成立新加坡佛学院是为了培养一批具有正知正见，精通中、英双语，有能力从事弘法管理和佛学研究的僧伽人才，为汉传佛教的可持续性发展和在英语世界的流布提供人力资源。本着：“教内以汉传为主，兼收并蓄；教外尊重团结，和谐共处”的原则，本院教学虽以汉传佛教为重点，但其它诸宗学派都会涉猎。新加坡佛学院次年8月迎来第一届学员。
The Buddhist College of Singapore (BCS) was established with the founding principle of educating and nurturing Sangha members with the Right Knowledge, who are highly proficient in the English and Chinese languages with the abilities to undertake management duties and conduct academic research in Buddhism. They will be the future generations of Buddhist leaders to advance the propagation of Chinese Buddhism in the English-speaking world. BCS’s teaching philosophy is based on an adherence to the tenets of Chinese Buddhism and respect for unity in harmony. Although the curriculum focuses on Chinese Buddhism, the teaching of other lineages and traditions is also incorporated. BCS welcomed its inaugural batch of monastic students in August of the following year.