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By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026
Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest is Hungary’s oldest and top-ranked public research university (founded 1635), with over 100 English-taught degrees and a large international community. International students study there for free mainly through the Stipendium Hungaricum programme — Hungary’s flagship government scholarship — at the bachelor’s, master’s and PhD levels.
What the ELTE / Stipendium Hungaricum award covers
- Full tuition-fee waiver for the whole programme
- A monthly stipend — around HUF 43,700 for bachelor’s/master’s; HUF 140,000 (phase 1) and HUF 180,000 (dissertation phase) for PhD students
- Accommodation: a free dormitory place or a housing contribution (up to ~HUF 40,000/month)
- Medical insurance, plus visa/residence-permit support
Who is eligible?
- Be a citizen of a Stipendium Hungaricum partner country (around 80, including Nigeria and many in Africa and Asia).
- Bachelor’s: a school-leaving certificate. Master’s: a relevant bachelor’s. PhD: a relevant master’s.
- Meet ELTE’s programme-specific academic and language requirements (e.g. TOEFL iBT 80 / IELTS 6.0 for English-taught programmes).
- Be at least 18 and in good health.
- Not be a former full-degree Stipendium Hungaricum holder at ELTE.
Documents you’ll need
- Online application via the Stipendium Hungaricum portal
- Transcripts and diplomas, translated into English
- Passport copy and a recent photo
- Motivation letter and CV
- Language certificate (IELTS/TOEFL or equivalent)
- Two recommendation letters and a medical certificate
- PhD applicants: often a research plan and supervisor statement
How to apply: step by step
- Check the Call for Applications at stipendium.hu and confirm your country is a partner.
- Contact your home-country “sending partner” (the national scholarship authority/embassy) — your application is reviewed by them first.
- Apply online via the Stipendium Hungaricum portal, selecting ELTE and up to two programmes in order of preference.
- Upload all documents clearly before the deadline — typically 15 January (14:00 CET).
- Assessment: ELTE may hold interviews/entrance exams; final awards are decided by Tempus Public Foundation, usually communicated by June–July.
How competitive is it?
Stipendium Hungaricum is competitive but large-scale — Hungary awards up to 5,000 scholarships a year across all partner universities, and ELTE is one of the most popular choices. Selection is on academic merit and country quotas set by bilateral agreements, so your standing partly depends on the competition from your own country. A strong motivation letter tied to your chosen ELTE programme helps.
Frequently asked questions
Do I apply to ELTE directly or through Stipendium Hungaricum?
Through the Stipendium Hungaricum portal — you select ELTE programmes there. A separate direct ELTE application generally isn’t required for the scholarship route.
How many programmes can I choose?
Up to two, listed in order of preference, within your application.
What’s the application deadline?
Typically mid-January (recent cycle: 15 January, 14:00 CET) for the following September intake — always confirm the current Call.
Apply / verify on the official site: ELTE on Stipendium Hungaricum and stipendiumhungaricum.hu. Deadlines and stipend rates change yearly — confirm on the official portal.
Free tools for this
- Scholarship Odds Estimator — real award-to-applicant ratios where funders publish them
- Scholarship Eligibility Checker — which of our tracked scholarships you can actually apply for
- Scholarship Deadlines Calendar — never shows a deadline that already passed
- How to Verify a Scholarship Is Real — the red flags that separate real funders from scams
Explore more on our Scholarships hub, including the full Stipendium Hungaricum guide.
Olami is the founder and lead writer at AbroadPilot. He started the site after going through the visa process himself — a German student visa in 2019 and a Canadian work permit in 2023 — and learning first-hand how confusing official immigration language can be, how often rules change, and how easy it is to lose money to bad advice. He spent three years as an international education and travel consultant, helping people source and verify the information that landed their visas and planned their trips. Every guide on AbroadPilot is built from official sources — embassy pages, government immigration portals, and .gov fee schedules — and reviewed as requirements change. AbroadPilot does not sell visas or applications; it is a free resource to help readers apply with confidence.
