Program Overview

Program Overview

The Buddhist Studies MA program at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) is designed to provide students with comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Buddhist Studies. The program is language-based and text-centric, with a wide variety of choices left up to personal interests in research topics.

Program Details

• Title: Buddhist Studies MA
• Degree: Philologist in Buddhist Studies
• Type: Degree program
• Level: Master
• Accreditation number: FNYF/97-4/2024
• Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
• Institute: Institute of East Asian Studies
• Department: Department of Buddhology and Tibetology
• Language: English
• Duration: 4 semesters (2 years)
• ECTS credits: 120
• Minimum number of students: 2
• Maximum number of students: 30

Description

The goal of this program is to offer students who are either relative newcomers to or already have taken their first steps in Buddhist Studies by studying a language related to Buddhism or a course related to religious studies. Students will gain comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a cultural phenomenon that once united large parts of Asia (and is still relevant today), cutting through and adapting to very different languages and cultures.

Strength of Program

The MA program in Buddhist Studies taught in English invites students from all over the world to join the department for rigorous study and the first steps towards independent research. The department offers Sanskrit, Tibetan, Pali, and Apabhramsha, while our sister departments can offer Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian, Korean, and a host of other languages that students might deem relevant.

Career Opportunities

Although our degree is rather specialized, we strive to offer and strongly encourage our students to gain a rounded humanistic education. Therefore, in most general terms, they would become suitable for any job that requires related skills, e.g., journalism, travel writing, consultant for antiquities, etc.

Job Examples

• University Academic
• Private Academic
• Translator
• Consultant
• Travel guide

Tuition Fee

• EU/EEA students: EUR 2500 per semester
• Non-EU/EEA students: EUR 2500 per semester

Application Fee

• Early Bird applicants: EUR 100 (non-refundable) between 01/10/2025 - 30/11/2025 and between 01/02/2026 - 31/03/2026
• Regular application fee: EUR 150 (non-refundable) between 01/04/2026 - 31/05/2026

Other Costs

• Entrance exam fee: 100 EUR

Admission Requirements

Entry Requirements

Applicants must hold a university bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent college degree) in the fields listed below:

• Full credit acknowledgement is only given for a BA degree in Oriental Languages and Cultures (or a BA degree with a different name, but equivalent content).
• In the case of a BA degree from any other study fields (preferably humanities or religious studies), each degree will be considered individually, and transcripts from your diploma as well as course descriptions will be requested. The applicant must have at least 50 credits from the fields of Oriental Languages and Cultures.

Language Requirements

Non-native speakers of English must demonstrate a very good level of English-language skills: minimum B2 level CEFR Following minimum results are preferred:

• TOEFL IBT (Internet-based test): 72-94
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System): 6.0
• Duolingo: 100

Documents to Submit with Application

• Online application form
• Secondary school certificate (graduation certificate)
• Bachelor-level degree
• Transcript of records
• CV
• Motivation letter
• Research work plan
• Letter of recommendation
• Copy of the main pages of the passport
• Copy of application fee payment receipt
• Copy of the Entrance exam fee payment receipt
• Language certificate
• Other: An official English translation of the certificates and the records if the language of the original is not English

Application Procedure

The application starts in the online application system. Students need to register in the system, fill in the online application form, upload the required documents and follow the instructions during the application process.

Application Periods

• Period 1 (with Early Bird discount): 01/10-30/11
• Period 2 (with Early Bird discount): 01/02-31/03
• Period 3: 01/04-31/05

Entrance Examination and Selection Process

• Type of entrance examination: Oral
• Place of entrance examination: Online The entrance exam contains a discussion about the motivation of the applicant. Successful applicants must have a good command of English to pass the entrance exam. The format of the entrance exam is an online interview. Ranking is based on the overall evaluation of academic excellence (based on the submitted documents) and the results of the entrance exam.