Updated: October 10, 2026 | Reading time: 14 min | Written by: StudyTribune Team
The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship is the Hungarian government’s flagship scholarship for international students. It covers tuition, a monthly stipend, accommodation support and medical insurance at around 30 Hungarian institutions, and it is open to citizens of partner countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and beyond. This guide to the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship for the 2027/28 round explains who can apply, the sending partner step that decides most outcomes, the host universities, the related Hungarian scholarships, and the timeline.
Quick answer: the 2027/28 call has not been published yet, and applications are expected to open in November 2026 with a deadline in mid-January 2027. You must apply twice: once online through the Tempus Public Foundation system and once through your country’s sending partner. If your sending partner does not nominate you, your application ends there.
Table of Contents
Country and topic guides: Stipendium Hungaricum Nigeria · Stipendium Hungaricum Pakistan · Selection process and entrance exam · Documents checklist and sample motivation letter
Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship at a Glance
| Managed by | Tempus Public Foundation, for the Hungarian government |
| Launched | 2013 |
| Degree levels | Bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, doctoral and non-degree (preparatory and specialisation) programmes |
| Host institutions | 30 Hungarian higher education institutions (2025/26) |
| Programmes | More than 900 programmes taught in foreign languages, mostly English |
| Sending partners | Over 100, on five continents |
| Scholarship holders | Nearly 12,000 studying in Hungary (2023/24) |
| Last deadline | 15 January 2026, 2 p.m. CET (2026/27 round) |
| Next round | Applications expected to open in November 2026 for study from September 2027 |
| Applications and awards | About 80,000 applications and more than 4,500 scholarships awarded in 2025 (roughly 5.6 percent) |
| Minimum entrance exam score | 56 out of 100; no offer is made below it |
| Arrival deadline | Register at the host institution by 30 September (autumn start) |
The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship has two separate calls for applications: one for doctoral programmes and one for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s and non-degree programmes. Read the one that matches your level.
What the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Covers
- Tuition: fully covered for the duration of the scholarship.
- Monthly stipend: HUF 43,700 (about €110) for bachelor’s and master’s students. Doctoral students receive HUF 140,000 (about €365) for the first four semesters and HUF 180,000 (about €470) for the second phase.
- Accommodation: a free dormitory place, or a contribution of HUF 40,000 a month towards rent. EURAXESS notes that in larger cities, especially Budapest, this contribution does not cover the full rent.
- Medical insurance for the duration of your studies.
- Not covered: travel to Hungary. Some sending partners may offer travel support, but you should budget for your own flight and visa.
The amounts are set by Hungarian law and can change between cycles, so confirm them in the current Call for Applications.
Keeping the Scholarship: Rules That End It
- Hungarian course: on English-taught programmes you must attend the “Hungarian as a foreign language” course in year one and pass the exam at the end of the second semester. Without attending, you lose the monthly stipend, and if you attend but fail the exam, it falls to HUF 30,000 a month.
- Credits: the scholarship ends if you complete fewer than 18 credits on average in your last two active semesters (36 in total). Aim for 30 credits a semester.
- Residence: you must live and study in Hungary, and you cannot habitually live in another country during your studies.
- Other scholarships: another scholarship for study outside Hungary lasting more than 30 days ends the award, and a concurrent Hungarian central-budget scholarship is not allowed.
- Family: no visa help, allowance or administrative services are provided for family members, and a student residence permit cannot lead to family reunification.
- Not covered: the programme does not fully cover living costs, so you must add your own funds.
Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Eligibility
Eligibility for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship is set by the Call for Applications and by each sending partner. These are the main rules:
- Citizenship of a partner country. Eligibility depends on your citizenship, not where you live, and on the study fields your country’s agreement with Hungary allows.
- Nomination by your sending partner. Nomination is the first selection point, and applicants who are not nominated cannot proceed.
- Academic level. A secondary school certificate for bachelor’s, a bachelor’s degree for master’s, and a master’s degree for doctoral study.
- Language. Each programme sets its own proof of English. Our guide to the English proficiency certificate explains the alternatives to IELTS that some universities accept.
- Age. In 2026/27, applicants born after 31 August 2008 were not eligible, with limited programme-specific exceptions. Check the 2027/28 cut-off.
