Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship 2027/2028: Fully Funded Study in Hungary (Tuition, Stipend, Housing, Insurance)

Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship 2027/2028: Fully Funded Study in Hungary (Tuition, Stipend, Housing, Insurance)

Stipendium Hungaricum is the Hungarian Government’s flagship international scholarship programme. It is run by Tempus Public Foundation (Tempus Közalapítvány) on behalf of the Ministry responsible for education, and it has grown into one of the largest state-funded scholarship schemes in Europe. The programme brings thousands of international students to Hungarian universities each academic year, and it does so on terms that make studying abroad realistic for people who could not otherwise pay international tuition.

The core idea is simple. Hungary signs bilateral educational cooperation agreements with partner countries and regions around the world. Under each agreement, a set number of scholarship places is opened for citizens of that country. If your country is a partner, and if you are nominated through its designated authority, you can apply to study in Hungary with tuition covered, a monthly stipend paid, housing arranged, and medical insurance provided.

This page explains what Stipendium Hungaricum covers, who it fits, how the two-step application works, and how to prepare a competitive file. Where a figure or date depends on the specific annual cycle and is not yet officially confirmed for the next round, this page says so plainly instead of guessing. Always confirm the current numbers against the official Call for Applications for your cycle.

Stipendium Hungaricum at a Glance

What the Scholarship Offers

Stipendium Hungaricum is designed to remove the main financial barriers to studying abroad, not just to discount them. The benefit package, as described by the programme, includes the following elements.

Tuition-free education. Scholarship holders receive a full waiver of tuition fees for the normal duration of the chosen study programme. You are admitted as a state-funded student rather than a self-financing one.

A monthly stipend. The programme pays a monthly living allowance. The amount is not the same for every level. For bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, and non-degree students the monthly stipend is a modest living allowance, while doctoral students receive a substantially higher monthly amount that also differs between the earlier and later phases of the PhD. In recent cycles the non-doctoral stipend has been published at roughly HUF 43,700 per month, with doctoral amounts in the range of roughly HUF 140,000 to HUF 180,000 per month depending on the doctoral phase. Treat these as recent reference figures only; the exact amount for your cycle is fixed in the official documents, so confirm it there before you rely on it.

Accommodation support. Scholarship holders are offered either a place in a university dormitory free of charge or, where a dormitory place is not used, a monthly housing (accommodation) contribution toward rent. In recent cycles that contribution has been published at around HUF 40,000 per month. The arrangement is handled with the host university.

Medical insurance. The scholarship provides health cover through Hungarian national public healthcare, supplemented by additional medical insurance, so that scholarship holders have access to care during their studies.

Two honest points are worth stating. First, the stipend is a living allowance rather than a generous salary, and Budapest and other Hungarian cities have real living costs, so many students budget carefully or supplement it. Second, Stipendium Hungaricum does not routinely pay international airfare, unlike some other government scholarships. Plan for travel and initial settling-in costs yourself.

Who It Fits

This scholarship is a strong match if you are an internationally minded student from a partner country who wants a full degree, or a research doctorate, at a European public university without paying international tuition. It suits several groups in particular.

School-leavers and undergraduates who want a full bachelor’s degree taught in English or Hungarian. Graduates aiming at a master’s or a one-tier master’s in fields such as engineering, medicine, business, agriculture, natural sciences, humanities, or the arts. Researchers seeking a funded doctoral place with a Hungarian supervisor. And students who need a preparatory or non-degree year, for example to build Hungarian language skills before a full programme.

It fits less well if your country has no cooperation agreement with Hungary, because eligibility is built on that agreement. It also fits less well if you are unwilling to work through your own country’s nominating authority, since that step is mandatory and cannot be skipped.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for Stipendium Hungaricum rests on one central condition that separates it from most open-to-the-world scholarships: you must come from an eligible sending partner country and be nominated by that country’s authority. The main requirements are as follows.

