Updated: October 10, 2026 | Reading time: 9 min | Written by: StudyTribune Team
Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria applications run on two parallel tracks, and applicants who miss the second one never reach the selection stage. The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship is the Hungarian government’s flagship programme for international students, and Nigerian citizens can use it to study tuition-free in Hungary. This guide to Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria for the 2027/28 round explains how the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) nomination works, what the Hungarian Embassy in Abuja will and will not do, what changed when Nigeria’s BEA funding stopped, and how to plan the timeline.
This page is part of our complete guide to the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, which covers every country, host universities and related schemes.
Quick answer: the 2027/28 call has not been published yet, so there is no open application. When it opens (expected in November 2026), you must submit the online application and also be nominated by Nigeria’s sending partner, the Federal Scholarship Board. The FSB can set an earlier local deadline than the online one, so contact it first.
Table of Contents
Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Sending partner | Federal Scholarship Board (FSB), Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja |
| Hungarian Embassy in Abuja | Does not receive applications, make nominations, accept direct submissions or give updates on individual cases. No embassy recommendation is needed |
| Online application | apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu, run by the Tempus Public Foundation |
| Last deadline (2026/27) | 15 January 2026, 2:00 p.m. CET. The FSB may set an earlier local deadline |
| 2027/28 call | Not yet published, so no open application at the time of writing |
| Levels FSB advertised for Hungary (2025/26) | Undergraduate and postgraduate (Master’s and PhD) |
| Programme choices | Up to two study programmes, in order of preference |
| Age rule (2026/27) | Applicants born after 31 August 2008 were not eligible |
| Cost to apply | No fee. The Call advises against using agencies |
How Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria Applications Work
The Hungarian Embassy in Abuja describes the process as two parallel steps. First, you submit a complete application in the official online system by the published deadline. Second, your application can proceed through selection only if you are nominated by Nigeria’s designated sending partner, the Federal Scholarship Board.
The Call for Applications adds that the FSB reviews and pre-selects applications and sends a nomination list, with a reserve list, to the Tempus Public Foundation by the end of February. Only nominated applicants go on to the universities’ entrance examinations. For the full pipeline, see our guide to the Stipendium Hungaricum selection process.
Federal Scholarship Board Contact Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| bea.fmefsb@yahoo.com | |
| Telephone | 0807 788 4417, 0812 680 3658, 0806 568 3685 |
| Address | 245 Samuel Ademulegun Street, Central Business District, Abuja |
| Website | education.gov.ng (click the Federal Scholarship Board icon) |
| Federal Scholarship Board |
These details come from the Hungarian Embassy’s published FAQ. The embassy says the FSB may set an earlier local deadline and may ask for extra steps, including documents by email or hard copy, so contact it as early as possible to confirm the exact nomination procedure and timeline. For process questions about the online system, use the programme’s official contact page rather than the embassy.
Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria: What Changed When BEA Funding Stopped
The Nigerian Government has announced that it will no longer finance new overseas scholarships under its Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) framework. The Hungarian Embassy says this does not stop Stipendium Hungaricum, because Hungary funds the programme under its own framework with no financial obligations for the Nigerian Government.
It does change what you receive. The BEA-related contributions that used to top up outgoing students’ support, such as monthly allowances and travel-related costs, stopped from the 2025/2026 academic year. The Hungarian Government alone now covers the scholarship, which means the standard package: tuition, a monthly stipend of HUF 43,700 (about €110) for bachelor’s and master’s students, a free dormitory place or a HUF 40,000 monthly housing contribution, and medical insurance. The Call states that no financial provision is made for travel, so plan to pay your own flight.
Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria Requirements
- Nigerian citizenship. You can only apply through the sending partner of your own nationality.
- Entry qualifications are set by the university. The embassy states that neither it nor the FSB can confirm in advance whether WAEC or other school qualifications are acceptable. Contact your chosen Hungarian institution directly. Our guide to the English proficiency certificate explains common language proofs.
- FSB’s own conditions. In its 2022/23 advert, the FSB asked undergraduate applicants for at least seven distinctions (A or B grades) in the subjects relevant to the field of study, including English and Mathematics. Check the current advert, since conditions can change.
- Age. Applicants born after 31 August 2008 were not eligible in 2026/27, with limited programme-specific exceptions.
- Up to two programmes. The FSB’s advert also allows two fields of study in order of preference.
- Hungarian as a foreign language. Scholarship holders on English-taught programmes must take a Hungarian course in their first year and pass an exam at the end of the second semester. Skipping the course means losing the stipend.
Our checklist of Stipendium Hungaricum documents lists every file you must upload.
Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria Timeline for 2027/28
The 2027/28 call is not yet public, so the dates below follow the official 2026/27 cycle. Treat them as expected until the Call is published.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Mid-November 2026 | Call published and online system opens (expected; it opened on 17 November 2025 last time) |
| November 2026 to January 2027 | Contact the FSB, confirm its local deadline and documents, choose programmes |
| Mid-January 2027, 2 p.m. CET | Online deadline (expected; 15 January in 2026). Submit to the FSB by its own deadline |
| Second half of January 2027 | Technical check by the Tempus Public Foundation |
| By end of February 2027 | FSB sends its nomination and reserve list |
| Mid-March to end of May 2027 | University entrance examinations for nominated applicants |
| End of June to mid-July 2027 | Results; accept the scholarship by 1 August |
| By 30 September 2027 | Arrive in Hungary and register at your host institution |
How to Apply for Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria
- Contact the FSB early. Email or call to confirm its nomination procedure, extra documents and its own deadline.
- Check your study fields. Open the sending partners page and the Study Finder, and pick up to two programmes in order of preference.
- Prepare your documents. Use the official checklist in the Call for Applications.
- Submit the online application before the deadline. Register at apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu and click submit. Saved applications are not considered.
- Complete the FSB requirements. Send whatever the FSB asks for, by its deadline, in the format it requests.
- Prepare for the entrance exam and accept your place. If you are nominated, your host university will contact you. Accept the scholarship in the online system by the deadline in your notification.
Common Mistakes with Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria
Applicants most often lose ground on Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria applications through these errors.
- Skipping the FSB. Without nomination, your application does not go to the universities.
- Asking the embassy to nominate or recommend you. The embassy says it does neither.
- Missing the FSB’s local deadline because you only watched the 15 January online deadline.
- Paying an agent. The application has no additional costs, and the Call strongly suggests not applying through any agency.
- Assuming WAEC results are pre-approved. Only the host institution decides.
- Forgetting travel costs. Flights are not covered, and the old BEA top-ups have ended.
- Changing your plan after the deadline. Programme choices and study mode cannot be changed once the deadline passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Nigerians apply for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship?
You submit a complete online application to the Tempus Public Foundation by the published deadline and also go through Nigeria’s sending partner, the Federal Scholarship Board. Your application proceeds only if the FSB nominates you.
Who nominates Nigerian applicants for Stipendium Hungaricum?
The Federal Scholarship Board of the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja is Nigeria’s designated sending partner. It sends a nomination list and a reserve list to the Tempus Public Foundation by the end of February.
Does the Hungarian Embassy in Abuja accept applications or give recommendations?
No. The embassy says it does not receive applications, make nominations, accept direct submissions or update individual cases, and Nigerian applicants do not need an embassy recommendation.
When is the Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria deadline for 2027/28?
The 2027/28 call has not been published yet. The 2026/27 online deadline was 15 January 2026 at 2:00 p.m. CET, so expect a similar mid-January 2027 date, and expect the FSB to set an earlier local deadline.
Can I apply for Stipendium Hungaricum through an agent?
You do not need one. The Call for Applications says the application has no additional costs and strongly suggests not applying through any agency.
Is WAEC accepted for Stipendium Hungaricum?
The host university decides. The Hungarian Embassy says neither it nor the FSB can confirm in advance whether WAEC or other school qualifications are acceptable, so contact your chosen institution.
Does Nigeria still pay BEA allowances for Hungary?
No. The BEA-related contributions, such as monthly allowances and travel costs, stopped from the 2025/2026 academic year. The scholarship is now covered only by the Hungarian Government.
Does the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship cover flights from Nigeria?
No. The Call states that no financial provisions are made for travel expenses, so you must pay for your own flight. Scholarship holders are exempt from admission-related fees such as visa and residence permit administration.
Can I apply for two programmes?
Yes. You can apply for up to two study programmes in order of preference, at the same or different universities. You cannot change them after the deadline.
How competitive is Stipendium Hungaricum for Nigerians?
The programme as a whole received about 80,000 applications in 2025 and awarded more than 4,500 scholarships. I did not find a Nigeria-specific figure in the official sources.
Related Reading
- Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship: the complete guide
- Stipendium Hungaricum Pakistan
- Stipendium Hungaricum selection process
- Stipendium Hungaricum documents checklist
- Writing a recommendation letter for a scholarship
- Europe scholarships for international students
Official sources: Hungarian Embassy in Abuja FAQ, the 2026/27 Call for Applications, the sending partners page and the FSB 2025/26 advert.
Conclusion
Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria is won by the early steps: contacting the Federal Scholarship Board, confirming its deadline, and getting a complete online application in on time. Confirm every date and requirement in the official 2027/28 Call for Applications and with the FSB before you submit.