Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme

Mission of the Programme 

The Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme was launched in 2013 by the Hungarian Government with the aim of providing opportunity for foreign students to pursue their higher education studies in Hungary. The core mission of the programme is to increase the number of international students in Hungary and to encourage Hungarian higher education institutions to attract top foreign students.

The scholarship programme is managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and co-ordinated by Tempus Public Foundation. The programme is based on bilateral educational cooperation agreements signed between the Ministries responsible for education in the sending countries/territories and Hungary. Currently more than 80 Sending Partners are engaged in the programme on 5 different continents, and the geographical scope of the programme is widening each year.

The scholarship program offers both full-degree and partial study opportunities in the three cycle degree structure (bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes), mostly in English language, however, other foreign language study programmes are also available in the frame of the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme. Students can also apply for a one-year Hungarian language preparatory training course, following which they can pursue their higher education studies in Hungarian language.

Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders are encouraged to focus on their academic advancement during their stay in Hungary, as all their tuition fees are covered, and their accommodation and living costs are supported as well. Upon finishing their studies, a European degree in hand provides graduates with a wide range of opportunities in the global job market. Since 2013, the number of Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders has grown significantly, at the same time increasing the ratio of self-paying international students in Hungarian universities. Between 2013 and 2019, the ratio of international students studying in Hungarian higher education institutions has doubled, and the ratio of Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders among them has quadrupled. As a result, the number of study programmes taught in foreign language(s) has tripled in Hungarian universities since 2015.

The number of both Stipendium Hungaricum applicants and awardees is continuously increasing, as well as the number of available scholarship places. In 2021, nearly 50 0000 applications were received and more than 4700 scholarships were awarded, showing that since its launch, the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship has become a programme of excellence.
             

Available Scholarship Types

Study Levels 

Stipendium Hungaricum scholarships are available for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, doctoral, non-degree programmes (preparatory courses) and postgraduate specialist training courses. Please note that this Call for Application is for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, non-degree programmes and postgraduate specialist training courses only. Please find the Call for Applications for doctoral level here.

Important note: applications are only accepted for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, non-degree programmes and postgraduate specialist training courses OR for doctoral programmes; therefore please consider carefully your selected programme(s).

Note about one-tier master’s programmes and postgraduate specialist training courses: 

In the Hungarian education system, one-tier master’s programmes cover both the bachelor and the master level of studies; therefore, it is an undivided master programme that results in a master degree. These one-tier programmes are offered in specific study fields such as general medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, architecture, law, veterinary surgery, forestry engineering, etc. Postgraduate specialist training courses provide the opportunity to obtain a specialized qualification after bachelor’s or master’s degree. Preparatory courses are not available for postgraduate specialist training courses.

Study Modes

Both full degree and partial (exchange) study modes are available, in accordance with the relevant bilateral educational cooperation agreement. Full degree programmes are programmes that lead to a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. One-year programmes do not lead to a degree but provide a preparatory course before a degree programme.

Partial (exchange) studies are one- or two-semester long exchange studies. If the partial (exchange) studies are part of the student’s degree studies in their sending higher education institutions, those who apply for partial (exchange) studies must be registered in and must have a student status at a higher education institution that operates outside of Hungary. In this case, applicants can only apply to those study levels they are attending in their sending, home institutions (i.e.: doctoral level). In case partial studies are not part of the student’s degree studies in their sending higher education institutions, a student status at a higher education institution that operates outside of Hungary is not needed.

Partial (exchange) studies are available for up to one academic year, must be completed by 30 June and cannot be extended.

Please be extra cautious when selecting your preferred study programmes in the online application system as most of the study programmes are offered both as full degree and partial study programmes; therefore, those programmes appear twice. Please make sure that you select the programme marked with the study mode of your desire, because it is not possible to change the study mode after submitting your application. 

Provisions Covered by the Scholarship

➢ Tuition-free education

- exemption from the payment of tuition fee

➢Monthly stipend

- non-degree, bachelor’s, master’s and one-tier master’s level: monthly amount of HUF 43,700 (cca EUR 120) contribution to the living expenses in Hungary, for 12 months a year, until the completion of studies

➢Accommodation contribution

- free dormitory place or a contribution of HUF 40,000/month to accommodation costs for the whole duration of the scholarship period (Please note that if the student does not live in the dormitory, the HUF 40,000/month is a contribution to that rental costs, and in bigger cities – especially in the capital city – this contribution would not cover the full amount of rental costs.)

➢Medical insurance

- health care services according to the relevant Hungarian legislation (Act LXXX of 1997, national health insurance card) and supplementary medical insurance for up to HUF 65,000 (cca EUR 180) a year/person

Please bear in mind that these provisions are only a contribution to the living expenses of the Scholarship Holders. It means that it does not fully cover all the costs of living and the students need to add their own financial resources in order to cover all living expenses in Hungary. All applicants are highly advised to check the expected living expenses both in Hungary and in the city that they wish to live in before applying; please do check our Cost of Living Calculator by clicking here:http://www.studyinhungary.hu/living-in-hungary/menu/your-costs-of-living.html

Eligibility

Eligible Sending Partners

The Stipendium Hungaricum Programme is based on effective bilateral educational cooperation agreements between the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade or its legal predecessor as regards the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Programme, the Ministry of Human Capacities, and the partner’s Ministry responsible for higher education. Applications will be considered eligible only if the applicant is nominated by the responsible authorities of the Sending Partner.

