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SIT Study Abroad Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples (Outgoing Program)

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  • Locations: Dharamsala, India; Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Program Terms: Fall, Spring
  • Homepage: Click to visit
  • Program Sponsor: SIT/World Learning 
Dates / Deadlines:
Dates / Deadlines:
Term Year App Deadline Decision Date Start Date End Date
Spring 2026 09/20/2025 ** Rolling Admission TBA TBA

** Indicates rolling admission application process. Applicants will be immediately notified of acceptance into this program and be able to complete post-decision materials prior to the term's application deadline.
Fact Sheet:
Fact Sheet:
Minimum GPA: 2.5 Language of Instruction: English
Areas of Study: Art, Asian Studies, Border Cultures and Border Issues, Broad College Curriculum, Communications, English, Environmental Studies, Government, History, Humanities, Ministry, Politics and Public Policy Internships, Psychology, Social Sciences/Research Library, Sociology Housing Options: Home Stays
Program Description:

SIT Study Abroad Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

NOTE: SIT will make every effort to maintain its programs as described. To respond to emergent situations, like COVID-19, SIT may have to modify programs.

Learn about Tibetan and Himalayan politics and religion and the issues faced by communities in exile.

WHY STUDY TIBETAN AND HIMALAYAN COMMUNITIES IN NEPAL?

The dynamics of Tibet and the Himalaya span from ancient times to the present day. Discover the history of the region’s border tensions, religious belief systems and politics. Learn about the Tibetan Government in Exile; CIA intervention in Tibet; the Dalai Lama and his Middle Way approach; negotiations with China; and human rights in Tibet. Spend six weeks in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital and home to a significant Tibetan exile community. Study Tibetan medicine, symbolism, music, art, meditation and retreat. Explore the shamanistic features of the indigenous Tibetan religion, Bön, at an institute halfway up a mountain on the valley’s periphery. Listen to a lecture by an Ayurvedic doctor in the old town. Meet the caretaker of an ancient pagoda shrine. Take a high-altitude trek to isolated Tibetan communities and stay with rural families. Learn Tibetan and traditional Tibetan tutorials characteristic of spiritual training in Buddhist text recitation and choose to learn Nepali. Conduct independent field study or gain professional skills in an intercultural internship.

Please visit the SIT Study Abroad website for details on the program highlights and details of coursework, educational excursions, and housing.

KEY TOPICS

  • Complexities of the Tibetan and Himalayan border tensions
  • Traditional Tibetan civilizations, politics, and Buddhist history
  • Shifting belief systems of Tibet and the Himalaya
  • Urgent issues of exile in Tibetan and Himalayan communities
  • Issues specific to women in exile
  • The Tibetanization of Himalayan cultures

MONEY MATTERS

SIT is an all-inclusively priced study abroad program – including academics costs, excursions, accommodations and meals, airport transfers, and health insurance. Be sure to discuss how study abroad costs are handled at your school with your study abroad advisor and read the website for more specific information.  

SCHOLARSHIPS

CONTACT SIT STUDY ABROAD