Scholarships to Study in Hungary for International Students (2026)

Below: the best scholarships in one table, what “fully funded” really covers, who qualifies (and who doesn’t), how to apply, and how we help — honestly, with no false promises.

Best scholarships to study in Hungary

These are the main scholarships open to international students in Hungary. Award values and deadlines change every year — confirm each one on the official site before you apply.

Stipendium Hungaricum also funds PhDs at a higher stipend — HUF 140,000/month (phase 1) and HUF 180,000/month (phase 2). For the full programme list, eligibility country-by-country and the step-by-step application, see our Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship guide.

The honest point: Hungary charges tuition — so a scholarship matters more

Unlike Germany, Hungary charges tuition to self-funded international students. A general bachelor’s or master’s runs roughly USD 6,000–8,000/year, and medicine or dentistry can reach USD 16,900–20,900/year. So a scholarship here is doing real work — it can wipe out a fee you genuinely owe.

That makes the Stipendium Hungaricum especially valuable. It removes the tuition bill and pays a monthly stipend, free or subsidised housing, and insurance. On top of that, your living costs in Hungary are modest — Study in Hungary puts a realistic student budget at about EUR 600–700/month (around EUR 7,000/year), cheaper than most of Western Europe.

One more honest note: Hungary publishes no fixed proof-of-funds figure. For the student residence permit, the immigration authority assesses “sufficient resources” case-by-case — so plan to show paid tuition, roughly EUR 7,000/year for living costs, health insurance and a return airfare.

Who’s eligible for the Stipendium Hungaricum — and who is not

This is the single most important thing on the page, because a lot of agency blogs get it wrong.

The Stipendium Hungaricum works through bilateral agreements between Hungary and each “Sending Partner” country. If your country isn’t a partner, you cannot apply — no matter how strong your grades are.

• Eligible (of the countries we serve): Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt and Uganda can apply through their national Sending Partner.
• NOT eligible: Zimbabwe and Zambia are not Stipendium Hungaricum partners — there is no bilateral agreement, so their nationals cannot apply.

If you’re Zimbabwean or Zambian, don’t waste a cycle on this one. Look instead at university tuition waivers, Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (open regardless of nationality), and the broader scholarships to study in Europe for options you can actually win.

Partner lists are reviewed every year, so always re-confirm your country on the official Stipendium Hungaricum site before you start.

Fully funded vs partial — know what you’re getting

Not every award covers the same thing. Before you spend weeks on an application, check the coverage line.

• Fully funded. The Stipendium Hungaricum covers tuition completely, pays a monthly stipend, gives you a free dormitory place (or a housing contribution) and includes medical insurance. Combined, that’s close to a full ride for an eligible, competitive applicant — but places are limited and selection is tough.
• Partial. University tuition waivers and merit discounts cut your fee but leave living costs to you. Erasmus Mundus is generous but programme-specific and pan-European, not guaranteed to place you in Hungary.

If money is tight and your country is eligible, the Stipendium Hungaricum is the prize worth aiming for — just go in knowing it’s competitive, not a sure thing.

Eligibility — who qualifies

Beyond the country rule above, the patterns repeat across Hungarian scholarships. To compete, you’ll usually need:

1. The right study level. The Stipendium Hungaricum funds bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s (e.g. medicine), and PhD. English-taught study is broad at both bachelor’s and master’s level in Hungary — unlike Germany, where English bachelor’s degrees are rare.
2. Strong academics. A good prior result. Medical, dentistry and pharmacy programmes also require a written entrance exam (biology + chemistry + English) and usually an interview.
3. Recognised qualifications. Your prior certificate and transcript must be submitted with certified English (or Hungarian) translations, and recognised where needed via Hungary’s ENIC-NARIC centre. No APS certificate is required — APS is a German-only system and has no role in Hungary.
4. English evidence. English-taught programmes typically want IELTS ~5.5 (bachelor’s) to ~6.0 (master’s). If your prior education was in English, an official Medium-of-Instruction letter is often accepted instead — the university may run an online interview instead of a test.
5. A partner nationality (for Stipendium Hungaricum). As above — Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt and Uganda are eligible; Zimbabwe and Zambia are not.

How to apply

Each scheme has its own route, but the order of operations is usually the same.

1. Confirm your country is eligible (Stipendium Hungaricum). Check the official Sending Partners list first — there’s no point applying if your country isn’t a partner.
2. Apply through the right portal. The Stipendium Hungaricum runs on apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu (the DreamApply system; up to two programme choices). For self-funded study and university waivers, you apply directly to each university — Hungary has no UCAS-style clearing house for international students.
3. Prepare and translate your documents. Certified English/Hungarian translations of your school-leaving certificate or degree plus transcripts, a CV, a motivation letter, passport copy, language proof, and (often) reference letters.
4. Sit any entrance exam. Medicine, dentistry and pharmacy require a written entrance exam and interview — build time for this into your plan.
5. Apply early. The Stipendium Hungaricum deadline is 15 January 2026, 14:00 CET for a September 2026 start. Self-funded university deadlines vary — typically around November and February — so contact each university directly and start six to nine months ahead.

For the full Stipendium Hungaricum process, country quotas and document checklist, use our dedicated Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship guide rather than this overview.

How we help

World Study helps international students find the Hungarian scholarships they actually qualify for, build a competitive application, and submit it on time — honestly, with no false promises. We don’t guarantee awards (no one credibly can), but we improve your odds: we check whether your country is an eligible Stipendium Hungaricum partner, match you to the right scheme, make sure your translations and credential recognition are right, and tighten your motivation letter before it goes in.

Our core university-application guidance is free. Start with our study in Hungary hub for the full picture, see what our scholarship application service includes, or browse all scholarships to study in Europe to compare your options across countries.

Talk to an advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which scholarships fit your grades and country.