Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore or above
Location: Asia, Nepal
GPA: 2.75

Program Overview

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.

For further information about the program, including dates and course information, please visit: SIT: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples in Kathmandu

Dates and Deadlines

Term Year Deadline Arrival Date Departure Date
Spring Semester 2026 10/15/2025 1/27/2026 5/11/2026
Fall Semester 2026 05/01/2026 09/01/2026 12/14/2026

If you are interested in applying to a SIT program, we strongly advise you to meet with an advisor prior to applying.

Selection for the program is based on a review of your written application, recommendation, transcript(s), and completion of the interview process. Qualified applicants are recommended by a GEO Study Abroad Program Advisor. The final selection of participants is made by SIT.

IMPORTANT: Application for a SIT program involves two parts:

  1. Completion of the GEO application process.
  2. Completion of the SIT application process.

Please note that the GEO deadline supersedes the SIT deadline. 

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Discount for Pell Recipients

To expand access to study abroad, GEO is offering a $500 discount for this program to UO students who currently have the Pell Grant as part of their federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Budget and Price

SIT: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples in Kathmandu

2026 Spring Semester

Program Fees Paid to GEO
UO Study Abroad Fee ($1,000 per semester) $1,000
Other Estimated Expenses
SIT Application Fee Paid to SIT $50
SIT Educational Costs Paid to SIT $22,175
Housing Paid to SIT $4,441
Participation Confirmation Paid to SIT $400
Estimated Airfare from Eugene $2,000
Estimated Course Materials $145
Estimated Additional Meals $600
Estimated Local Transportation $300
Estimated Cell Phone Expenses $150
Estimated Travel Clinic & Pre-Departure Physical $100
Estimated Cost of Acquiring Passport $160
Estimated Visa Fees $350
Estimated Additional Living Expenses $500
Total
Total Estimated Cost of Participation $32,371

Included in Program Costs: Program tuition, medical insurance, pre-departure orientation, and on-site support

* Non-UO Students: study abroad fees and application fees vary by campus; check with your home campus study abroad office.

Please visit GEO Billing Information for information about how you will be billed and when payments are due.

 

Please also refer to the SIT Cancellation Policy.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Date Cancellation Penalty
8 weeks before program start date

50% of UO Study Abroad Fee
Program start date or after program begins

Full amount of UO Study Abroad Fee
Note that scholarship funds are not able to be applied to program deposit.

IMPORTANT: The GEO Cancellation Policy is effective from the time a student agrees to pay their non-refundable program deposit or electronically signs the program commitment form, regardless of application or acceptance status. It is essential to read this policy before a potential cancellation takes place, to fully understand the withdrawal and cancellation penalties, and to understand what it means financially to commit to a study abroad program.

Students who cancel their participation must notify GEO in writing. Email is acceptable (geoinfo@uoregon.edu). Verbal notification to GEO or notification given to a non-UO campus study abroad office is not sufficient.

For full details, see the complete GEO Cancellation Policy.

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