Tuition & Costs

Our Commitment

  • Our goal is to provide every admitted student the opportunity to attend. We believe a student’s financial resources should not be a barrier to enrollment.

  • We never consider a student’s ability to pay when making an admission decision.

  • We do not ask students to take out loans to finance their education.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

2025-2026 Tuition and Fees

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts
Tuition $21,000
Room and Board $8,500
Total Direct Cost $29,500
Master of Arts in Buddhist Classics
Tuition $14,000
Room and Board $8,500
Total Direct Cost $22,500
Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation
Tuition $7,000
Room and Board $8,500
Total Direct Cost $15,500

Estimated Cost for Instruction

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts
Per Year $21,000
Total for Program (4 years) $84,000
Master of Arts in Buddhist Classics
Per Year $14,000
Total for Program (2 years) $28,000
Graduate Certificate in Buddhist Translation
Per Year $7,000
Total for Program (1 year) $7,000

All undergraduate students are required to live on campus unless otherwise approved by the Dean of Students. Payment of room and board fees entitles the student to the use of double room and 21 meals per week for the duration of the semester.

Tuition and room and board fees are refundable. Please refer to the refund policy for details.

Estimated Other Expenses

In addition to tuition and room and board fees, there are other expenses that a student and his or her family will need to plan for:

  • Books and supplies
  • Personal incidental expenses
  • Transportation
  • Health insurance
  • Miscellaneous

Books and Supplies

The average cost for books and supplies is approximately $600-$700 per year.

Personal Incidental Expenses

This category covers routine expenses that will be incurred during the school year for things such as laundry, personal items, and entertainment. We estimate $500 to be a reasonable amount for these expenses during the school year.

Transportation

Students may travel home during the school year. The expense of traveling will vary according to the location of the student’s home and the mode of transportation. It is reasonable to assume travel expenses of $500 for students from within California and $1,000 for students from other states.

Miscellaneous Expenses

This category includes other expenditures such as clothing, personal computer, phone, etc. We estimate students’ miscellaneous expenses to be $1,500–$2,000 per year. However, it is possible to spend far less than this amount for students with conservative spending habits.

Other Fees and Charges

In addition to tuition and room and board fees, there are other expenses that a student and his or her family will need to plan for:

  • Auditing fees: $200 per unit
  • Cap and gown: cost
  • Damage to University property: cost
  • ID card replacement: $10 per card
  • Library overdue fines [per item]: $1 per day, maximum $50
  • Library lost item replacement fees, $100 per item
  • Key replacement, $25–$50 per key
  • Transcript fees, $10 per copy
  • Commencement fees, $25 (non-refundable)

Learn More

Financial Aid at DRBU
Office of Admissions and Financial Aid