How To Apply - 6 Easy Steps
- Complete and submit required application and supplementary essays.
- Submit at least two letters of reference, including at least one from a teacher. The other can be another teacher, or someone else who knows you well.
- Submit official sealed transcripts from all colleges and universities you attended as an undergraduate or graduate student
- Submit GRE score (Optional - Institution code 4282)
- Send us your TOEFL score (for students who speak English as a second language)
- Interview: We’ll reach out to schedule a personal or online video interview
Ready to get started? Visit the Apply Now page
We do not accept transfer students for this program.
Deadline: The deadline for international students is February 15, 2023. After this date, international applications are considered on a space-available basis.
Please note that only a limited number of students can be admitted to the program each year. Places are filled on a rolling admission basis.
Once the application is received and processed, students will receive instruction via email to log on and submit the online Early Diagnostic Test for evaluation. All admitted students are required to attend the 7-day Seminar on Reading and Translating Buddhist Texts that will take place before the beginning of Fall semester.
For more information and other inquiries, please contact: iitbt@drbu.edu
Admissions Decision
You will receive your admissions decision in approximately six weeks after all parts of your application have been received. We are currently accepting applications for the Class of 2024 (entering Fall 2023).
Upon Admission
Notice - DRBU retains full discretion to withdraw an offer of admission at any time. An offer of admission may be rescinded if the University discovers behavior, past or present, that brings into question an admitted student's honesty, maturity, moral character, or ability to follow the DRBU Student Code of Conduct. See the rescission of admissions policy for further details.
Admission Requirements
The Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation is a graduate level program. Before applying, applicants need to have at least a undergraduate degree or the equivalent, and demonstrate graduate level capacity in reading and writing. In order to produce high quality translation that accurately conveys the meanings of the source text while also appealing to the modern mind, students applying to this Program should have a high level of proficiency in the English language.
Applications should meet at least three of the following prerequisites, as identified by the Diagnostic Test:
1. At least one year of Classical Chinese, or ability to read Buddhist Chinese texts (for students whose native language is not Chinese).
2. Knowledge of basic Buddhist philosophy and concepts.
3. Competency in fields such as western philosophy and psychology (as these can inform one’s translations and make them convincing to the western modern psyche)
4. Skilled in other languages besides English and Chinese, and interested in Buddhist translation.
All applicants are required to take a timed, 120 minute Diagnostic Test.
Non-Native English Speakers | Native or Near-native English Speakers |
Section I - Essays (40% | |
English (280-330 words) | English (330-380 words) |
Section II - Translation/Edition (40%) | |
Section III - Abstract (20%) | |
Section IV - Buddhist Knowledge (20%) |
Important Information
Rolling Admissions - We review applications on a rolling basis.
Application Timeline - You can apply anytime after you have completed your Junior year of college.
Admissions Decision - You will receive your admissions decision in approximately six weeks after all parts of your application have been received. We are currently accepting applications for the Class of 2024 (entering Fall 2023).
Admissions Process - Places are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The admissions process ends once the entering class is full.
Application Fee - There is no application fee to apply to the DRBU Graduate-level Certificate Program in Buddhist Translation
Additional Info
Graduate applicants are required to have graduated from college by the time they enroll in DRBU. The University may provisionally admit applicants based on their academic preparation through the junior year of college.
Dharma Realm Buddhist University is approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement to admit non-immigrant foreign students. Upon admission to DRBU, each international student will be issued a Form I-20 by a designated school official (DSO) at no cost to the student. After receiving the Form I-20, student may apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a student (F-1) visa. Students are responsible to pay SEVIS-901 fee and other costs associated with student visa application.
Instruction will occur in the English language. Students whose native language is not English must demonstrate English-language proficiency equivalent to achieving the following scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): 90 for internet based test (iBT), 577 for paper based test (PBT), and 233 for computer based test (CBT).
DRBU does not accept credits from other institutions because our curriculum is fully integrated and all-required.