Future Students

How to Apply

All applicants for admission need to:

  • Complete a Won Institute application. Download here

  • Have official transcripts of all undergraduate studies, including official proof of baccalaureate degree mailed to the Institute.  Sample form to use to request transcipts.

  • Have two letters of recommendation from professors familiar with your academic work or from professional supervisors or colleagues who are familiar with your professional work mailed to the Institute. Won Buddhist Studies students please see below for specifics on the letters of recommendation.  Use this form for recommendation letters.

  • Provide a writing sample. This should be a 300-500 word essay that describes how your chosen program at the Won Institute will further your career or personal goals.

  • Students whose first language is not English must send confirmation of a minimum TOEFL Internet based score of 79 or a Paper based score of 550. In addition, applicants for either the AMS or AcS degree who have met the PBT scores of 550 or above are also required to report a minium Test of Spoken English (TSE) score of 40.

  • An on-site interview is required and will be scheduled upon provisional acceptance of the student by the Admissions Committee. Other interview arrangements may be requested under exceptional circumstances.

Mail the application and the writing sample, along with the $75 application fee to the Institute. Once the Institute receives the application, transcripts, and letters, your application will go to the Admissions Committee. Dowload application check list here.

If the Admissions Committee makes a recommendation for provisionall acceptance, an on-site interview is required to complete the admission process. The Chair of the program conducts the interview. Other interview arrangements may be requested under exceptional circumstances.

Specifics Regarding Won Buddhist Studies Letters of Recommendation

For admission to the Master of Won Buddhist Studies Program one of the two letters of recommendation should reflect the following:

  • For students coming from Korea: One of the letters of recommendation for the admission should be from the Secretary of the Department of Education of the Won Buddhist Headquarters.

  • For students from the United States: One of the recommendation letters must be from a Won Buddhist Priest at an affiliated temple.

  • For international students (other than Korea): One letter of recommendation must be from the Won Buddhist priest of the regional temple in the student's country of origin.