Computer Science & IT Universities in Hungary

Below: the best IT universities in Hungary for computer science, what they really cost in euros and Naira, the entry requirements from African qualifications (no APS), and your right to work during and after your degree.

Why study IT in Hungary?

Hungary is one of the better-value choices in the EU for a computer-science or IT degree, especially for African students comparing it against the UK or Ireland:

• Real technical strength. Computer science and IT are among Hungary’s strongest English-taught fields, alongside engineering and medicine. The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) is the country’s flagship technical university.
• Affordable, English-taught. A general CS/IT degree costs about USD 7,000–8,000/year — a fraction of UK or US fees — and you don’t need to learn Hungarian to study in English.
• EU and Schengen. Hungary is in the Schengen Area, so your residence permit lets you travel across most of Europe during your studies.
• You can stay and look for work. After graduating you get a 9-month residence permit to find a job or start a business in your field.
• A scholarship route that funds everything. The government’s Stipendium Hungaricum covers tuition, a monthly stipend and accommodation for students from eligible countries (see below — not all African countries qualify).

Hungary hosts a record ~43,653 international students (2025/26), about 13.7% of all students, with roughly 6,000 African students. Nigeria is the largest African origin (~1,167), followed by Kenya (~521) and Ghana (~378). You won’t be the first from your country.

For the bigger picture, see our study in Hungary hub.

Top IT and computer-science universities in Hungary

These are the Hungarian universities with the strongest standing for computer science, IT and engineering, all running English-taught programmes. Ranks are QS World University Rankings 2026. (Note: no Hungarian university sits inside the global top 500.)

Read the tuition column carefully. Hungarian universities quote fees in USD, EUR or HUF depending on the institution, and often per semester — so a “USD 3,750” figure may be half-year, not full-year. Always confirm the exact CS/IT fee, and whether it’s per semester or per year, on the university’s own page before you apply.

We keep the full destination picture — all the verified universities, types and fees — on our universities in Hungary page. This page focuses only on computer science and IT.

“BA + MA” means the university runs English-medium CS/IT degrees at both levels, but availability is program-specific — verify per course each cycle.

What an IT degree in Hungary really costs

For a self-funded computer-science student, your main costs are tuition, living expenses and insurance:

In Naira, general CS/IT tuition of ~USD 7,000 is roughly ₦9.7 million (at ~₦1,382/USD), and one year’s living costs of ~EUR 7,000 is roughly ₦11.0 million (at ~₦1,575/€). FX is volatile — re-check before you quote these. Budapest is materially more expensive than Debrecen, Szeged or Pécs, almost entirely because of rent.

Unlike Germany, Hungary publishes no fixed blocked-account figure. The aliens-policing authority simply requires evidence of “sufficient resources” — typically a bank statement or a sponsor’s notarised declaration, plus proof of paid tuition, health insurance and return travel.

Can you study IT in Hungary in English?

Yes — at both bachelor’s and master’s level. This is a real advantage over Germany, where English-taught bachelor’s degrees are rare. Hungary runs 700+ foreign-language (mostly English) courses, and computer science / IT is one of its strongest English-taught fields, alongside engineering and medicine.

So whether you want:

• a BSc in Computer Science taught in English from your African school certificate, or
• an MSc in Computer Science or Data Science after a first degree,

you’ll find English-medium options at the universities above. You do not need Hungarian to enrol on an English-taught programme — though a little helps for daily life and part-time work.

This is the key difference when you weigh Hungary against German-language degrees — see universities in Hungary for the full landscape.

How Africans apply: ENIC-NARIC recognition (no APS needed)

This is where many agency blogs get it wrong. Hungary does not require APS. APS (the German Akademische Prüfstelle) is a German system only — it has no role in Hungarian admissions or the study residence permit. (South Africa’s “APS” is the domestic Admission Point Score — a different thing entirely.)

Instead, your credentials are handled like this:

1. Academic certificates. For a bachelor’s, you submit your recognised secondary-school certificate (WASSCE/NECO, KCSE, NSC, ZIMSEC, etc.) plus transcript. For a master’s, you submit your bachelor’s degree and a detailed transcript. All documents need certified English (or Hungarian) translations.
2. Recognition via ENIC-NARIC. Where formal recognition is needed, Hungary’s centre is the Hungarian Equivalence and Information Centre, part of the Educational Authority (Oktatási Hivatal). There’s no automatic EU-wide recognition — you may need an equivalence procedure.
3. No national clearing house. There’s no UCAS equivalent for international students. Self-funded applicants apply directly to each university (most use the DreamApply portal). Stipendium Hungaricum applicants apply through its own portal.
4. Master’s entrance steps. Many CS/IT master’s programmes ask for an entrance exam and/or interview on top of your degree and transcript.

We check every document before you submit — see how we help with applications.

Do you need IELTS for IT in Hungary?

It depends on the university, but the thresholds are generally lower than the UK:

• Bachelor’s CS/IT. Typically IELTS ~5.5 or TOEFL iBT ~65 (for example, the University of Debrecen asks IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL 513 for bachelor’s).
• Master’s CS/IT. Typically IELTS ~6.0 (Debrecen asks IELTS 6.0 / TOEFL 547 for master’s).
• Medium-of-instruction waiver. If your previous education was taught in English, an official certificate is usually accepted instead of a test — but the university may run a short online interview instead. This is common, but not automatic, so be ready to sit a test.

So for most African applicants whose schooling was in English, an IELTS waiver is realistic — but confirm it with the specific university before you skip the test.

Working while you study — and after

• During study: international students can work up to 30 hours/week during term, and full-time for up to 90 days/year in the breaks, without a separate work permit (within the limit). Hungary’s 2026 minimum wage is HUF 322,800/month gross (~EUR 912).
• After you graduate: you can apply for a 9-month residence permit to seek a job or start a business related to your studies. It is not extendable, and you must apply inside Hungary at least 15 days before your study permit expires.
• Staying longer: once employed, you can convert to a Hungarian Card or EU Blue Card. Be realistic about permanent residence, though — Hungary explicitly excludes study-permit time from the residence clock for national PR, so the years only start counting once you’re on a work permit.

For the visa itself — including the EUR 110 fee and the “sufficient resources” rule — start with our study in Hungary guide.

Scholarships for IT students

Tuition is the biggest cost, and the right scholarship removes it entirely:

• Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungarian government): tuition-free plus a monthly stipend (~HUF 43,700 for BA/MA), free dormitory or an accommodation contribution, and medical insurance. Computer science / IT is one of the eligible fields. Eligibility matters: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa are eligible; Zimbabwe and Zambia are NOT (no bilateral agreement). The 2026/27 deadline was 15 January 2026 — these deadlines move yearly.
• Erasmus+ / Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters: tuition, travel and a monthly allowance for selected master’s programmes; open to all six origins, programme-dependent.

If you’re from Zimbabwe or Zambia, do not assume you can apply for Stipendium Hungaricum — you’ll usually be self-funded or on Erasmus. See our Stipendium Hungaricum guide for eligibility and how to apply.

How we help

World Study helps African students choose the right Hungarian IT programme, prepare a clean application (with certified translations and ENIC-NARIC recognition where needed), and get the student residence permit — honestly, with real costs and no inflated promises. Our core guidance is free; you only pay if you choose our optional premium application-and-relocation support.

Talk to a World Study advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which Hungarian IT universities you qualify for, and whether you’re eligible for the Stipendium Hungaricum.

Pre-filled WhatsApp message: “Hi, I read your IT Universities in Hungary page and want to know if I qualify.”