Stipendium Hungaricum
Complete Guide 2026

You must apply in two places: through the DreamApply online portal (Tempus side) AND through your country's sending partner (government ministry or agency). Many applicants miss one side and get automatically rejected. The deadlines can differ, and the requirements often conflict. It's confusing by design.

The monthly stipend for BA/MA students is HUF 43,700 (~EUR 110). Actual monthly living costs in Budapest range from EUR 680 to EUR 1,100. Even in cheaper cities like Debrecen, you need at least EUR 500. Students petition Tempus regularly for increases, but nothing has changed significantly. You'll need savings, family support, or a part-time job.

Some dormitories are decent. Others have been described by students as having bug infestations, broken plumbing, and shared facilities like 2 washing machines for 800 students. The housing contribution of HUF 40,000 (~EUR 100) for those who opt out of dormitory barely covers a room in a shared flat.

Around 52,000 students apply each year and roughly 4,700 are awarded the scholarship. That's an ~11% acceptance rate. Some sending countries are more competitive than others. Your sending partner's nomination is a critical bottleneck — even a strong application can fail if your country has limited slots.

You apply in January and results don't come until June or July. That's 6 months of uncertainty. Many applicants put their lives on hold during this period. There's no way to check your status mid-process, and Tempus rarely responds to status inquiries.

All BA and MA students must complete a 2-semester Hungarian language course. If you fail to complete it, your stipend gets reduced to HUF 30,000 (~EUR 76). Hungarian is a Uralic language — completely unrelated to English, French, or any Indo-European language. Most students find it extremely challenging.

Your TAJ card (health insurance) can take up to 4 months to process. Until then, you're effectively uninsured. The supplementary insurance covers only HUF 65,000/year (~EUR 165). Dental and vision are not covered. Mental health support is limited to 5 sessions per semester. Language barriers with doctors are common.

Multiple students have reported experiencing racial discrimination, particularly at immigration offices and in housing searches. This is not universal, but it's documented enough that prospective students should be aware. Some universities have support systems in place; others do not.