In this post, you’ll find:

• What is Stipendium Hungaricum and what does it cover?
  
• How I applied (step-by-step guide) & The whole process until acceptance.
  
• VISA process & what to expect and important informations.
  
• My real experience living and studying in Hungary & What I learned from the journey .
  
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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🇭🇺 What Is Stipendium Hungaricum?

Stipendium Hungaricum is one of the fully funded scholarship programs in Europe. It was launched by the Hungarian government to bring international students from all around the world to study in Hungary — and today it has thousands of alumni.

But let’s talk about what really matters if you’re planning to apply.

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Before I start sharing my own Stipendium Hungaricum journey, let’s go through the part everyone always asks me: who can actually apply and what you need for the application?

When I applied, I was still in high school — I didn’t have my diploma yet.
So if you’re also applying before graduation: don’t worry, that’s allowed!
You just upload a declaration that you’ll submit your diploma later. I did the same.

Also I applied from Türkiye so the process and some informations can differ.

Here’s everything explained in a simple, clear way:

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🇭🇺 1. Who Is Eligible to Apply?

To apply for Stipendium Hungaricum, you must:

✔️ Be a citizen of a country that has a partnership with Hungary

Türkiye is one of them — which means Turkish students get a dedicated spot quota every year.
(And yes, competition is high, but not impossible!)

✔️ Be nominated by your Sending Partner

 You must submit your application both to:

• the Stipendium Hungaricum online portal, and
  
• the Sending Partner portal (If required- For Türkiye you need to send an application to Turkish portal as well.)

For Türkiye you should apply from this site as well: https://basvuru.meb.gov.tr

✔️ Be at least 18 by August 31 of the starting year

There’s no upper age limit unless your country specifies one.

✔️ NOT be a Hungarian citizen

Dual Hungarian citizenship is not allowed.

✔️ Have the required educational background or be finishing the final year

This is important:

• Bachelor applicants → high school senior year is eligible as well
  
• Master applicants → must hold or be finishing Bachelor
  
• PhD applicants → must hold or be finishing Master
  

🎓 If you don’t have your diploma yet:
You submit a signed document saying you’ll upload it before the final deadline.
I did the same when I applied from Türkiye.

📄 2. Required Documents 

These are the documents almost everyone needs to submit:

✔️ Online Application Form

Filled out on the Stipendium Hungaricum portal. And if needed from the Sending 

✔️ Motivation Letter

At least 1 page.
You can write about your motivation to apply this programme  Why Hungary? Why your program? What is your goal?

✔️ Proof of English Language

Usually either:

• B2 exam results (IELTS, TOEFL, etc.) OR
  
• A document stating that your previous education was in English

⚠️ Important: Some programs require an official exam certificate. Always check.

✔️ Academic Documents

Depending on your level:

For Bachelor applicants:

• High school diploma (or declaration if you graduate this year)
  
• Transcript of grades
  

For Master applicants:

• Bachelor diploma (or declaration)
  
• Transcript
  

For PhD applicants:

• Master diploma
  
• Transcript
  
• Research plan
  
• 2 recommendation letters
  
• Supervisor statement (usually required)
  

✔️ Passport Copy

✔️ Medical Certificate

Simple doctor document showing you’re healthy.
(SH provides the template each year.)

✔️ Statement for Application

This is a document you download, sign, upload again.

📌 Tip: Always double-check your Sending Partner’s specific requirements.
Türkiye sometimes requests extra documents.

💸 3. What Does Stipendium Hungaricum Cover?

🎓 Full Tuition Fee

You don’t pay anything for your university.

💰 Monthly Stipend

Bachelor / Master / One-Tier Master:
→ HUF 43,700 (~€110) per month

Doctoral (PhD):
→ Much higher stipend (two phases)

🏠 Accommodation Support

You choose:

• Free dormitory, or
  
• 40,000 HUF/month contribution toward rent
  (I chose to rent my own place, and the contribution helped.)
  

🏥 Health Insurance

Full Hungarian social insurance + private coverage.

🆓 No application fee

The entire application process is free.

📌 Study Levels:

• Bachelor’s
  
• Master’s
  
• PhD
  
• Special programs

All programs are listed each year on the Study Finder.

You can choose up to two programs.

📊 6. How Many Spots Are Available?

This varies by country.

Türkiye receives a dedicated quota every year (it may change annually).

🇹🇷 Stipendium Hungaricum Quota for Türkiye

The total number of available scholarship spots for citizens of the Republic of Türkiye in a recent application cycle (like 2024/2025) was 200 scholarships.

