Dāna (the Pali word for generosity) has played an essential role in the 2,600 year-old Buddhist tradition. In the spirit of this tradition, Spirit Rock is committed to offering financial assistance to those who need it. We do not want cost to be an obstacle for participation in our programs. If you cannot attend a program due to lack of funds, we strongly encourage you to select a scholarship rate when available.
Spirit Rock highly values diversity. We particularly invite those who are experiencing financial hardship that are in the following groups to select a scholarship rate: Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color (BIPOC), young adults (18-26), elders (65+) with limited/fixed incomes, and those with life threatening illnesses.
For non-residential programs, scholarship rates are unlimited and open to all. Most of our online programs have a "no one turned away" for lack of funds scholarship (NOTA Scholarship). Please contact the registration department by email to make your request.
For residential retreats, each individual may be awarded a scholarship rate for a maximum of two residential retreats per calendar year. Training programs are not included in this limit, nor are any of our single-day, non-residential programs on-land or online. Financial assistance requests for longer residential retreats or trainings are assessed in terms of financial need and fund availability during a separate application process for each program.
Scholarship funds for residential retreats are budgeted on a per-retreat basis; this means that funding is limited per retreat. If funds are not available for one retreat, it does not mean funds are not available for other retreats. We suggest you consider a few retreat options if your schedule allows when completing the Scholarship Interest Form. For training programs that have an application process, scholarship allocations have a separate system of review and allocation.
How to apply for a residential retreat scholarship? Please scroll down to the Scholarship FAQs below.
Spirit Rock offers a variety of types of financial support for our residential retreats.
Mudita Scholarships
The Mudita Scholarship supports ANY individual who has a significant financial need; this is for everyone including our low-income folks and elders (65+) on fixed incomes, or young adults who have 'aged out' of the Young Adult rate.
Karuna Scholarships
The Karuna Scholarship is designed to support individuals who have a significant financial need and who also have a serious medical condition, or life-threatening illness.
Dr. Marlene Jones People of Color Scholarships
This BIPOC Scholarship is designed to support individuals who have a significant financial need and who also self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color (BIPOC).
Toni Ko Scholarships
The Toni Ko Scholarship is designed to support individuals who have a significant financial need; who are also new to silent meditation residential retreats, and are age 27-55 years. Individual must be attending their first (ever!) silent residential retreat. This scholarship is only available for 6-night retreats. This scholarship is a one-time award and is funded by Toni Ko.
Present Parent Scholarships
The Present Parent Scholarship is designed to support parents or legal guardians (grandparents, relatives, or foster parents) from low-to-modest income backgrounds wanting to attend a residential retreat who are actively raising children under the age of 18 in their home, with special priority given to single parents. It is available for most standard residential retreats (9 nights or less) and only once per calendar year. It is not available for the following: monastic retreats, family retreats, monthlong retreats, or any training programs with residential retreats. This scholarship is generously funded by an anonymous donor.
Young Adult Scholarships
The Young Adult Scholarship is designed to support young adults (18 – 26 years) experiencing significant financial need who are interested in attending a residential retreat at Spirit Rock. It is our wish to support the practice needs of meditators in early adulthood. The number of young adult spaces available is limited per retreat. If all the Young Adult rates are sold out, you may select one of the above options that also may apply to you.
Renunciate Monastics
Monastics in the Buddhist traditions are invited to attend Spirit Rock retreats without cost. We ask that you register in advance to secure a space in the retreat. Monastic discounts can be extended only to those having taken vows and abiding as a renunciate, living exclusively on donations and having no form of income through work or other sources. You will need to provide the name of the monastery you are affiliated with and the lead teacher or abbot you practice under. To learn more, contact the Registration department at: [email protected].
If it would be financially helpful to pay for your retreat over a period of time, we do offer an installment option to ease the burden of paying a retreat fee all at once. A minimum deposit is due for all attendees and the balance must be paid in full prior to the start of the retreat. Payment plans can only be set up on a credit card. We do not set up installments on checking accounts unless you have access to a credit card. Your automatic deductions can be monthly installments, if time allows, before the retreat starts. However, all payments must be complete prior to the retreat start. Installments cannot be paid following retreat attendance.
A payment plan is available for Teacher Dāna at the end of a retreat. Please contact our Development Department at: [email protected], if you are considering this option. You may not have more than two (2) payment plans occurring at the same time whether for registration fees or for dana. And, all registration fee payment plans need to be paid off prior to registering for another retreat.
The Basic Rate is a partially subsidized, lower rate that does not require an application; it is available to everyone and is unlimited. We ask you to consider this rate. You can pay a 30% deposit, and spread out the remaining balance across the months leading up to the retreat in equal monthly installments. The earlier you register the more months you have to make payments. Registering at a non-scholarship rate is the only way to secure a spot immediately; however, it does disqualify you for a scholarship in the same retreat.
