1. It is highly useful for applicants to visit UVA in order to speak with History of Religions faculty and resident graduate students, as well as to attend courses offered at the time of the visit. If a campus visit is impossible, applicants are urged to speak with faculty via the phone. Email addresses are available on the web site, and from the Graduate Secretary, who can also be contacted for help in arranging appointments or contacting other graduate students in the department. Please note that the review of applicants takes place in February, and thus any campus visits after January may occur too late to influence the admissions decision, especially for financial aid.
2. The statement of purpose is an extremely important part of the application, but, surprisingly, students often are neglectful in composing it. Ideally, it should be 2-5 pages long. It should review the student's previous academic work as relevant to the graduate program in question, mention other relevant preparation, and detail the student's proposed course of study in the History of Religions. It is best if the student discusses his/her interests with faculty members in the department at UVA before applying, to ensure that our program meets the student's needs and interests.
3. First-year Tibetan is only offered during the summer intensive program, and hence students planning to study Tibetan must begin during the summer preceding their first semester of coursework. FLAS fellowships (when available) are offered on a competitive basis for summer language study from the Center for South Asian Studies (CSAS) at UVA.