16 October 2026 • 5 min read
Finished Your BA? Where to Apply for an MA in Buddhist Studies
A practical list of MA programmes in Buddhist Studies in Asia, Europe and North America — research, language-focused and contemplative — plus how to choose and how to fund it.
An MA is where most people really become Buddhist Studies specialists. It's also a fork in the road: some MAs are designed as the first step towards a PhD and an academic career, while others prepare you for chaplaincy, teaching, translation or work in dharma organisations.
This guide lists established MA programmes and explains how to pick the right one for where you want to end up.
Checked October 2026. Deadlines and fees change every year, and some of the dates below are from the 2026 intake. Always confirm on the programme's official page before applying.
First, decide what kind of MA you need
- Research-track MA — rigorous training in texts, history and methods, usually with a source language. Choose this if you're thinking about a PhD.
- Language-intensive MA — built around Sanskrit, Pali, Classical Tibetan or Classical Chinese. Ideal for future translators and textual scholars.
- Contemplative or ministry-focused MA — combines academic study with practice and service, often leading to chaplaincy (sometimes via a Master of Divinity) or work in Buddhist communities.
If you're unsure, a research-track MA keeps the most doors open.
Asia
| Programme | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Buddhist Studies — Centre of Buddhist Studies, University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | Taught in English; 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. Open to graduates of any undergraduate subject. For the 2026–27 intake there were two application rounds (December and February) and a separate scholarship application. Can lead on to MPhil and PhD study. |
| MA in Buddhist Studies — Kathmandu University Centre for Buddhist Studies at Rangjung Yeshe Institute | Kathmandu, Nepal | Two-year MA taught in English at a monastery in Boudhanath, with strong classical Tibetan and Sanskrit training. Applications have run from 1 November to 1 April for an August start. |
| MA in Buddhist Studies — International Buddhist Studies College, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University | Thailand | English-taught, 39 credits, focused on Buddhist history, texts and practice with particular attention to Pali. |
| MA in Pāli and Buddhist Studies — Shan State Buddhist University | Myanmar | Two-year taught MA; tuition has been listed as free. A rare chance to study Theravāda texts in a Theravāda country. |
| MA in Buddhist Studies, English track — Fo Guang University | Yilan, Taiwan | Taught entirely in English with a focus on Chinese Mahāyāna Buddhism — described by the department as the only programme of its kind in Taiwan. Students without a classical Buddhist language take one as part of the degree. |
Europe
| Programme | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| MPhil in Buddhist Studies — University of Oxford | Oxford, UK | Two-year research degree specialising in Sanskrit, Classical Tibetan or Classical Chinese, ending with a thesis and translation exams. Oxford's Glorisun Graduate Scholarships in Buddhist Studies (£8,000–£15,000 in recent years) support MPhil and DPhil students. |
| MA Buddhist Studies — SOAS University of London | London, UK | One-year interdisciplinary MA covering history, philosophy, anthropology and material culture. There are also two-year "with Intensive Language" variants. |
| M.A. Buddhist Studies — Numata Center for Buddhist Studies, University of Hamburg | Hamburg, Germany | Four semesters, with regional tracks. The India, Tibet and Thailand tracks are taught in English; China and Japan tracks use English and German. Like most German public universities, there are no tuition fees beyond the semester contribution. |
| MA Tibetology and Buddhist Studies — University of Vienna | Vienna, Austria | Four-semester philological programme on Tibetan and Buddhist traditions, with advanced Classical Tibetan and Sanskrit. University pages have described it both as German-taught (with German at C1 required) and as bilingual German/English — confirm the current language rules before applying. |
North America
| Programme | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| MA in Buddhist Studies — Institute of Buddhist Studies | Berkeley, California | Offered with the Graduate Theological Union, and now also available online. GTU asks for some undergraduate coursework in Buddhism or Eastern religions and in comparative religion. IBS is also known for Buddhist chaplaincy training. |
| MA in Religious Studies — University of the West | Rosemead, California | Buddhist-founded university with MA concentrations in Buddhist Texts & Translation; Mindfulness, Meditation & Mind; and Global Buddhism. |
| MA in Buddhist Studies — Maitripa College | Portland, Oregon | A Tibetan Buddhist (FPMT-affiliated) college combining scholarship, meditation and service; also offers a Master of Divinity. Increasingly online-friendly. Check its current accreditation status if that matters for your plans. |
| MA in Buddhist Classics — Dharma Realm Buddhist University | Ukiah, California | Small, accredited, seminar-based programme reading Buddhist texts closely, with no-loan financial aid. |
Many large research universities in the US and Canada don't have a stand-alone Buddhist Studies MA — they admit students straight into a PhD (see our PhD guide). Others offer MAs in Religious Studies or Asian Studies where you can specialise in Buddhism; the same advice applies as at BA level: look for active faculty working on Buddhism and access to a source language.
How to choose
- Follow the language. If you want a PhD, the single most important thing an MA gives you is a strong source language. Pick a programme where you can study the language your future research needs.
- Look at where graduates go. Ask the programme which PhD programmes, translation projects or jobs their recent graduates moved on to.
- Write to a potential supervisor. A short, specific email ("I'm interested in X; is anyone at your programme supervising work in this area?") tells you a lot.
- Count the full cost. Tuition varies from free (some German and Asian programmes) to over £25,000 a year in the UK — factor in living costs and visas too.
Funding your MA
- Programme scholarships — HKU, Oxford and many others have their own scholarships with separate forms and earlier deadlines. Apply at the same time as you apply for admission.
- Khyentse Foundation Buddhist Studies Scholarships — open to students of all Buddhist traditions, usually between US$500 and US$5,000. Application windows have run from mid-December to mid-January and from mid-June to mid-July.
- Work while you study — teaching assistant roles, library jobs and part-time positions at dharma centres can help. Browse current openings.
Typical timeline
- 12 months before you start: shortlist programmes, contact potential supervisors, ask your referees.
- 9–6 months before: most applications and scholarship deadlines fall between December and April for an autumn start.
- Spring: offers, scholarship decisions and visa applications.
Next step thinking ahead? Read where to apply for a PhD in Buddhist Studies.