Hungary
Hungarian higher education has a long history. The first university was founded in 1367. A measure of Hungary’s success in contributing to the world's intellectual heritage is the fact that 13 Nobel Prize winners were educated in Hungary, other famous Hungarians include Laszlo Biro who invented the ballpoint pen and Janos Irinyi who invented phosphorous matches among many others.
The Hungarian higher education system consists of 69 higher education institutions including, state universities and colleges, church universities and colleges as wells as private institutions accredited by the Hungarian Accreditation Committee (HEC).
Higher education is concentrated in Budapest. Most colleges and universities are concentrated in Hungary's capital, Budapest. Universities can offer both Bachelor and Master (as well as PHD/DLA) degrees while colleges offer Bachelor's degrees.
The study programs offered in foreign languages include: medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, engineering, economics, natural sciences, humanities arts and music.
Internationalisation
Since May 1st 2004, Hungary has been a full member of the European Union and enjoys equal status with all other member states. One of the major achievements Hungary's higher education working towards becoming part of the European Area of Higher Education is the restructuring of the higher education system in accordance to the Bologna principles. From the academic year 2005/06, all students entering higher education in Hungary will be studying in a 2-cycle system, the first cycle leading to a Bachelor's degree and the second, leading to a Master's degree.
The third-cycle, three-year doctoral study program already in existence follows a Master's qualification or equivalent title. In addition to the Master's qualification or equivalent title, each candidate has to possess a type 'C' middle-level foreign language certificate (written and oral) and has to undergo the entry procedure which includes a written dissertation plan and an interview. The institutions themselves can set further entry requirements.
To earn any of these degrees, it is necessary to present and defend a dissertation. The dissertation requirements for each of the advanced degrees are different.
ECTS (European credit transfer system)
The European Credit Transfer System has many advantages for students wishing to study abroad. Under this system, credit points for courses you have completed in another European country will be accepted by your Hungarian college or university and vice versa. An ECTS equivalent system was introduced in Hungary in 2003 to be applied to all higher education institutions. The minimum credit number for a Bachelor’s degree is 210, for a Master's degree, 300 and 180 for a Doctoral degree. Generally, 60 credit points should be awarded for all completed years of study so each semester corresponds to 30 credit points.
International students wishing to take up a full degree course in Hungary should contact the National Higher Education Admissions Office for more advice on admission requirements to universities in Hungary: www.felvi.hu
Language
You do not need to speak fluent Hungarian, universities and colleges offer a variety of Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral studies in English, German, French and Russian. Nevertheless, it is prudent to learn Hungarian for everyday use to make the most of your stay in Hungary.
Life in Hungary
The largest pop festival of Europe, 'Student Island' is organised yearly on one of the islands emerging from the river Danube in Budapest.
Budapest is a metropolitan place with two million inhabitants and is seen by many as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Other Hungarian cities are accessible from the capital due to an extensive transportation system. Hungarians are famous for their hospitality and cuisine. Culture and sports are important features of Hungarian life including first-class opera, theatre and cinema as well as world tournaments in various sports.
Cost of Living
The currency in Hungary is Hungarian Forint (HUF). 1 Euro equates to 251.214 HUF and 1 US dollar is equal to 186.511 HUF (June 2007). 100,000 HUF per month should cover the costs of rent, transport, study materials, health insurance, telephone and other expenses. This figure however, does NOT include tuition fees. Rent will take up a significant part of your monthly budget. Accommodation prices will vary from the cheapest being in dormitories at university to more expensive rented apartments in the city centre. Accommodation in Budapest will be more expensive than in other Hungarian cities.
