Executives of the college, located in Chinshan township in Taipei County, said if the new students are monks or nuns, their attendance at the college will be completely free, and that if they are lay people, they will need to pay only sundry fees, as all tuition will be waived.

They explained that the school made the decision in consideration of the fact that the adverse conditions caused by the global economic downturn might deprive many potential applicants of a chance to enroll in the Buddhist college.

Interested students have until March 16 to submit their applications to the college's admission office. Dharma Drum Buddhist College was founded in 2007, and it has become the first religious institution in Taiwan to be accredited by the Ministry of Education.

The college is located on the same campus as the Dharma Drum Sangha University, which is for monks and nuns only.