Overview

The Buddhist Studies program at Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich brings together the skills and expertise of the participating subjects of Indology, Japanese Studies, Philosophy of Religion, Study of Religion, Sinology, and Tibetology, in order to create an attractive interdisciplinary environment for young national and international academics.

Features

The interfaculty PhD program in Buddhist Studies at the LMU is aimed at postgraduates from the fields of cultural studies, religious studies and social sciences.

In interdepartmental and research-oriented courses, the philological, religious studies and cultural studies expertise of the participating disciplines (Indology and Tibetology, Japanology, Philosophy of Religion, Study of Religion and Sinology) are brought together in a structured degree course.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Religions of India and Tibet

The Indo-Islamic world: Sufis, Mughals, Reformers

Tibetan Renaissance – the 2nd spread of Buddhism

India and its other religions: Jews, Christians, Muslims and Parsi

The Study of Buddhist Manuscript Cultures Across South Asia

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-12 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-06-01 00:00:00

Language

English

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

München, Germany

Disciplines

Theology and Religious Studies View 4 other PhDs in Theology and Religious Studies in Germany

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.

Other requirements

General requirements

Full curriculum vitae

A letter of motivation that demonstrates your acquaintance with our program and your qualification in the subject

An outline of the planned dissertation project (no more than 2700 words)

A short schedule/ working plan of your planned research stays/field trips abroad (when, where, what, how long), if applicable

A digital version of your M.A. thesis (or as substitute the thesis of your highest degree)

Contact details of two university professors from your home university, who are willing to write a report about you.

Certificates

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

Free
EU/EEA Applies to you

Applies to you

EU/EEA Nationals

Free

Additional Details

There are no tuition fees for doctoral studies, only a semester fee of 152,30 €.

Living costs

München

Germany

1078 - 1689 EUR / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Buddhist Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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