For full time programmes, students can apply from the following Sending Partners: Arab Republic of Egypt, Argentine Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Federative Republic of Brazil, Georgia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Japan, Kingdom of Cambodia, Kingdom of Morocco, Kingdom of Thailand, Kurdistan Regional Government/Iraq, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Montenegro, Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, Pacific Alliance (member states: Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru), State of Palestine, Panama, People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, People's Republic of Bangladesh, People's Republic of China (including the Hudec scholarships), Republic of Albania, Republic of Angola, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Cabo Verde, Republic of Chile, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Ecuador, Republic of Ghana, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iraq, Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Namibia, Republic of North-Macedonia, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of South Africa, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Yemen, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, State of Eritrea,  State of Israel, State of Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Tunisian Republic, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Mexican States, United Republic of Tanzania.

For partial (exchange) study programmes and for postgraduate specialist training courses, students can apply from the following Sending Partners: Bosnia and Herzegovina , Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Federative Republic of Brazil, Georgia, Japan, Kingdom of Cambodia, Kingdom of Morocco, Mongolia, Montenegro, People's Republic of Bangladesh, People's Republic of China (including Hudec applicants), Republic of Albania, Republic of Angola, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Chile, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Ghana, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo, Republic of Moldova, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Yemen, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, State of Eritrea, State of Israel, Sultanate of Oman, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Turkmenistan, United Mexican States, United Republic of Tanzania.

Please note that the programme is implemented through direct cooperation with the responsible authorities of the Sending Partner. The application does not have any additional costs, therefore we highly suggest you not to apply through any agencies.

Non-eligibility

Applications will not be considered in the following cases:

• Hungarian citizens (including those with dual citizenships), persons granted a refugee status (“menekült”), persons enjoying temporary protection (“menedékes”), persons admitted for subsidiary protection (“oltalmazott”) and persons granted humanitarian protection (“befogadott”),

Please note that this requirement is not only for applicants but for Scholarship Holders as well; it means that, e.g., if you obtain Hungarian citizenship or refugee status during your studies in Hungary, you automatically lose your scholarship status.

- Applicants with a citizenship different from the sending country/territory. For example, only Brazilian citizens can apply through the Brazilian Sending Partner.

- Applicants born after 31 August 2004 (= applicants under 18 years old as of 31 August 2022 except applicants applying for Dance study programmes,

- Applicants applying for a doctoral programme within the SH programme in the same application round

- Those applicants who are registered self-financed / fee-paying students of a Hungarian higher education institution at the time of the application deadline AND who are applying for a study level below their self-finances studies. It means that:

+ self-financed master students of a Hungarian higher education institution cannot apply for bachelor studies, and

- Those former Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders who were awarded scholarships for full degree studies and who

+ are now re-applying for full degree or partial (exchange) studies in the same cycle or lower level of education(non-degree studies, bachelor, master, one-tire master level) 

– (therefore, those Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders can apply forthe programme who apply to continue their studies at a higher level of education, e.g. bachelor Scholarship Holders can apply for master studies!)

+ or who are now re-applying for the programme for any cycles of education while they still have a scholarship status at the time of application (unless they withdraw their former scholarship before the application deadline) and will not receive their degree until 31 August 2022

+ or who have postponed the start date of their scholarship studies and did not withdraw their scholarship before the current application deadline. 

- Those former Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders who were awarded scholarships for partial (exchange) studiesand who 

+ are now re-applying for partial (exchange) studies in the same cycle or lower level of education (non-degree studies, bachelor, master, one-tire master level) – (therefore, those Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders can apply for a higher level of education, e.g. former bachelor Scholarship Holders can apply for master partial (exchange) studies if they are now master students in their home countries!)

- Those former Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders who were awarded scholarships in the 2020/21 or in the 2021/22 application round, but after accepting their scholarship, did not travel to Hungary and did not start their studies, nor did they notify Tempus Public Foundation of this fact until 31 August. This clause also applies to those former Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holders who have postponed their scholarship awarded in the 2020/21 application round, but did not travel to Hungary and did not start their studies next year, nor did they notify Tempus Public Foundation of this fact until 31 August.

Please note that it is only possible to re-apply for full degree scholarship studies in the same cycle of education if the former Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Holder was previously awarded partial (exchange) studies. Even in this case, the length of the full degree scholarship shall be reduced by the length of the previous partial (exchange) studies.

Important note for self-financed students already studying in Hungary:

Those applicants who are registered self-financed / fee-paying studentsof a Hungarian higher education institution at the time of the application deadline AND who are now applying for the same study level are only eligible to apply for the Stipendium Hungaricum programme if

- they are recommended by their Hungarian host universities where they are studying at the time of application, AND

- if their cumulative, corrected sum average (“összesített korrigált kreditindex”) is higher than the students’ average performance in the particular study programme (“szakátlag”).

For example, self-financed master students enrolled in Hungary can apply to continue their studies with the scholarship on the same master level only if they are recommended by their university and their cumulative, corrected sum average is above average. Please see further details about the optional application documents in Section 3.2.3. of the Call for Application.

CONTACT DETAILS 

Please check the website for more details about the programme and for frequently asked questions. Please contact the Study in Hungary Department of Tempus Public Foundation in one of the following ways in case you need any further information.

• Website of the Programme: stipendiumhungaricum.hu and www.studyinhungary.hu  
• Skype: stipendiumhungaricum
• E-mail: stipendiumhungaricum@tpf.hu
• Tempus Public Foundation: https://tka.hu/english

You can access the Call for Applications by clicking on the following links:

• Call for Applications for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, non-degree programmes and postgraduate specialist training courses:

stipendiumhungaricum.hu/uploads/2020/03/BA_MA_OTM_Call_for_Applications_2022_2023_final.pdf

• Call for Applications for doctoral programmes:
stipendiumhungaricum.hu/uploads/2020/03/PhD_Call_for_Applications_2022_2023_final.pdf

Source: https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu/news/new/72-call-applications-20222023-academic-year