Buddhist inspired Universities
There are at least 4 Buddhist or Buddhist-supporting institutes of higher learning in the United States - all private and non-profit, and to our knowledge, the only ones in the world outside of Asia. We review them below. International students (including on visas) are welcome to apply at most!
Nestled at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Ukiah, California
Dharma Realm Buddhist University
A small but accredited University that bridges East and West with its liberal arts degrees and strong Buddhist practitioner emphasis, DRBU is a true gem for those wishing to deepen their understanding and practice
A Tibetan Buddhism community in Portland, Oregon
Maitrepa College
Scholarship, Meditation, and Service - the three educational pillars, whether in a Master’s Degree program or in open community programs, and part of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), encouraged by reputable Tibetan leaders including His Holiness the Dalai Lama
An accredited school near Los Angeles
University of the West
offers Undergraduate and Graduate programs in Liberal Arts, Psychology, Business Administration, Chaplaincy, Religious Studies, MBA, English Language, and more. Affiliated with Fo Guang Shan and Hsi Lai Temple
Buddhist-inspired contemplative education in Colorado
Naropa University.
The self-proclaimed birthplace of the modern mindfulness movement, Naropa is the largest of the Buddhist universities in the US and offers multiple undergraduate and graduate degree programs including online.
Buddhist Universities around the world
Outside of these colleges in the USA, all of the Buddhist affiliated universities we found are in Asia, in countries like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Dharma Drum Institute of Liberal Arts, part of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association, hosts international students in Taiwan and is a world leader for studying Mahayana and Chinese Buddhism.
Tzu Chi University in Hualien, Taiwan has a well known medical school!
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Yes! At most of the Buddhist universities, many classes and activities are open to the public and/or hosted online!
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Yes. Check with the school, but most of the universities offer international admissions including supporting F1 and student visas
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Students of all faiths are welcome. An open mind helps foster a diverse and tolerant community. There is no requirement to “be” Buddhist for most programs.