- No earlier Stipendium Hungaricum award at the same study level.
- Students already in Hungary. Self-financed students applying for the same level need a recommendation from their Hungarian host university, which was due by 15 March in the last cycle, and must meet the other conditions in the Call.
Sending Partners and Eligible Countries for the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship
The official 2026/27 Call lists more than 100 sending partners. Here are the sending partners eligible for full-time study, grouped by region. Eligibility is by citizenship and bilateral agreement, and study fields vary by country.
| Region | Sending partners on the official 2026/27 full-time list |
|---|---|
| Africa (34) | Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Chad, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda |
| Middle East | Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kurdish Region of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen |
| South Asia | Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka |
| East and Southeast Asia, Pacific | Brunei, Cambodia, China (PRC), Taiwan (Republic of China), Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam |
| Central Asia and Caucasus | Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan |
| Europe and Russia | Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Republic of Srpska, Russia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine |
| Latin America and Caribbean | Argentina, Belize, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Saint Lucia, Uruguay, Venezuela; also the Ibero-American General Secretariat and Pacific Alliance frameworks. Brazil appears for partial (exchange) studies |
Countries that do not appear on the official 2026/27 full-time list include Afghanistan, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. Partner lists change each year, so recheck the official partners page when the 2027/28 call is published.
Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Host Universities
In 2025/26, 30 Hungarian higher education institutions took part, offering more than 900 programmes. The table lists the host universities whose coordinators appear on the official Study Finder page, plus the Liszt Academy. The full list of 30 and each programme’s entry requirements are in the Study Finder, where you tick the “available” option under the Stipendium Hungaricum programme.
| University | City | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) | Budapest | Hungary’s oldest and largest university, founded in 1635; broad range of fields |
| Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) | Budapest | Engineering, technology and architecture |
| Corvinus University of Budapest | Budapest | Economics, business and social sciences |
| Semmelweis University | Budapest | Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and health sciences |
| Óbuda University | Budapest | Engineering and IT |
| Budapest Metropolitan University | Budapest | Communication, business and creative fields |
| Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) | Gödöllő and other campuses | Agriculture, food science and life sciences |
| University of Debrecen | Debrecen | One of Hungary’s largest universities; known for medicine and dentistry |
| University of Szeged | Szeged | Large research university across many fields |
| University of Pécs | Pécs | Hungary’s first university (1367); medicine, law and engineering |
| University of Miskolc | Miskolc | Engineering, law and economics |
| Széchenyi István University | Győr | Engineering, IT and automotive technology |
| Liszt Academy of Music | Budapest | Music; Stipendium Hungaricum is available at bachelor and master level |
Which Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programmes you can choose depends on your country’s agreement. Medicine and dentistry are popular and very competitive, so read each programme’s entry rules before you rank your two choices.
Related Hungarian Scholarships
The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship is not the only Hungarian government scheme. These programmes are separate, with their own calls and rules:
| Scholarship | Who can apply | What it covers | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stipendium Hungaricum | Citizens of partner countries; nominated by a sending partner | Tuition, stipend, accommodation support, medical insurance | Nov to mid-Jan; 15 Jan 2026 last round |
| Bilateral State Scholarships | Foreign students, graduates, researchers; some nationalities apply directly to the Tempus Public Foundation | Partial or full degree study, semester study and research visits; travel not covered | Platform opened 1 Dec 2025; closed 19 Feb 2026 |
| Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship | People of Hungarian descent living outside Europe | Tuition waiver and medical insurance, with stipend, accommodation and travel contributions on request | Separate portal; check the current call (the 2025 intake closed 31 Jan 2025) |
The Bilateral State Scholarships are run by the Tempus Public Foundation for study visits, semester study, full degrees and research. Some nationalities apply directly to the foundation, while others also apply through their sending country. The Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship is offered through its own application portal at apply.diasporascholarship.hu. Most readers of this guide should focus on the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, and check the Bilateral State call if their country qualifies for direct application. For other European options, see our Europe scholarships hub.
Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship 2027/28 Timeline
The call for 2027/28 is not yet public, so the table below follows the 2026/27 cycle. Treat dates as expected until the official call is published.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| November 2026 | Call for Applications published and the online system opens (expected; the 2026/27 round opened on 17 November 2025) |
| November 2026 to January 2027 | Contact your sending partner, choose up to two programmes and upload documents |
| Mid-January 2027, 2 p.m. CET | Online deadline (expected; 15 January in 2026). Sending partners may set earlier deadlines |
| Second half of January 2027 | Technical check by the Tempus Public Foundation |
| By end of February 2027 | Sending partners send nomination and reserve lists |
| Mid-March to end of May 2027 | Entrance examinations (first-choice programmes from mid-March to about 30 April; second choices to about 20 May) |
| End of June to mid-July 2027 | Results announced; one email per applicant |
| By 1 August 2027 | Accept the scholarship and upload any missing documents |
| By 30 September 2027 | Arrive and register at the host institution |
Selection has three stages: a technical check and sending partner nomination (January to February), the host universities’ entrance examinations (mid-March to end of May, minimum 56 out of 100) and allocation by the Tempus Public Foundation (end of May to June). Allocation depends on the bilateral agreement, programme capacity, your order of preference and your exam result plus your place on the sending partner’s nomination list. STEM+ applicants get priority, and medical programmes are filled mainly from first-choice applicants. Full detail is in our guide to the Stipendium Hungaricum selection process.
How to Apply for the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship
- Check your country and study fields. Open the sending partners page on the official Stipendium Hungaricum website and confirm that your citizenship is eligible for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship. The study fields and degree levels available depend on the bilateral agreement for your country.
- Contact your sending partner early. Find your country’s sending partner and ask about its nomination process. Some sending partners set their own documents and internal deadlines.
- Choose your programmes in the Study Finder. Search the Study Finder for programmes marked as available under the Stipendium Hungaricum programme, read each programme’s entry requirements, and pick up to two university and programme choices.
- Prepare your documents. Gather transcripts and certificates, your passport, language proof, a CV and a motivation letter written for each programme. Use the official document checklist in the Call for Applications.
- Submit the online application by the deadline. Register and submit your complete application on apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu before the deadline. Saved or unsubmitted applications are not considered, and the 2026/27 deadline was 15 January 2026 at 2 p.m. CET.
- Complete your sending partner application. Submit the application your sending partner requires, in parallel with the online application. Late, incomplete or duplicate applications are rejected.
- Prepare for the entrance exam and accept your place. If you are nominated, your host university may hold an entrance exam or interview in spring. After a decision, accept the scholarship, upload any missing documents and begin the visa process.
Documents Checklist for the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship
For the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, the exact list is the checklist of application documents in the Call for Applications, and it can differ by study level and sending partner. Expect to prepare:
- Academic transcripts and certificates, with translations where needed.
- A motivation letter written for your chosen programme and university. See how to write a personal statement for a scholarship.
- A CV. Our scholarship CV guide shows the format.
- Proof of English or the language of instruction, where the programme requires it.
- Reference or recommendation letters, if your sending partner or programme asks for them. Our guide to writing a recommendation letter for a scholarship and the free samples in our scholarship reference letter guide can help your referees.
- A valid passport, and a medical certificate if your programme or sending partner requests one.
- Portfolio or audition material for art and music programmes.
If a document is unavailable when you apply, check the Call for Applications for the rule on missing documents. Never upload a false or altered document, because that disqualifies the application.
The full list with file rules, translation requirements and the missing-document exception is in our Stipendium Hungaricum documents checklist.
Common Mistakes with the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship
These are the errors that most often sink a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship application.
- Applying only through the online portal. Without the sending partner step, you cannot be nominated and your application will not proceed.
- Missing your sending partner’s deadline. Some partners set earlier dates than the 2 p.m. CET central deadline, while Bangladesh uses the same date for both.
- Submitting a saved, unsubmitted application. Only submitted applications are considered, and nothing is accepted after the deadline.
- Using the same motivation letter for both choices. Write each one for the specific programme and university.
- Assuming your country can apply for every field. Your bilateral agreement limits the study fields and levels.
- Not budgeting for travel and rent. Travel is not covered, and the housing contribution may not cover full rent in Budapest.
