Scholarship Amount: The Funding Gap
Stipendium Hungaricum covers tuition and provides accommodation, but the monthly stipend is far below actual living costs. Here's the full financial picture.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
2 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
What You Actually Get
These are the provisions in the official 2026/27 Call for Applications (EUR conversions at the October 2025 exchange rate). Tempus is explicit that they are only a contribution to living costs.
Full tuition waiver (fees for self-funded students run to several thousand euros a year, and more for medicine). Dormitory place (depending on capacity) OR a housing contribution of HUF 40,000/month. Monthly stipend for 12 months a year (BA/MA: HUF 43,700; PhD: HUF 140,000–180,000). Medical insurance: national health care plus supplementary insurance up to HUF 65,000 a year. PhD extra: a one-off grant of HUF 400,000.
Food and groceries. Transportation (monthly pass ~EUR 10–15). Phone and internet. Books and supplies. Travel to/from Hungary. Dental and vision care.
Stipend vs. Actual Living Costs
Here's the BA/MA stipend against our estimated monthly costs in four big university cities. The low end matches the lean budgets on the living costs page.
| City | BA/MA stipend | PhD stipend | Estimated monthly costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budapest | €110 | €355–460 | €650–1,100 |
| Debrecen | €110 | €355–460 | €470–750 |
| Szeged | €110 | €355–460 | €430–700 |
| Pécs | €110 | €355–460 | €405–650 |
On these estimates, the gap between the BA/MA stipend and real costs is about €295–990 a month, depending on city and lifestyle. See the living costs calculator for a line-by-line budget.
How SH Compares to Other Scholarships
| Scholarship | Monthly stipend | Tuition | Livability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stipendium Hungaricum (BA/MA) | €110 | Full waiver | Insufficient |
| Stipendium Hungaricum (PhD) | €355–460 | Full waiver | Manageable |
| DAAD (Germany) | €992+ | Usually free | Comfortable |
| Erasmus Mundus | €1,400 | Full waiver | Comfortable |
| Fulbright | ~€1,200–2,500 | Full waiver | Comfortable |
| MEXT (Japan) | ~€700–900 | Full waiver | Manageable |
Non-SH figures are approximate monthly rates; see each guide for details. The SH BA/MA stipend is by far the lowest of these. However, the tuition waiver is significant, especially for costly programmes such as medicine.
No Increase in Years
SH scholars have long called for a higher stipend, but the BA/MA rate has not moved. Every version of the Operational Regulations since at least November 2021 sets it at HUF 43,700, and the 2026/27 call still lists the same figure. Inflation in Hungary has been high over that period, so its real value has fallen.
If you cannot supplement the stipend with savings, family support or part-time work (limited to 30 hours a week in term time, and full-time for up to 90 days a year outside term), think carefully about whether SH is financially viable for you. We don't say this to discourage you, but to help you plan realistically.
Related: Living costs calculator · Housing guide