According to the Henan Commercial Newspaper, Henan Buddha College, the world's largest Buddha College, held its first entrance examination from Feb. 25 to Feb. 27.

Four-year educational system

The Henan Buddha College occupies an area of 37 square kilometers containing the Longtanhe Scenic Area, and it is the currently the largest Buddha College in the world.

The Buddha College was approved by the State Administration for Religious Affairs of China to be built in 2005.

A sightseeing tricycle wheeler surnamed Fan in Longtanhe Scenic Area said more people started asking about the Buddha College in Feb. 20 of this year, and it is said that the college carries out a four-year educational system, which means a student could get his undergraduate diploma after four years of study.

Sharp contrast of people who signed up and the number of real examinees

Henan Buddha College published its enrollment regulations on April 6 of last year and monks and other people signed up. But the college started recruiting its first batch of students at the beginning of this year because of the construction of its first section of projects.

Although more than 300 people signed up, only 25 of them took part in the examination on Feb. 25 of this year because a long time has passed since the regulations were published. During the period of the examination, examinees were still coming to the place from all over China, including monks, cadres at their posts and university students.

The content of the examination includes Buddhist knowledge, Chinese language, foreign language and an interview.

Student life at college not simple

Like a temple, students in the Buddha College have a regular time schedule for every day, too. They get up at 5 a.m. every morning and go to sleep at 10 p.m. every night, and they also have some regulated procedures to obey.

But, life in the Buddha College is never simple. Apart from Buddhism, the college also teaches courses like Buddhist music, sculpture, foreign languages, kung fu and tea-making.

Studying here, students not only receive free room and board as well as tuition and incidental expenses, but they also can gain allowances and scholarships from the college. At the same time, the employment situation for its graduates will be quite bright because many temples from all over China have started contacting the college to receive graduates though its first batch of students will not graduate for another four years.