Applying to stay – Monastics

Please note that Santi FM is a Bhikkhuni monastery.

To apply to stay, please first read all the information below, including the conditions of stay for monastics, then fill out and submit the Online Application Form via the link at the bottom of this page. Please apply at least three days prior to your desired arrival date, unless previously arranged with the monastery.

Online applications will be processed and phone calls will be answered during office hours – 8am to 11am Wednesday to Monday. However, if you don’t hear back from us within five days of applying please email to ensure your application has come through.

Before applying to stay, please consider that Santi Forest Monastery has only basic accommodation facilities and is in a very rugged environment, with summer and winter temperatures that are often extreme. You need to be physically agile and have relatively robust health to stay at Santi. If you’d like more details of facilities and conditions, please contact the monastery directly.

Conditions of Stay

Please know that Santi has a policy of not accepting people to stay who show up unannounced.

NB: As of March 2020, all ‘Ministers of Religion’ in NSW are considered ‘Mandatory Reporters’, meaning that they are required by law to report any actual or suspected child abuse or neglect that they come to be aware of.  If you come to stay at SFM you need to know your responsibilities in this regard. Please read the following two documents pertaining to this:

If this will be your first stay at Santi or you are unknown to the community here, the maximum period of stay is 5 days.
We do not accept visitors during the Monastic Vassa retreat period, being the full moon of July till the full moon of October.

Before applying to stay at Santi, you need to read our page Conditions of Stay for Monastics which explains the conditions which you need to accept in order to stay here.

In addition:

  • Applicants should be in good physical and mental health.
  • Applicants are expected to follow the daily routine, attend work meetings and participate in work activities.
  • To maintain the spirit of a forest monastery and the meditation practice, we encourage all our guests to minimise the use of e-mail, phone, social media and the internet. The monastery site rarely gets a mobile signal anyway.

8 precept nuns must wear white (or for 8 precept Sayalays, pink) whilst visiting Santi.

We will need to see your identification, proof of ordination and, for overseas visitors, your proof of healthcare cover before we can accept your application to stay.

For overseas visitors:
A colour copy of your passport is required (copy must include your photo).
Proof of valid Comprehensive Travel/Health Insurance that will cover you for the entire duration of your stay at Santi.

Proof of Ordination for Bhikkhunis
Please scan your Upasampada certificate.

Proof of Ordination for Samaneris
Please scan your Pabbajja  certificate.

8 precept nun ceremony 
If you have a photo of your taking 8 precepts & hair shaving ceremony, you may provide a copy of it as your proof of ceremony.

Please send us your scanned documents of:
1)  your medicare card or healthcare insurance
2)  your identification, with your face clearly showing
3) your proof of ordination certificate
via email to santiguest[at]gmail[dot]com  BEFORE you complete and submit this application.

Type in the subject line: “your name – Proof of Health Insurance and ID”.
Eg. “Ven Dhamma – Proof of Health Insurance and ID”.

Or you may post your document copies to:
Santi Forest Monastery
PO Box 132
Bundanoon
NSW, 2578 AUSTRALIA

Please do not send us the Originals of your documents however, copies only, thank you.

All of the information that you provide will be kept confidential and will not be passed on or disclosed to any other person or organisation.

Online Application Form