Citizenship of an eligible partner country or region. You must be a citizen of a country or territory that has a valid educational cooperation agreement with Hungary for the level and programme you want. Only the programmes supported by the agreement between Hungary and your country are open to you. The list of partners and the number of places differs by country and can change from cycle to cycle, so check your own country’s status first.

Nomination by your sending partner. Applying online is not enough. Your home country’s designated authority, often a ministry of education or a scholarship agency, must nominate you. Selection at the sending-partner stage is competitive and follows that authority’s own rules and deadlines.

Academic and age requirements for your level. You must meet the entry requirements for the chosen degree level and programme. Requirements and any age limits vary by level and by university, so read the specific programme description.

Language of instruction. Programmes are taught either in English or in Hungarian, and you must meet the language requirement of the programme you choose. Note that, under programme rules, full-time bachelor’s and master’s students who begin studies in recent years are required to study Hungarian as a foreign language for two semesters, with those classes provided free by the host institution. Doctoral and part-time students are generally exempt.

Passport and documentation. A valid passport is required. In some cases a national ID can be used during the application with a signed declaration committing to obtain a passport by a set date. Self-funded students already in Hungary at the same level face additional conditions, including an institutional recommendation and above-average performance.

Because these details are set per cycle and per country, always cross-check the official Call for Applications and your national sending partner’s own announcement.

The Two-Step Application Process

The most common reason applications fail is a misunderstanding of the process. Stipendium Hungaricum has two parallel tracks that both must be completed. Missing either one disqualifies you, no matter how strong the other is.

Step one: the Stipendium Hungaricum online application system. You register and apply on the official online platform at https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu. Here you create an account, select your study level and up to the allowed number of programme choices, upload your documents, and submit before the deadline. There are separate calls for applications, one covering bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, and non-degree programmes, and a separate call for doctoral programmes, so make sure you are applying under the correct call.

Step two: apply and get nominated through your home-country sending partner. In parallel, you must apply to your country’s designated sending partner authority and be nominated by them. Each partner sets its own procedure, required documents, and internal deadline, which is often earlier than the Stipendium Hungaricum online deadline. The sending partner reviews candidates and forwards nominations to the Hungarian side.

After both steps, the process continues on the Hungarian side. Host universities assess nominated applicants, which for many programmes includes an entrance examination or interview, often held online in the spring, with a minimum score required to pass. Final results are typically announced in early summer, and successful candidates receive a Letter of Award ahead of a September start.

Timeline and Deadline

Stipendium Hungaricum runs on an annual cycle for the following academic year. The pattern is consistent, even though exact dates shift slightly each year.

The application window normally opens in mid-November and closes in mid-January, with the online deadline set at 2 p.m. Central European Time on the closing day. For the 2026/2027 cycle, applications opened on 17 November 2025 and the online deadline was 15 January 2026, 2 p.m. CET; that cycle is now closed. Nominations by sending partners followed in February, doctoral supervisor statements were due in mid-March, entrance examinations ran from roughly March to May, and results were announced in June, ahead of a September 2026 start.

For the 2027/2028 cycle covered by this page, the exact opening and closing dates had not been officially published at the time of writing. Based on the established pattern, expect the online window to open around November 2026 and to close in mid-January 2027. Because that date is not yet confirmed, the deadline field on this page is intentionally left blank rather than showing an invented date. Confirm the official 2027/2028 dates on the programme website before you plan around them, and remember that your sending partner’s internal deadline may fall well before the Hungarian online deadline.

Required Materials

The exact document list depends on your study level, your chosen programmes, and your sending partner’s rules. In general, applicants should be ready to provide the following, translated into English or Hungarian where required and certified where the programme demands it.