- Relying on last year’s rules. Age limits, fields and amounts are reset in each call.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship
What is the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship?
The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship is the Hungarian government’s flagship scholarship for international students, launched in 2013 and managed by the Tempus Public Foundation. It funds bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, doctoral and non-degree study at around 30 Hungarian institutions for citizens of partner countries.
What does the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship cover?
It covers tuition fees, a monthly stipend, accommodation support (a free dormitory place or a HUF 40,000 monthly contribution) and medical insurance. It does not cover travel to Hungary.
How much is the Stipendium Hungaricum monthly stipend?
For bachelor’s and master’s students it is HUF 43,700 a month, about €110. For doctoral students it is HUF 140,000 a month (about €365) in the first four semesters and HUF 180,000 (about €470) in the second phase. Amounts are set by Hungarian law, so confirm them in the current Call for Applications.
When does the 2027/28 Stipendium Hungaricum application open and close?
The 2027/28 call has not been published yet. The programme says applications start in November 2026. The 2026/27 round opened on 17 November 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026 at 2 p.m. CET, so expect a similar mid-January 2027 deadline and confirm it in the call.
Do I have to apply through my country’s sending partner?
Yes. You must submit the online application and also apply to your country’s sending partner, which pre-selects candidates and sends a nomination list to the Tempus Public Foundation. If your sending partner does not nominate you, you cannot proceed with the application that year.
Who is the sending partner for Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh?
For Nigeria it is the Federal Scholarship Board. For Pakistan, guides report the Higher Education Commission’s scholarship portal. For Bangladesh it is the Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division, and its sending-partner deadline is the same as the Tempus Public Foundation’s. Check the official partners page for your country.
Can I apply to more than one Hungarian university?
Yes. The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship lets you choose up to two university and programme combinations in the online application system, in order of preference. Check the Call for Applications for the current limit.
Do I need IELTS for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship?
For the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship it depends on the programme. Each Hungarian university sets its own language requirement, and some accept a certificate showing that your previous education was in English. Check the programme page in the Study Finder before you apply.
Is there an age limit for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship?
For the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship in 2026/27, applicants born after 31 August 2008 were not eligible, so applicants had to be 18 by 31 August 2026, with limited programme-specific exceptions. Check the 2027/28 call for the new cut-off date.
Does the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship cover travel?
No. The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship does not cover travel to Hungary, although some sending partners may offer travel support. Budget for your flight and visa costs yourself.
Is Hungarian language study compulsory?
For English-taught Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programmes, programme rules require scholarship holders to take a Hungarian as a foreign language course in the first year and pass an exam at the end of the second semester. Doctoral students and students on Hungarian-language programmes are exempt.
How is the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship different from the Bilateral State and Diaspora scholarships?
They are separate programmes with separate calls. Stipendium Hungaricum requires sending partner nomination. The Bilateral State Scholarships are run by the Tempus Public Foundation on a different timeline (the 2026/27 call closed on 19 February 2026), and the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship is for people of Hungarian descent living outside Europe.
What is the minimum entrance exam score for the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship?
The required minimum is 56 points on a 100-point scale, and no applicant receives a scholarship offer below it. A pass only shows you met the programme’s minimum entry requirements. The final allocation also depends on the bilateral agreement, programme capacity, your order of preference and your sending partner ranking.
What are the odds of winning the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship?
In 2025 the programme received about 80,000 applications and awarded more than 4,500 scholarships, roughly 5.6 percent overall. Your chances depend on your country’s quota, your field and your ranking, and medical programmes are the most competitive.
Related Reading
- Europe scholarships for international students
- 50+ fully funded scholarships guide
- Eiffel Excellence Scholarship (France)
- NL Scholarship (Netherlands)
- Scholarship deadlines: apply now
Official sources: stipendiumhungaricum.hu, the application portal, the EURAXESS programme page and the Tempus Public Foundation bilateral scholarships page.
Conclusion
The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship rewards early preparation. Contact your sending partner now, shortlist two programmes in the Study Finder, and have your documents ready before the call opens in November 2026. Confirm every date, amount and eligibility rule in the official 2027/28 Call for Applications before you submit your Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship application.