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A UNIQUE IMMERSION EXPERIENCE

EMORY TIBETAN MIND-BODY SCIENCES SUMMER ABROAD

May 17, 2026- June 20, 2026

The Emory Tibetan Mind/Body Sciences Summer Abroad Program is a five-week immersion experience that offers students the opportunity to interact with leading members of the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala, India — home to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama — while participating in the growing dialogue between modern science and the Tibetan Buddhist contemplative tradition.

On a personal level, I think I've learned to see different aspects of my life from a different perspective and not get too tied down in the emotionally anxiety provoking aspects-to just be able to take a step back and relax and keep a good perspective. - Rachel, Course Participant
The program offers students two unique experiences: the first half of the program is based in Dharamsala, India, a bustling Tibetan community in the foothills of the Himalayas. Dharamsala is also home to many important institutions preserving the rich—but endangered—cultural legacy of Tibet like the Norbulinka Institute www.norbulingka.org, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives https://tibetanlibrary.org/, Men-Tsee Khang Tibetan Medical Institute www.men-tsee-khang.org and Gyuto Tantric Monastery www.gyuto.org.  While in Dharamsala, students study meditation, Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan medicine, and the culture of Buddhist Tibet with unparalleled access to local experts, unique sites, and experiential learning opportunities.

The second portion of the program is based at Drepung Loseling Monastery www.loselingmonastery.org in South India where students can be fully immersed in a monastic community.  Additionally, in conjunction with the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative, students actively engage Tibetan monastics studying neuroscience, biology, and physics.

The program application period opens December 15, 2025 and the application deadline is February 13, 2026. For more information on applying, please visit Emory College Study Abroad.

To download a flyer with course information, CLICK HERE

 

Program Overview​​​​​​​

This program offers students the opportunity to join the emerging dialogue between the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of the Inner science of the mind and the western tradition of science of the External world.  

  • Participants on this program engage in an exciting experiment in cross-cultural collaboration that has the potential to lead to breakthroughs in a variety of fields.  

  • Students will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best teachers in the western and Tibetan traditions, while actively engaging in dialogue with Tibetan monks and nuns who will be studying neuroscience, biology, and physics in the month-long Emory-Tibet Science Initiative.   

  • The program will take place half in Dharamsala, the head of the Tibetan exile community in India and half in Karnataka, India, at Drepung Loseling Monastery.  No prior knowledge of Tibetan or these subjects is required. 

  • All applicants must have a current passport (that is valid until at least December 31, 2026) in their possession by absolutely no later than February 13, 2026.  Students without a passport that is valid as such by February 13th risk not being admitted to the program and risk not being able to travel to India. 

 Eligibility

  • This program is open to Emory University applicants and visiting students from other institutions. 
  • Emory students must meet the regular Summer Study Abroad eligibility requirements and any program-specific eligibility requirements listed below. 
  • Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher 
 
Eligibility Requirements
Language Prerequisite : None 
Minimum GPA : 3.0

Fees                                                                                                                     

  • Program fee: $2,750
  • Tuition (8 credits): $16,768
  • Health and Wellness fee: $130