This quota is generally divided across the different study levels as follows:

Study Level	Estimated Number of Spots (Quota)
Bachelor’s	55 Spots
Master’s	85 Spots
PhD	55 Spots
Short-Term Scholarships	5 Spots
Total	200 Scholarships

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📌 How I Applied (Step-by-Step Guide — My Whole Process From Türkiye)

Before we start, a quick note:
Everything I’m sharing here is based on my own application year (2024/2025 intake).
Requirements can change slightly each year, so always check the official website and your country’s Sending Partner.
I applied from Türkiye, so this process reflects the Turkish system.

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🗓️ Step 1 — Knowing the Timeline (Application Period)

The Stipendium Hungaricum application period usually:

• Opens around mid-November (e.g., 15 November)
  
• Closes around mid-January (e.g., 15 January)
  

For the 2026/2027 intake, applications are already open.

✨ I submitted everything on the last day — something I do not recommend.
Give yourself time. The portal can get slow, and documents always need more editing than you expect.

You can select up to 2 programs, in any university and any field offered to Türkiye.
I strongly suggest checking the Study Finder and filtering carefully to see all available programs.

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📝 Step 2 — The Application Form (Hungarian & Turkish Portals)

Türkiye applicants must apply twice:

1. Stipendium Hungaricum online system → https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu
2. Türkiye system (Ministry platform) → https://basvuru.meb.gov.tr
   

Your documents depend on the program, but generally include:

• Motivation letter
  
• CV and Photo
  
• Passport and ID card
  
• Transcript
  
• High school diploma (or “final year declaration”)
  
• Language proof
  
• Criminal record
  
• Health certificate
  

Since I applied in my last year of high school:

• My diploma wasn’t ready, so I uploaded a declaration
  
• My IELTS wasn’t ready, so I uploaded a declaration
  
• Health certificate was also a declaration — the system gives extra time if you pass interview stage. ( After interview- strict deadlines for it)
• I uploaded my most recent transcript
  

Later, after I got accepted:

• I took the IELTS
  
• I uploaded the diploma after graduation
  
• I submitted the official health documents
  

🎓 My Program Choices

I chose programs that matched my academic background:

1. BME – Computer Science Engineering (1st choice)
   
2. ELTE – Computer Science (2nd choice)
   

💡 Important: Try to choose programs related to each other — it shows consistency.

-ELTE had its own English interview
-BME required an official language certificate, so I submitted a declaration and completed IELTS later

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🎤 Step 3 — The Interview (Face-to-Face)

In Türkiye, the interview is mandatory.
You can attend in Ankara or Budapest (if you’re already abroad).

I had my interview in Ankara, in early February.

The emails for interview dates appear on the official website — you must check it yourself.
(There is no personal reminder. Seriously — check daily.)

They can ask questions about your motivation about your field or about Hungary and more personal questions both in English and Turkish. I don’t remember exactly what they asked to me but it was obviously about me and my motivation.

It wasn’t difficult or stressful. They mostly want to understand your motivation and your seriousness.

If you don’t have any experience for interviews before you can watch some YouTube videos about interviews for inspiration.

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🧾 Step 4 — University Entrance Exams

After the interview, I entered the university exams in April. They are about the field that you choose. For me this was:

• BME: Math + Physics
  
• ELTE: Math + English interview
  

The ELTE English interview was around 10–20 minutes — nothing scary if you already have at least B1–B2 level.

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🎉 Step 5 — Receiving University Acceptance

Universities usually announce acceptance around late April to early May.

I still remember the excitement — because once a university accepts you, the hardest part is already done.
Now you’re just waiting for the scholarship result.

🟡 I was accepted by both of my program choices.
But you can be accepted by only one — it’s completely normal.

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🏆 Step 6 — Receiving the Scholarship Offer

Scholarship results usually come around end or mid June. Mine came around 15 June.

When I saw “accepted,” I was literally shocked. Even though I had hope, seeing it officially felt unreal.

But here’s the important part:

• University acceptance ≠ Scholarship acceptance
  
• You can get only one scholarship offer, even if accepted by both universities
  ( I received the scholarship only for BME)
  

Once you accept the scholarship:

• You will receive an Acceptance letter from university and  Letter of Award. 

These documents are needed for your Visa process. But I was conditionally accepted so I had to upload my missing documents first. This may lead to a little delay in your process but don’t worry.

• You must upload any missing documents (diploma, language certificate, health papers, etc.)
  

And… that’s it.
That’s the end of the long waiting period.

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🛂 VISA Process — What to Expect & Important Information

(My real experience as a Stipendium Hungaricum student from Türkiye)

Once you receive your scholarship acceptance, the next big step is the VISA.
This part feels scary for everyone — but if you stay organized, it’s actually very manageable.

