Hungary, a country landlocked in the heart of Europe popularly known as an affordable study-abroad destination, is famous for its scholarship programs. Here international students are offered scholarships based on academic performance, merit, financial status, and extracurricular participation. As per the “Study in Hungary” official website, the most popular scholarship among all the scholarships offered in Hungary is the Stipendium Hungaricum program. It covers over 1,200 educational programs at all levels offered at 28 higher education institutions in Hungary. Its provisions include free tuition, a monthly stipend to cover living expenses, accommodation, and health insurance cover.
Similarly, international students can also apply for other scholarships like Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship, Bilateral State Scholarships, Erasmus+, CEEPUS, and EEA Grants Scholarships. Let us learn more about scholarships in Hungary for international students planning to study in the country in the coming years.
Popular Scholarships in Hungary
Stipendium Hungaricum
This is one of the most prestigious scholarship programs in Hungary. Stipendium Hungaricum is established by the Hungarian government to attract top international students with an aim to boost the internationalization of Hungarian higher education. The program came into existence in 2013, and since then it has improved Hungary’s personal and professional links to the countries around the world. Graduates of this scholarship go back to their home countries after graduation and help build social, political, and economic relationships between Hungary and their home countries.
The scholarship is managed by the Tempus Public Foundation and supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Hungary. The Hungarian government has established bilateral education agreements with the governments of over 90 countries on five continents worldwide to offer this scholarship. Each year it attracts tens of thousands of international students to study in Hungary. Stipendium Hungaricum covers over 1,200 full-time degree programs spanning all higher education fields at all levels and also includes part-time programs. It was surveyed that over 93% of scholarship holders would choose to study in Hungary again, which shows how popular this scholarship program is in the country. Currently, there are over 28 higher education institutions in Hungary offering this scholarship for their academic programs and these include over 600 full-time and non-degree programs taught in English. For the academic year 2022-2023, the scholarship received over 52,000 applications from international students in Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and Central and South America. And more than 97% of students applied for full-time programs under this scholarship. There has been a growth of a 5% increase in the number of applications from the previous year and a nearly 45% rise from yesteryear. The top study programs that fall under Stipendium Hungaricum are
- Engineering
- Computer science and technology
- Medical and health science
- Natural science
- Economics
Provisions of Stipendium Hungaricum
Bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, and non-degree programs
- Exemption from payment of tuition and fees
- Monthly stipend of 103 EUR as a contribution towards living expenses in Hungary for 12 months a year, until the end of studies
- Free accommodation or a contribution of 108 EUR per month to pay for accommodation expenses for the entire duration of the scholarship
- A contribution of 153 EUR to cover health care services under health insurance and supplementary medical insurance
Doctoral programs
- Exemption from payment of tuition and fees
- Monthly stipend of 331 EUR for the first four semesters, 425 EUR for the next four semesters until the completion of the program to cover living expenses in Hungary
- Free accommodation or a contribution of 108 EUR per month to pay for accommodation expenses for the entire duration of the scholarship
- A contribution of 153 EUR to cover health care services under health insurance and supplementary medical insurance
Note: The monthly stipend offered might not cover the full living expenses in Hungary, thus students will have to arrange for alternative sources to cover living costs in Hungary.
Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship
Established by the Hungarian government, Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship is for students of Hungarian origin who live outside Europe and wish to study at a higher education institute in Hungary. The scholarship is meant to develop one’s cultural, professional, and personal relations with the country. While studying, students can discover and explore Hungarian history, traditions, and culture and also work on improving their Hungarian language skills. 28 Hungarian universities offer programs to these scholarship holders. They get to choose from over 1,400 degree programs full-time and non-degree programs taught in English and Hungary under this scholarship. Here is a list of study programs that are related to Hungarian culture:
- Hungarology
- Ethnography
- History
- Cultural heritage
- Viticulture and viniculture
- Hungarian studies undergraduate program
- Kindergarten education
- Teacher training
Bilateral State Scholarships
The Bilateral State Scholarships are scientific and educational cooperation agreements signed between Hungary and a foreign partner country. Under this scholarship, Hungary offers scholarships for foreign students, researchers, or lecturers in higher education institutions or in scientific or art institutions. The foreign partner nominates potential outgoing scholars and the national scholarship office in Hungary arranges the application process of the incoming foreign applicant. The national scholarship office in Hungary is called the Tempus Public Foundation managed by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.
