Life in Hungary

Hungarian Language Course

All Bachelor's and Master's scholars in foreign-language programmes must take a two-semester Hungarian language and culture course — even if your programme is taught entirely in English. This is non-negotiable.

ScholarshipUnion Editorial 2 min read Updated Oct 5, 2026

The Rule

Under the programme's Operational Regulations, every scholarship holder in a full-time foreign-language Bachelor's, Master's or one-tier Master's programme must attend the Hungarian as a foreign language and culture course (known by its Hungarian abbreviation, MID) offered by the host university in the first year, and pass an exam at the end of the second semester. Scholars studying in Hungarian are exempt. Saying “no” to studying in Hungarian on the application form does not exempt you.

Penalty for Non-Completion

HUF 43,700

Normal monthly stipend

HUF 30,000

If you take the course but fail the exam (~EUR 76)

HUF 0

If you don't attend the course

If you take the course but fail the exam, your monthly stipend is reduced from HUF 43,700 to HUF 30,000 (~EUR 76/month). If you don't attend at all, you won't receive the monthly stipend. Given that the stipend is already insufficient, this is a serious financial penalty.

Why Hungarian Is Extremely Difficult

Hungarian (Magyar) is a Uralic language — it's related to Finnish and Estonian, NOT to English, German, French, Spanish, Arabic or any other major language family.

What makes it hard

Hard

18 grammatical cases (English has essentially 0). Agglutinative structure (words get very long with suffixes). Vowel harmony rules. Almost zero shared vocabulary with English. Definite vs. indefinite conjugation. The U.S. Foreign Service Institute rates it Category III, a “hard” language needing about 44 weeks of full-time study.

The good news

Doable

The mandatory course is basic/survival level. You don't need to become fluent — you only need to pass, not excel. Pronunciation is phonetically regular. Teachers are experienced with foreign students. Younger Hungarians often speak English.

Tips for Surviving the Course

Start learning before you arrive

Use Duolingo, Drops or HungarianPod101 to learn basic greetings, numbers and survival phrases before you arrive. Even a small head start helps enormously.

Attend every class

The course has attendance requirements. Missing classes can lead to failing, which triggers the stipend reduction. Treat it as seriously as your main subjects.

Practise with locals

Shopkeepers, bus drivers and cafeteria staff generally appreciate attempts to speak Hungarian. Even basic phrases like “köszönöm” (thank you) and “sör” (beer) will make daily life easier.

Focus on practical vocabulary

Don't try to master grammar. Focus on survival vocabulary: food, directions, emergencies, doctor visits, shopping. These will actually help your daily life in Hungary.

Find a language exchange partner

Many Hungarian students want to practise English. Find a language exchange partner through your university or apps like Tandem. You teach English, they teach Hungarian. Win-win.