MA Preparatory Program
We are happy to announce that we will re-open our campus in Fall 2022 and Spring 2023. We are offering most classes either on-campus or online, and we are open to MA Preparatory students joining for both the fall and spring semesters.
Most of our classes are running both online and on campus, although spring semester students should note that, except for Nepali, our first-semester language classes are offered only in the fall, so if you are a total beginner in Tibetan or Sanskrit, you won’t be able to study those languages until the Summer Program or during fall 2023.
Visit our admissions page for application details and program-specific dates
Please see the Bachelor of Arts page for more details on courses that will be available live online for students outside of Asia.
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MA Preparatory Program in Buddhist Studies with Himalayan Language
The Centre for Buddhist Studies offers an MA preparatory program in Buddhist Studies with Himalayan Language to prepare students to join one of the Centre’s MA programs or a Buddhist Studies, Area Studies, Religious Studies or similar MA program at another university.
Applicants for the MA Prep program should have a BA degree from a recognized university. MA Prep studies can focus on improving language skills in Classical Tibetan or Sanskrit, focus on courses in Buddhist philosophy, history, and culture, or on a combination of the two.
CBS offers beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of Classical and Colloquial Tibetan, beginning and intermediate levels of Sanskrit, and for those planning to do research work in Nepal, beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of Nepali.
We offer a variety of Buddhist philosophy classes taught by both Western faculty and monastic professors (Khenpos and Lopons) and additional courses in such topics as Buddhist history, anthropology, meditation, and ritual.
Students may study in the MA Prep program for one or two years, depending on their prior academic background and the degree of preparation needed to join an MA program.
For students wishing to join RYI’s MA Buddhist Studies program, one academic year of preparation is usually sufficient. For students wishing to join the MA Translation, Textual Interpretation, and Philology, two years of preparation may be necessary for those with no background in Classical Tibetan.
For the specific course prerequisites for RYI’s two MA programs, please download the MA Buddhist Studies Course Description or the MA Translation, Textual Interpretation, and Philology Course Description. MA Prep students take courses in the BA program to meet their MA prerequisites. Please download the BA Course Description for information on the courses available to MA Prep students.
MA Prep Application and Admission
Applicants who have completed higher secondary school through grade 12 and have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 on a four point scale are eligible to apply for the program and should visit the admissions section of this website before applying.
For more information, please refer to the Eligibility Requirements and Admissions Process for the BA program.
MA prep program applicants are encouraged to apply for a fall semester start, because first, third, and fifth-semester language classes are offered only in the fall, with second, fourth, and sixth-semester classes offered in the spring.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose native language is not English and who do not have a Bachelor degree from a university in an English-speaking country must have a TOEFL score of at least 575, a score of 90 on the iBT, CEF/CERF/GeR level in English is B2 or higher, or IELTS score of at least 6.5 and no score lower than 6.0 on any one band.
Fee Request
In accordance with university guidelines, RYI course fees are determined by each student’s 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 fee structure for your particular circumstance.
You will find the Tuition Fee List for all programs linked on the right-hand side of the admissions page.
