Program Details
Program Schedule
Upcoming
Online infosession, live Q&A
: March 27th
Applications open
: March 22nd
Applications close
: April 22nd
Applicants receive response by
: May 5
Academic Year 1 (2025-26)
Beginning of fall semester, in-person
: Sept 9
End of fall semester, in-person
Break
Beginning of fall semester, online
End of fall semester, Online
: Oct 3
: Oct 4 - 19
: Oct 20
: Dec 12
Beginning of spring semester, online
End of spring semester, online
Break
Beginning of spring semester, in-person
End of spring semester, in-person
: March 12
: May 1
: May 4 - June 7
: June 8
: July 3
Academic Year 2 (2026-27)
Beginning of fall semester, in-person
: Sept 8
End of fall semester, in-person
Break
Beginning of fall semester, online
End of fall semester, Online
: Oct 2
: Oct 5-16
: Oct 19
: Dec 11
Beginning of spring semester, online
End of spring semester, online
Break
Beginning of spring semester, in-person
End of spring semester, in-person
: March 1
: April 30
: May 4 - June 4
: June 7
: July 2
Academic Year 3 (2027-28)
Beginning of fall semester, in-person
: Sept 7
End of fall semester, in-person
Break
Beginning of fall semester, online
End of fall semester, Online
: Oct 1
: Oct 4 - 15
: Oct 18
: Dec 10
Beginning of spring semester, online
End of spring semester, online
Break
Beginning of spring semester, in-person
End of spring semester, in-person
: Feb 28
: May 5
: May 8 - June 2
: June 5
: June 30
*Dates are subject to minor change
For calendar layout of dates, visit Home Page.
Study Program & Curriculum
Mipham Institute offers a program of study centered on two main components: Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy.
Tibetan Language
The Institute’s program on Tibetan language is designed to help students master basic competence in reading classical Tibetan, so that they can develop basic proficiency in reading Tibetan Buddhist literature, fluency in pronunciation and reading, and the capacity to consult commentaries in order to elucidate the meaning of classical scripture. While the program does not emphasize conversational Tibetan, that does not mean that oral competence is not important, and students will be encouraged to develop some degree of listening comprehension for oral commentary and basic Dharma conversation, for example. Our Tibetan programs focus on acquiring a solid understanding of Tibetan linguistics based on the traditional Tibetan grammatical tradition.
Buddhist philosophy
Our program in Buddhist philosophy will cover the main points of the view of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, especially Madhyamaka or Middle Way philosophy. The courses will proceed in the Tibetan shedra style of studying a selection of the great Indian Buddhist classics as root text with the help of oral commentary by a qualified scholar. These courses will be supplemented by a review class and complementary classes covering the background, context, and interpretation of these texts. Complementary classes will cover topics such as Buddhist history, methodology for Buddhist study, Buddhist epistemology and logic, and the overview of the main Buddhist philosophical schools.
Program Requirements
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The program will proceed by a combination of a four-week in-person program held at Padma Samye Ling Retreat Center. During the in-person programs, students will take daily classes in Tibetan language, Buddhist philosophy and complementary courses.
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For the online portion of the program, students will be required to watch pre-recorded lectures and meet regularly in live online sessions to review the material of the online class and cover other complementary topics.
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The online program will also include at-home and live sessions focusing on Tibetan language.
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Both in-person and online sessions will be required to take part in the Mipham Institute program.
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Other requirements will include complementary readings and exercises.
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Students will be required to maintain an acceptable academic standing. Evaluation activities such as written and oral exams will be conducted to monitor student progress.
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During the in-person program at PSL, students will have approximately three hours a day of classes, and will be required to spend some time for self-study.
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During online programs, students will have about 1.5 hour per day of prerecorded classes and one hour of live in-person instruction.
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The time requirements and study load are equivalent to part-time study at the university level. Potential students should understand that this is an intensive program that demands a high level of engagement and participation.
Program Costs
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Recommended donation per year : $3850.
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Costs related to accommodations while at Padma Samye Ling can be found here. Students will also be responsible for buying textbooks.
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Students who need financial support in order to take the program should contact us to request financial aid and scholarships. While scholarships cannot be guaranteed, Mipham Institute aims at allowing every qualified student to partipate.
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Students are welcome to stay at Padma Samye Ling retreat center during online sessions and between semesters.