• A completed online application with your programme choices.
• A valid passport or accepted identity document.
• Academic transcripts and certificates or diplomas for your previous studies, or proof of expected completion.
• Proof of language proficiency in the language of instruction (English or Hungarian), such as a recognized test result, where required by the programme.
• A motivation letter explaining your academic goals and why the chosen programme and Hungary fit them.
• A medical certificate confirming you are fit to study, as specified in the call.
• For doctoral applicants, a research plan or proposal and, by the stated date, a statement of acceptance from a prospective supervisor at the host institution.
• Any additional documents required by your specific programme (for example a portfolio for arts programmes) or by your sending partner.

Prepare certified translations early. Sourcing, translating, and certifying documents is the step that most often runs late.

Preparation Strategy

Start with your own country. Before anything else, confirm that your country is a current partner for the level you want, and find your national sending partner’s announcement and its internal deadline. That deadline, not the Hungarian one, is usually your real constraint.

Choose programmes deliberately. You can select more than one programme choice, so use them well. Balance an ambitious first choice with realistic alternatives, and read each programme’s entry requirements, language of instruction, and any Hungarian-language study obligation before you commit.

For doctoral applicants, contact potential supervisors early. A convincing research plan and an engaged supervisor who provides an acceptance statement carry real weight, and arranging that contact takes weeks, not days.

Write a specific motivation letter. Selectors read many generic letters. Connect your background to the exact programme, name what you want to research or learn, and explain why Hungary and that university fit your plan.

Prepare for the entrance examination. Many programmes assess nominated candidates through an online exam or interview in the spring, with a passing threshold. Treat it as a real hurdle: review your field and be ready to discuss your motivation letter and, for PhDs, your research plan.

Finally, build a budget. The stipend covers modest living costs, and airfare is generally not included, so plan your travel, arrival, and first-month expenses in advance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Completing only the online application and skipping the sending-partner nomination, or the reverse. Both tracks are mandatory.
• Missing your sending partner’s earlier internal deadline while watching only the Hungarian online deadline.
• Assuming your country is eligible without checking the current partner list for your specific study level.
• Choosing a Hungarian-taught programme without meeting the Hungarian language requirement, or ignoring the mandatory Hungarian-as-a-foreign-language semesters for full-time BA and MA students.
• Leaving certified translations and the medical certificate to the last week.
• For doctoral candidates, failing to secure a supervisor’s acceptance statement by the required date.
• Relying on stipend or housing figures from an old cycle rather than confirming the current amounts in the official Call for Applications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Stipendium Hungaricum fully funded? It is largely funded. It provides a full tuition waiver, a monthly stipend, dormitory accommodation or a housing contribution, and medical insurance. It does not routinely cover international airfare, and the stipend is a living allowance rather than a salary.

Can anyone from any country apply? No. You must be a citizen of an eligible sending partner country or region that has a valid cooperation agreement with Hungary, and you must be nominated by that country’s authority.

Do I really have to apply twice? Yes, in effect. You apply on the Stipendium Hungaricum online system and, separately, through your home country’s sending partner, which nominates candidates. Both are required.

What levels can I study? Bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier (long) master’s, doctoral, and non-degree or preparatory programmes.

What language will I study in? English or Hungarian, depending on the programme. Full-time BA and MA students are additionally required to take Hungarian as a foreign language for two semesters, provided free by the host university.

How much is the stipend? The amount is set per cycle and differs by level, with a modest monthly allowance for BA, MA, and non-degree students and a higher amount for doctoral students that also varies by doctoral phase. Confirm the exact figure in the official Call for Applications for your cycle.

When can I apply for 2027/2028? The official dates were not yet published at the time of writing. Based on past cycles, expect the window to open around November 2026 and close in mid-January 2027. Verify on the official website, and check your sending partner’s earlier internal deadline.

Official Links

• Programme website and how to apply: https://stipendiumhungaricum.hu/apply/
• Online application system: https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu
• Programme email for inquiries: [email protected]

Use the official website and your national sending partner’s announcement as the definitive sources for eligibility, dates, amounts, and required documents for your cycle. This page summarizes the programme and points you to those authorities; it does not replace them.