MC 2 | Beginning Sanskrit Master Class 2 | OL | M-F 7:15p-8:15p and 8:30p-9:30p |
| SLAN 120 TR 2 | Beginning Sanskrit Traditional Class 2 | OL | M-F 6:00p-7:00p |
| SLAN 120 Rev 2 | Beginning Sanskrit Grammar Review 2 | OL | M-F 9:45p-10:45p |
MC1 – Main Master Class for on-campus students
TR1 – On-campus traditional class (beginning and intermediate levels for Classical Tibetan and Sanskrit), focusing on terminology, pronunciation, and text reading
Rev1 – On-campus review class
MC2 – Main Master Class for online students
TR2 – Online traditional class (beginning and intermediate levels for Classical Tibetan and Sanskrit), focusing on terminology, pronunciation, and text reading
Rev2 – Online review class
OC – Oncampus Class, Traditional classes where students attend in person on campus.
OL – Online Class, Classes conducted fully over the internet
Class Materials
The course uses a Sanskrit primer prepared by the instructors. Additional handouts will be given as necessary, and there are numerous, pre-recorded videos that you can watch in our Teams classroom environment to help you prepare in advance for your daily classes and to review difficult points as often as needed.
Accreditation
Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Sanskrit are university-level courses and can be taken for academic credit through Kathmandu University’s Centre for Buddhist Studies, earning 6 credits (12 ECTS). These courses may also be taken on a non-credit basis. Expect to spend at least three hours outside of class each day for homework and study.
Intermediate Sanskrit (SLAN 220) 6 Credits
This intensive Sanskrit course is offered for intermediate-level students with two semesters of prior study of Sanskrit. The course is designed to review and complete the study of grammar, and increase students’ reading proficiency in Sanskrit. The course will begin with a brief grammar review. For the remaining portion of the course, students will prepare translations of assigned Sanskrit texts for discussion during class time. Grammar will be reviewed in the course of reading texts. The choice of texts will include a variety of Sanskrit genres, including Buddhist Sanskrit texts.
In addition, the traditional classes will cover pronunciation, conversation, the reading of texts, and the study of Sanskrit meters.
Class Structure
Classes meet Monday through Friday for four hours per day and include two hours of grammar class, a one-hour traditional class, and a one-hour review class. Additionally, there are office hours for extra support. The level of intensity of the courses is high and students are expected to invest considerable time and effort in order to meet class requirements and academic expectations.
The grammar classes (120 minutes per day, 5 days per week) comprise the largest portion of the course. In these master classes, the teacher will introduce and explain grammar using non-indigenous grammatical categories. Student progress will be assessed on an ongoing basis through homework assignments and quizzes.
The traditional classes (60 minutes per day, 5 days per week) include reading and pronouncing Devanāgarī texts, reciting and chanting Sanskrit prose and poetry, and learning spoken Sanskrit.
The review classes are led by an experienced teaching assistant, who will provide additional practice for the master grammar class.
Class Schedule
On-campus and Online
All times are NPT Nepal Time UTC +5:45.
Please ensure you are available Monday-Friday during the respective scheduled hours for on-campus or online study.
| Class | Title | Type | Time |
| SLAN 220 MC 1 | Intermediate Sanskrit Master Class 1 | CC | M-F 2:00p-3:00p and 3:15p-4:15p |
| SLAN 220 TR 1 | Intermediate Sanskrit Traditional Class 1 | CC | M-F 11:45a-12:45p |
| SLAN 220 Rev 1 | Intermediate Sanskrit Grammar Review 1 | CC | M-F 4:30p-5:30p |
MC1 – Main Master Class for on-campus students
TR1 – On-campus traditional class (beginning and intermediate levels for Classical Tibetan and Sanskrit), focusing on terminology, pronunciation, and text reading
Rev1 – On-campus review class
CC – Concurrent Class, Taught at the same time to both on‑campus and online students
Class Materials
The course uses a Sanskrit primer prepared by the instructors. Additional handouts will be given as necessary, and there are numerous, pre-recorded videos that you can watch in our Teams classroom environment to help you prepare in advance for your daily classes and to review difficult points as often as needed.
Accreditation
Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Sanskrit are university-level courses and can be taken for academic credit through Kathmandu University’s Centre for Buddhist Studies, earning 6 credits (12 ECTS). These courses may also be taken on a non-credit basis. Expect to spend at least three hours outside of class each day for homework and study.
Advanced Sanskrit (SLAN 320) 6 Credits
This intensive course is designed to improve students’ ability to translate classical Sanskrit texts. Students joining this course should have four semesters of prior study of Sanskrit. The main focus of the course is reading Sanskrit texts of different genres, including Buddhist Sanskrit texts.
The course instructors will review grammar as necessary and also discuss issues related to translating classical Sanskrit texts into English.
By the end of the course, students will be well on their way to becoming capable translators of classical Sanskrit texts.
Class Structure
SLAN 320 will have 3 hours of class per day, 5 days per week. The reading class will focused on reading Sanskrit texts of different genres with grammatical explanations based in non-indigenous categories.
Class Schedule
Online
All times are NPT Nepal Time UTC +5:45.
All online courses will be held Monday to Friday between 5:45pm – 11:15pm Nepal time.
| Class | Title | Type | Time |
| SLAN 320 MC 1 | Advanced Sanskrit Master Class 1 | OL | M-F 6:00p-7:30p and 7:45p-9:15p |
MC1 – Main Master Class for on-campus students
OL – Online Class, Classes conducted fully over the internet
Class Materials
All class materials will be distributed electronically. Grammar resources, including pre-recorded grammar videos, will be shared in our Microsoft Teams classroom environment.
Accreditation
Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Sanskrit are university-level courses and can be taken for academic credit through Kathmandu University’s Centre for Buddhist Studies, earning 6 credits (12 ECTS). These courses may also be taken on a non-credit basis. Expect to spend at least three hours outside of class each day for homework and study.
Admission Criteria
All applications for the Sanskrit programs are subject to approval by the Centre for Buddhist Studies.
For more information, please refer to the Eligibility Requirements and Admissions Process for the summer intensive.
Accreditation
The Beginning Sanskrit course is accredited at the Centre for Buddhist Studies for Sanskrit I and Sanskrit II (6 credits total).
The Intermediate Sanskrit course is accredited at the Centre for Buddhist Studies for Sanskrit III and Sanskrit IV (6 credits total).
The Advanced Sanskrit course is accredited at the Centre for Buddhist Studies for Sanskrit V and Sanskrit VI (6 credits total).
Fee Request
In accordance with University guidelines, RYI course fees are determined by each student’s home base and nationality. A three-tier system is in effect which covers (i) Nepali students, (ii) SAARC students and (iii) other international students. Please select below to find out the fees structure for your particular circumstances.
You will find the Tuition Fee List for all programs linked on the right-hand side of the admissions page.
