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By Olami, AbroadPilot · Reviewed September 2026
Stipendium Hungaricum is the Government of Hungary’s flagship scholarship programme, launched in 2013 and run by the Tempus Public Foundation. It funds international students from over 100 partner countries to study at ~30 Hungarian universities, across bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s, PhD and non-degree programmes — mostly taught in English. Hungary awards thousands of these scholarships every year.
What Stipendium Hungaricum covers
- Full tuition-fee waiver for the whole programme
- A monthly stipend — HUF 43,700 for bachelor’s/master’s; HUF 140,000 (phase 1) and HUF 180,000 (phase 2) for PhD
- Accommodation: a free dormitory place or a housing contribution (~HUF 40,000/month)
- Medical insurance (up to ~HUF 65,000/year)
Who is eligible?
- Hold citizenship of a partner country with a bilateral education agreement with Hungary (includes Nigeria and many African, Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American states).
- Be nominated by your country’s Sending Partner.
- Meet the academic and language requirements of your chosen programme.
- Be at least 18 on 31 August of the start year (some exceptions).
- Not be a Hungarian citizen / dual national, and not already hold certain Hungarian residence statuses.
Documents you’ll need
- Online application on the Stipendium Hungaricum portal (plus your Sending Partner’s own forms)
- Transcripts and diplomas (English translations where needed)
- Passport copy, photo, motivation letter and CV
- Language certificate (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL) as required by your programme
- A medical certificate (uploaded by nominated applicants)
- PhD applicants: often a research plan and a statement of supervisor
How to apply: step by step
- Find your programme. Browse the portal and pick up to two programmes available to your country.
- Apply twice: register and upload documents on apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu, and apply through your home Sending Partner (deadlines/requirements vary by country).
- Meet the deadline — typically 15 January (14:00 CET) for the September intake.
- Nomination & entrance exam: Sending Partners nominate the best applicants by late February; universities then run entrance exams/interviews (mid-March to end of May). You usually need at least 56/100.
- Final selection by Tempus Public Foundation; nominated applicants upload a medical certificate, then results follow (around June–July).
How competitive is it?
Large-scale but highly competitive: Hungary awards roughly 4,700+ scholarships a year, but recent cycles have drawn on the order of hundreds of thousands of applicants globally. Because selection runs through country quotas and Sending-Partner nominations, your real competition is largely other applicants from your own country — and the entrance exam matters. A strong academic record, a focused programme choice and good exam preparation are the biggest levers.
Frequently asked questions
Do I apply only on the Stipendium Hungaricum website?
No. You apply on the central portal and through your country’s Sending Partner, which has its own deadline and process. Both are required.
Is there an entrance exam?
Usually yes. Nominated applicants sit university entrance exams/interviews, and typically need at least 56 out of 100 to stay in contention.
Does it cover PhD study?
Yes — doctoral programmes are funded (with higher stipends), though they fall under a related call; PhD applicants may need a supervisor’s statement.
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
Apply / verify on the official site: stipendiumhungaricum.hu/apply. Deadlines, stipends and partner-country lists change yearly — always confirm on the official Call for Applications.
See also our university-specific guide to the Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) Scholarship, and explore the full Scholarships hub.
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.