Students can apply for the scholarship via two processes:
- By being nominated by the home country
- Submitting an application to Tempus Public Foundation’s online system
Following submission, the applications are evaluated by the Hungarian side. First, a formal eligibility check is performed, and then the applications are scored according to a number of professional criteria by Tempus Public Foundation’s specialists. The applicants are then informed about the decision via email. Tempus Public Foundation also helps students arrange for their stay in Hungary.
Erasmus+
This mobility program is formed by the European Union to promote youth education, training, and sports. It is meant for European citizens to study, gain work experience, train, and volunteer abroad. Only students from Erasmus+ Programme countries and partner countries can participate in Erasmus+, which includes 28 EU Member States, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, Turkey, Macedonia, and Serbia. The study period abroad can last for up to 3 months, up to a maximum of 1 year. Opportunities are available for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students. To apply, students will need to submit a CV, a signed learning agreement stating the planned courses at the host institution, and a motivation letter. Students with health conditions or mental or physical disabilities can apply for Erasmus+ and are eligible for additional funding.
CEEPUS
Expanded as the Central European Exchange Program for University Studies, the CEEPUS mobility program is perfect for students and teachers who want to spend a shorter period at a Hungarian university. The students can spend a study period in Hungary while teachers can undertake a teaching period at a Hungarian partner university. The aim of this scholarship is to foster the relationships among scholars in Central Europe. In Hungary, this program is managed by the Tempus Public Foundation. There are two types of CEEPUS mobility programs
Student mobility: Bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. students can spend 1 semester (3-5 months) attending lectures and seminars at a participating university. Or they can spend up to 1-2 months of consultation, research activity, and laboratory work related to their thesis.
Teacher mobility: It includes mandatory teaching (lectures, seminars, or consultations) of a minimum of 6 hours at the host institution for one month.
Eligibility
- You must be enrolled as a student or teacher at an accredited university in any of the CEEPUS member countries
- For student mobility, the students must have completed at least 2 semesters of their studies, and the duration must not exceed 10 months for BA and MA programs
- You may or may not be a citizen of the partner country but must study or teach in the same country
- You must have not applied for a second mobility scholarship
EEA Grants Scholarships
The aim of EEA Grants Scholarships is to reduce social and economic inequality and strengthen bilateral cooperation between donor countries like Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, and beneficiary countries, such as Hungary. Students, teachers, and staff from donor countries can apply for the following mobility projects under this scholarship
- Preparatory visits
- Mobility projects in higher education
- Mobility projects in education-related institutions
- Inter-institutional cooperation projects between higher education institutions
To be eligible, the applicant must have completed at least two semesters of their studies before starting their mobility period. They are entitled to a study period of 3 to 12 months within one academic year. They can also apply for practical placement or summer schools under the scholarship scheme. The applicants are given a one-time travel contribution of 500 EUR and a monthly grant of 400 EUR during their studies. Students participating in summer mobility programs are offered a one-time contribution of 900 EUR to cover expenses during their entire stay. Some preparatory courses are also covered under EEA Grants Scholarships.
Conclusion
Obtaining a degree in Hungary will not only give you an opportunity to acquire highly competitive knowledge but you will also get a chance to apply to scholarships. International students can apply for scholarships such as Stipendium Hungaricum, which aims to improve the competitiveness of Hungarian higher education worldwide. The Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship is for the Hungarian diaspora living outside Europe and Bilateral State Scholarships are for foreign students, researchers, or lecturers to study at a Hungarian university or art institute.
For those interested in participating in short-term mobility programs in Hungary, scholarships like Erasmus+, CEEPUS, and EEA Grants are available. Interested students can apply for these scholarships by visiting the “Study in Hungary” website. To know more about scholarships in Hungary for international students contact Gyanberry today! You can either fill up this contact form or book a video call.
