Government Scholarships for International Students in Hungary 2026/2027

Hungary is one of the most attractive European destinations for students searching for government-funded education. Several government scholarships for international students in Hungary can cover tuition fees, provide monthly stipends, support accommodation and include health insurance.

The best-known option is Stipendium Hungaricum, but international students should also check the Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People, bilateral state scholarships and CEEPUS mobility grants.

The 2026/2027 Stipendium Hungaricum application round has already closed, so students preparing for the next intake should monitor the official portal for the 2027/2028 call.

1. Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship

Stipendium Hungaricum is Hungary’s flagship government scholarship and one of the country’s most competitive opportunities for international students.

The programme was established by the Hungarian Government in 2013, is supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is managed by the Tempus Public Foundation. More than 90 Sending Partners currently participate in the programme.

Scholarships are available across a wide variety of academic fields, including:

• Engineering.
• Computer science and IT.
• Medicine and health sciences.
• Economics and business.
• Agriculture.
• Natural sciences.
• Social sciences.
• Humanities.
• Arts.
• Law.

What Does Stipendium Hungaricum Cover?

For Bachelor’s, Master’s, one-tier Master’s and eligible non-degree programmes, scholarship holders receive:

• Full tuition fee exemption.
• HUF 43,700 monthly stipend.
• Free university dormitory accommodation or HUF 40,000 per month toward accommodation.
• Hungarian healthcare coverage.
• Supplementary medical insurance of up to HUF 65,000 per year.

The accommodation contribution is particularly important to understand. HUF 40,000 is only a contribution toward rent and may not cover the full cost of private accommodation, particularly in Budapest.

Stipendium Hungaricum PhD Funding

Doctoral students receive higher monthly funding.

The current stipend structure provides:

• HUF 140,000 per month during the first four semesters.
• HUF 180,000 per month during the second four semesters.

Doctoral scholarship holders also receive tuition-free education, accommodation support and medical insurance under programme conditions.

This makes Stipendium Hungaricum one of the strongest fully funded PhD scholarships in Hungary for international students.

Who Can Apply?

Eligibility depends heavily on nationality.

Stipendium Hungaricum operates through bilateral educational agreements between Hungary and participating Sending Partners. The programmes available to an applicant depend on the agreement with their country.

Applicants can potentially study at:

• Bachelor’s level.
• Master’s level.
• One-tier Master’s level.
• PhD level.
• Selected non-degree programmes.

Students should use the official Sending Partners page rather than assuming that every nationality and every academic programme is eligible.

2026/2027 Application Deadline

Applications for students beginning their studies in September 2026 closed on:

January 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM CET.

The 2026/2027 round attracted a record 113,806 applications, illustrating how competitive the scholarship has become.

As of September 2026, students targeting the next academic year should monitor the official Stipendium Hungaricum application page for publication of the new call.

2. Students at Risk Subprogramme

Hungary also operates the Students at Risk Subprogramme within Stipendium Hungaricum.

The current 2026/2027 programme is specifically designed for eligible Ukrainian citizens affected by the war who want to begin higher education in Hungary.

Scholarship benefits include:

• Tuition-free study.
• HUF 43,700 monthly stipend at Bachelor’s and Master’s levels.
• HUF 140,000/180,000 doctoral stipend.
• HUF 40,000 accommodation contribution or a free dormitory place.
• Medical insurance.

Applicants can choose from most programmes offered through Stipendium Hungaricum, subject to the programme’s restrictions.

3. Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People

Another Hungarian Government-funded opportunity is the Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People (SCYP).

The programme was established in 2017 to support Christian students living in crisis regions or facing threats or restrictions because of their faith.

Students currently participate from countries including:

• Syria.
• Iraq.
• Pakistan.
• Lebanon.
• Egypt.
• Ethiopia.
• Nigeria.
• Kenya.
• Ghana.
• Armenia.
• Nicaragua.
• Israel and Palestine.

The programme offers more than 200 courses at Hungarian universities, covering fields such as medicine, engineering, architecture, economics, agriculture, IT and humanities. Tuition fees are fully covered, while scholarship holders also receive accommodation and travel support.

Important Eligibility Requirement

Applicants need an official recommendation from an eligible Christian church organization.

Bachelor’s, Master’s and one-tier Master’s programmes are available to qualified applicants. Current doctoral eligibility is more restrictive and generally applies to students who completed or are completing their Master’s studies under the SCYP programme.

The 2026/2027 application is closed. The programme states that the 2027/2028 application period will begin in autumn 2026.

4. Bilateral State Scholarships

Hungary also provides Bilateral State Scholarships through scientific and educational cooperation agreements with other countries.

These scholarships can support:

• International university students.
• Researchers.
• University lecturers.
• Short-term study.
• Research stays.
• Certain academic mobility programmes.

Applications can work in two ways:

1. The applicant is nominated by the responsible authority in their home country.
2. Where permitted, the applicant submits an individual application directly through the Tempus Public Foundation system.

Eligibility, duration and scholarship benefits depend on the agreement between Hungary and the applicant’s country.

5. CEEPUS Scholarships in Hungary

Students from Central and Eastern European countries should also investigate CEEPUS.

Participating countries currently include Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Eligible mobility opportunities include:

• Bachelor’s students.
• Master’s students.
• PhD students.
• University teachers.

Students generally need to have completed at least two semesters before applying.

Scholarships are financed by the host country, and in Hungary they are paid through the host university.

The main recurring deadlines include:

• August 31: winter semester network mobility.
• December 31: summer semester network mobility.
• November 30: summer semester Freemover applications.

Which Hungarian Government Scholarship Is Best?

For most international students, the ranking is straightforward:

• Best overall scholarship: Stipendium Hungaricum.
• Best fully funded Bachelor’s option: Stipendium Hungaricum.
• Best Master’s scholarship: Stipendium Hungaricum.
• Best PhD government funding: Stipendium Hungaricum.
• Best for eligible Christian students from crisis regions: SCYP.
• Best for short-term academic mobility: Bilateral State Scholarships.
• Best for Central European mobility: CEEPUS.

The best scholarship ultimately depends on nationality, study level and academic field.

Documents Usually Required

Requirements vary, but applicants should generally prepare:

• Passport or identification document.
• Academic diploma.
• Academic transcripts.
• Motivation letter.
• Proof of language proficiency.
• Programme-specific documents.

PhD applications may additionally require:

• Research proposal.
• Supervisor documentation.
• Recommendation letters.

For the 2026/2027 Stipendium Hungaricum round, applications were submitted electronically, and Tempus Public Foundation did not require hard copies at the initial application stage.

Final Thoughts

The strongest government scholarships for international students in Hungary can significantly reduce the financial burden of studying in Europe.

Stipendium Hungaricum remains the leading option because it combines tuition-free education with a monthly stipend, accommodation support and medical insurance. The Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People provides another comprehensive route for a more specific group of applicants, while bilateral state scholarships and CEEPUS are useful for academic mobility and shorter study periods.

Students preparing for 2027/2028 should follow official Hungarian scholarship portals closely as new application calls are published.

Official Sources

• Stipendium Hungaricum – Official Website
• Stipendium Hungaricum – Application Portal
• Study in Hungary – Government Scholarships
• Study in Hungary – Bilateral State Scholarships
• Study in Hungary – CEEPUS
• Hungary Helps – Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People