I won’t go into crazy detail here because requirements can change from year to year, but I’ll share what the process looked like for a Stipendium Hungaricum student from Türkiye.

🎓 Scholarship → Visa Start

After my Letter of Award (scholarship) and university acceptance became final, the visa process officially began. We even had an online info session where they explained:

• how to book an appointment
  
• which visa center to use
  
• and which documents we needed
  

This helped a lot, so you’re not alone in the process. 

🏢 Where to Apply – AS Visa

For Türkiye, student visa applications usually go through AS Visa, which is the official visa center for Hungary.

Instead of listing every single document here (because these can change), I recommend checking the most up-to-date list directly on their website and following it step by step.

👉 You can find the current document list and instructions on the AS Visa website: https://www.as-visa.com

💸 Visa Fees for Stipendium Students

One of the benefits of Stipendium Hungaricum is that:

• The main visa fee is usually waived for scholarship holders
  
• You may still need to pay a small service fee to the visa center (this was the case for me)
  

Always double-check the current rules with the consulate or AS Visa, but in general, Stipendium students pay much less than regular visa applicants.

📅 Visa Appointment & Waiting Time

At your appointment, you just need to:

• bring all your documents complete and in order,
  
• arrive at the exact time and date they give you,
  
• answer a few simple questions if they ask anything.
  

After that, it’s mostly waiting.

In my case, my visa took about 1 month to be processed.
You don’t need to go back to Ankara to pick it up — you can have your passport mailed to your home, which is very practical if you don’t live in the same city.

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✈️ Arrival in Hungary – First Weeks & Paperwork

Once your visa is approved and you finally land in Hungary, the “real life” part starts — and so does another wave of paperwork. It’s a bit tiring, but completely normal and worth it in the end.

Here’s what usually happens in the first weeks:

🏫 1. Register at Your University (In Person)

One of the first things you should do is go to your university in person and:

• complete your registration,
  
• sign any necessary documents,
  
• submit the originals of the documents they ask for.
  

Each university has a detailed guide on their website for incoming students, so definitely check that before you arrive.

🏠 2. Address Card 

Once you have a confirmed address (dormitory or rented flat), you’ll need to:

• register your address and
  
• apply for your address card. From [https://enterhungary.gov.hu/eh]
  

This is an important document in Hungary and you’ll need it for many things (bank, admin, etc.).

🏦 3. Bank Account

Most students open a Hungarian bank account after arrival.
Your university or student community can usually recommend which banks are easier for internationals.

🎓 4. Student Papers & Residence Permit

In my case:

• I received a temporary student certificate first,
  
• then later my student ID,
  
• and my residence permit card was arranged through the school and delivered there — I didn’t have to apply separately at the office myself.
  

This can be different depending on the university and the year, so always follow your university’s instructions carefully.

🧾 5. Accept That the First Month = Paperwork

The first weeks are full of:

• office visits,
  
• forms,
  
• signatures,
  
• going back and forth with documents.
  

It’s honestly the boring part of the whole journey, but it’s temporary.

📌 Important:
Rules, required documents, and procedures can change from year to year.
So instead of trusting only blog posts or social media, always check the official websites that is important for process, announcements, university’s website, your emails and so on.

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🇭🇺 My Real Experience Living & Studying in Hungary

I genuinely believe Hungary — especially Budapest — is one of the most student-friendly places in the world. Before moving here, I didn’t know what to expect, but after living, studying, commuting, and exploring as an international student, I can confidently say this: Hungary makes student life feel manageable, affordable, and exciting.

🚇 Transportation Is Cheap, Fast, and Super Easy

Public transportation in Hungary is honestly a blessing.
Buses, trams, metros, night lines — everything is well-connected, and with a student pass, it becomes incredibly affordable.

Even better:
If you study in another city (like Szeged, Debrecen, Pécs), traveling to Budapest is just as easy. Trains and buses run constantly, and prices are student-friendly.

🏙️ Life in Budapest: My Honest Thoughts

There’s always something to do and somewhere to go — especially in Budapest.

Budapest is a mix of history, art, nightlife, nature, and calm corners. It’s a city where you can explore every day and still feel at home. And because I already wrote detailed posts about life here, you can check them out for deeper insights:

• Everything a Tourist or Student Should Know Before Coming to Budapest
  👉[Click Here]
  
• 20+ Things To Do in Budapest,
  👉[Click here]

• 15+ Best Places to Visit in Budapest
  👉 [Click Here]

🌍 What Living Abroad Taught Me

Moving abroad at 18 reshaped my entire life — how I think, how I work, and how I see the world.
I wrote a full post about this experience because it’s something I wished someone told me before I moved:

👉 Moving Abroad at 18: What I Learned (My Story)
[Click here]

Hungary gave me new opportunities, freedom, independence, and a life I had dreamed about since I was little.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Did you use an agency? Should I use one?