No. If you truly need a scholarship and cannot afford the lowest available non-scholarship rate, then you should not register in the retreat now. Please wait for the scholarship allocations (or the possibility of a cancellation). Registering at a non-scholarship rate will make you ineligible for a scholarship in the same retreat.
To be eligible for a scholarship, you must:
Additional Information:
Scholarship Rates are in very high demand and are limited to those with significant financial need. Among Spirit Rock's residential retreat participants overall, 20-22% are scholarship recipients, but our resources can only support a very small proportion of the vast number of individuals needing and requesting scholarships.
Our needs-based process is designed to help us thoughtfully consider a range of factors when making decisions, so we can support a broad and balanced community of practitioners. We prioritize individuals with the greatest financial need, while equitably distributing scholarship funds in alignment with our core values. We encourage you to provide as much detail as possible when describing your situation to help us clearly understand your financial need.
Scholarships are awarded 4-5 months prior to each retreat (due dates are listed at the bottom of this Frequently Asked Questions list, and on the scholarship interest form). Everyone who has submitted a request prior to the scholarship due date will be considered in the first round of allocations, and we encourage you to submit this form as early as possible. We may likely progress to a second and third round of allocations, so we strongly encourage you to join the scholarship waitlist, even if the initial due date has passed.
Cancellations may occur up until the start of the retreat which would also make scholarship spots available.
If/when we have a scholarship space to offer you, we will do our best to reach you by email (and phone if you provide it), and we would appreciate a response within 24 hours. We do our best to reallocate funds as quickly as possible if you are not available.
If the scholarship form due date for your retreat has not yet passed, then you can expect to hear from us starting the day after the due date (typically 4-5 months prior to the retreat). If you are not initially selected, you will be notified that you are on the scholarship waitlist. We will not send updates regarding any changes in your waitlist number, so please reach out to us if you are curious.
If the scholarship form due date has already passed when you submit the form, you are automatically added to the scholarship waitlist. You should receive an email from Google confirming your answers, but you will not receive a notification from us confirming you are on the scholarship waitlist.
Again, we encourage you to join the scholarship waitlist, even if the initial due date has passed. Though scholarship cancellations are few and unpredictable, they do still occur and it could happen close to the retreat start.
The scholarship waitlist is the list of everyone who has requested a scholarship and was not allocated scholarship funding in the first round of allocations. If a scholarship recipient cancels, we will offer their spot to the next eligible person on the scholarship waitlist. Cancellations among scholarship recipients are few and unpredictable, but often times the individuals on the scholarship waitlist are no longer available by the time a spot opens up, so we can move through the waitlist very quickly. If you can travel on short notice, that may increase your chances of getting a spot as well.
Hard to say. It is impossible for us to predict, but the closer we get to the retreat itself, the more likely cancellations are to occur. If we have a cancellation within two weeks of a retreat, we may make the spot(s) available to the entire scholarship waitlist, on a first-come-first-serve basis. As a retreat approaches, if you are still very interested, it is super helpful to let us know - email us. You may be in luck!
No problem! Responses can be changed after submitting them but you will have to email the Registration team at: [email protected]. (If you were logged into Google when you first submitted, then you may be able to log back into Google to review your previous answers, but not change yourself.)
Although the due dates for all these retreats have passed, we continue to accept interest forms and still invite you to add your name to the scholarship waitlist. To submit the scholarship interest form for retreats within this bracket (May-Aug 2026) go to the retreat calendar and select your retreat.
May
June
July
August
Although some due dates have passed, we continue to accept interest forms and still invite you to add your name to the scholarship waitlist. To submit the scholarship interest form for retreats within this bracket (Sept-Dec 2026) go to the retreat calendar and select your retreat.
September
October
November
December
NOTE: Scholarship Interest Forms for Jan-Jun 2027 retreats are now available as of July 15, 2026.
January
February & March
(Monthlong retreats - For experienced retreatants only). Retreat & scholarship applications are now being accepted for 2027. Scholarship requests for monthlong retreats have a separate process. For those retreats, apply here >> monthlong retreats.
March
April
May
June
Coming Soon! These retreats will be opening for regular registration on September 2nd. The Scholarship Form will also be available at this same time (Sept 2).
July
18-Night Retreat: Summer LovingKindness & Insight Retreats, Jul 7-25 (18 nights); PRE-REQ: 9-night retreat; scholarship form due date - Feb 2, 2027
Summer LovingKindness Retreat, Jul 7-16 (9 nights); scholarship form due date - Feb 9, 2027
August
September
October
The Heart of Freedom: Walking the Buddha's Path In Modern Life, Oct 22-27 (5 nights); scholarship form due date - May 19, 2027
November
Awakening Together: Transforming Ourselves and Our World, Nov 14-21 (7 nights); scholarship form due date - June 15, 2027
December