No. I never used an agency — and honestly, you don’t need one.
Stipendium Hungaricum is a completely official and free process.
Agencies cannot increase your chances. Everything is done through:

• The Stipendium Hungaricum portal, and
  
• Your Sending Partner’s portal

Following the official guidelines is more than enough.

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How does the interview work?

You are invited to an in-person interview in Ankara or sometimes Budapest.
The interview includes:

• Your motivation 
• Your background 
• Simple English questions
• A few Turkish questions
  

It’s short — around 10–15 minutes. Mine was even less than 10 minutes
They are not trying to stress you. They just want to understand who you are.

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Can I work while studying in Hungary?

Yes — with restrictions.
International students can work part-time, but you must follow Hungarian student work laws (limited hours per week).
Most people work after their first semester or first year, since adapting takes time.

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Is the scholarship enough to live in Budapest?

It helps a lot — especially with tuition, monthly stipend, housing support, and medical insurance.
BUT for me it does not cover everything. And I am not staying in dormitory so I also have housing support but still not enough.
You’ll need to learn how to budget carefully.

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Is Hungary safe for international students?

Yes. Budapest is one of the safest student cities in Europe.
Public transport works even at night, and the city is full of international students.
Of course, be careful like anywhere else.

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Can I lose my scholarship (under what conditions)?

This is one of the most common questions — and yes, it’s possible to lose the scholarship if you don’t follow certain rules.

Here are the main conditions you should know about (explained simply):

1. Not earning enough credits

You MUST complete:

➡️ At least 18 credits per semester on average
➡️ meaning 36 credits across your last two active semesters

Note: This rule may changes to degree type

2. Losing your student status

If the university terminates your student status for any reason, the scholarship ends automatically.

This includes:

Failing too many classes, disciplinary issues, voluntarily resigning, not registering/enrolling on time

3. Not living in Hungary “habitually”

You are expected to live in Hungary during your studies.

4. Breaking university or scholarship rules

These are the most important things. You can find detailed information on the internet. As long as you study, pass enough credits, and follow the rules, you’ll be fine.

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Can students already studying in Hungary apply later (transfer students)?

Yes, it is possible.
Some students who already study in Hungary without a scholarship can apply for Stipendium Hungaricum in the next cycle and switch to scholarship status if they get selected.

But:

• Not every country allows this
  
• Not every study level supports transfer
  
• You still need to apply through the standard process (same documents, same deadlines)

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Is a dorm guaranteed?

Not always.
Dorm spots depend on your university’s capacity.

I personally didn’t get a dorm at first and had to look for a flat.
Later, a spot opened and they contacted me — so it really depends.

If you don’t get a dorm:

• Facebook housing groups
  
• ingatlan.com (use Chrome translator for filtering)
  
• shared flats with other students

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Do I need to speak Hungarian?

No, not before coming.
Your program will be in English.

BUT:
Stipendium Hungaricum students must take 2 semesters of compulsory Hungarian language courses.
If you fail these courses repeatedly, it can affect your scholarship, so be careful.

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 Can I change my university or major after getting the scholarship?

It’s possible in some cases, but not easy. There are some special cases you must follow.

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Does Stipendium Hungaricum cover travel costs?

No — the scholarship does not cover flights or travel expenses.
But everything else (tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance, accommodation contribution) is covered.

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Final Thoughts

Applying for Stipendium Hungaricum was one of the biggest turning points in my life — and if you’re reading this, maybe it will be yours too. This scholarship opened the door for me to study in a new country, build a life in Budapest, meet people from all over the world, and step into opportunities I never imagined.

The process can feel overwhelming at first, but once you take the first step, everything starts to make sense. Stay organized, stay patient, and trust your journey. Every document, every interview, every email… it all leads you closer to a completely new chapter.

I hope my story and this guide help you feel more confident about applying.
 

If you want to continue exploring my experiences, here are some posts that might help:

📌 Related Posts

• Everything a Tourist or Student Should Know Before Coming to Budapest
  
• 20+ Things To Do in Budapest
  
• Study Abroad Packing List (Students & Travelers)
  
• Moving Abroad at 18: What I Learned
  
• What I Did in Bucharest as an EELISA Student Reporter
  

If you have any questions about the scholarship or the process, feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me— I’ll do my best to help.

Good luck, and I hope your journey brings you somewhere beautiful. 🌍✨

Disclosure

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click them and make a booking or purchase, I may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend places, services, and products I genuinely love. All opinions and photos are my own.