Stipendium Hungaricum & Hungarian Diaspora program

Please follow the simple guide below or for a detailed guide please click on the button.

Please remember, an appointment might not be available immediately. Book an appointment as early as possible to avoid running out of the 30 day period due to the lack of available appointments!

We may be able to provide you with an opportunity to pick up your residence permit at the university. If we are able to offer this option, students will be informed via email before their arrival to Hungary in September.

For Stipendium Hungaricum Students proof of insurance can be obtained after the first registration day with the Stipendium Hungaricum Office at the beginning of the semester. Learn more about this under the “Registration at the Stipendium Hungaricum Office” section.

Opening a bank account:

Students who enroll to their degree program starting from September 2021 are required to pass a medical test mandated by the Hungarian Government. Details of this examination will be available here later and also sent out via email.

Registration with the Stipendium Hungaricum Office in the beginning of each semester is mandatory in keeping with the Operational Regulations of the Stipendium Hungaricum program. The registration period usually runs during the first week of each semester, the specific details of this will be sent to you by the Stipendium Hungaricum Program Coordinator via email before the registration period. Further registration dates can be provided during the semester as / if needed.

You will need to complete the registration in-person to receive the monthly stipend and sign up for the UNIQA private insurance provided to SH students.

You will need to bring the following documents, access to them will be provided via email before the registration period of each semester

You will need to download both documents, print two copies of each and fill them out using a blue ink pen.

Furthermore, first year students have to complete an additional document called Datasheet for SH students. This document has to be submitted during the registration for the second active semester. Specific details will be sent out about this document via email prior to the second semester registration period.

Registration with the Stipendium Hungaricum Office in the beginning of each semester is mandatory in keeping with the Operational Regulations of the Stipendium Hungaricum program. The registration period usually runs during the first week of each semester, the specific details of this will be sent to you by the Stipendium Hungaricum Program Coordinator via email before the registration period. Further registration dates can be provided during the semester as / if needed.

You will need to complete the registration in-person to receive the monthly stipend and sign up for the UNIQA private insurance provided to SH students.

You will need to bring the following documents, access to them will be provided via email before the registration period of each semester:

You will need to download both documents, print two copies of each and fill them out using a blue ink pen.

Stipendium Hungaricum & Diaspora students are allowed to travel for up to 10 working days without an institutional approval during the semester which includes both the study period, break and examination period. Please remember, absences during the semester add up.

We request, that if the student leaves Hungary for less than 10 working days to send an email to the Stipendium Office informing them about the trip and destination country.

If a student wishes to travel for a period longer than 10 working days an approval must be requested.

After the end of the examination period in each semester and during the summer break students can travel approval free until the next semester and registration in the SH Office.

Failing to meet the reporting obligations when required is a breach of the student’s contract with the university and can result in the termination of the scholarship status.

Trips lasting between 10 working days and 30 calendar days:

Approval to travel between 10 working days and 30 calendar days can only be given in special circumstances, for example in cases of travelling for medical treatments, death in the family, childbirth, etc. An approval can be requested via email and has to include the date of departure and return with a brief explanation for the reason of the trip. The SH Office will aim to process and respond to all requests within 3 working days. During the trip lasting less than 30 calendar days the student’s scholarship status won’t be affected and they will continue to receive the stipend.

Trips lasting longer than 30 calendar days:

Hungarian Diaspora scholarship holders are not required to pay tuition fees and are entitled to receive the TAJ card (Hungarian Social Security number) free of charge.

During the first year of studies students can apply for a monthly allowance (stipend) which helps to cover some of the costs of living in Hungary.

If the request for the allowance is approved by Tempus Public Foundation, first year students can request a dormitory placement (if available) or receive a 40.000 HUF / month of accommodation allowance.

Continuing students need to re-apply for the allowances (stipend) which is approved based on Tempus Public Foundation’s discretion, the student’s social background and academic progress.

Similarly to Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders, Diaspora students are also eligible for private medical insurance. Please check the Health Insurance section to learn more.

Taking part in and taking an exam of the Hungarian as a Foreign Language classes is mandatory for all students in Bachelor, Masters and MBA level who started their studies during or after the 2020/21 academic year.

The university will inform you via email at the beginning of your studies about registration for these classes and how to pick up your free language books.

Please remember the maximum number of absences and the exam requirements outlined by the language program, as not meeting them can affect your stipend according to the following:

If you fail to meet the obligation of passing the Hungarian Language SH I. and Hungarian Language SH II. courses, your Scholarship Allowance will be reduced as given in the SH scholarship regulations:

Obligations Related to Learning Hungarian as a Foreign Language and Culture (SH Operational Regulations, 10 December 2020.)

A scholarship holder in full-time foreign language bachelor’s and master’s courses (including also one-tier master’s degree) is required to attend the Hungarian as a foreign language and culture course (hereinafter referred to as the Hungarian abbreviation: MID) provided by the host institution in the first year of their studies in the SH Programme.
Should the scholarship holder fail to fulfill its obligation under paragraph 1, the amount of the scholarship fixed in Section III.1.2. b) i) of the Operational

Regulations shall be reduced. Cases and rates of scholarship reduction are detailed in the Implementation Guide.

Stipendium Hungaricum Implementation Regulations (Hungarian version – Translated to English by CUB -, p. 34. III.2.2., 3rd paragraph)

If a Scholarship holder does not fulfill his/her obligations regarding class attendance and or the exam requirements their monthly personal expenses allowance of 43.700 HUF will be reduced from the second year of studies according to the following:

by missing the classes the stipend will be reduced to 0 HUF / month until the end of the Scholarship status, (the number of maximum number of absences allowed are contained in the operational regulations of the institution)
visiting classes but missing their obligations to take and or meet the examination requirements the stipend will be reduced to 30.000 HUF / month.

Diaspora scholarship holders studying in foreign language programmes (including all levels of education) are required to attend a Hungarian as a foreign language and culture course provided by the host institution, during their studies pursued under the HDS programme.

Students are required to take and pass a complex min. B2 level exam in Hungarian as a foreign language preferably before obtaining their degree at the level of education associated with the scholarship holder status, but no later than one year after having obtained the degree.

In case a scholarship holder fails to comply with the obligation to learn Hungarian as a foreign language and culture, their scholarship holder status shall be terminated. In case a scholarship holder fails to comply with the obligation to take a language exam, they shall be required to repay the full training and scholarship costs for the degree program they studied in.

As a scholarship holder there are certain regulations you need to adhere to. These regulations and requirements form an integral part of the Stipendium Hungaricum & Hungarian Diaspora scholarship programs. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the Rights and Obligations of a scholarship holder on the relevant website: Stipendium Hungaricum or Hungarian Diaspora scholarship.

Some (but not all!) of the most important rules are outlined below.

Regulations about the minimum number of completed credits:

Regulations about completing the mandatory questionnaire:

Regulations about a passive semester:

UNIQA insurance registration

How to contact UNIQA & limits

Stipendium Hungaricum students can make a phone call every day of the year, 24 hours, and can discuss their medical problem with a practicing doctor:

In case of a medical problem:

First step: calling +36 1 461 1526

Make sure to clearly identify yourself (name, birth date, education ID) and follow with a brief description of your medical problem. You will have a telephone consultation with a doctor or assistant. You will receive the doctor’s name, address and the date and time of your in-person appointment.

Second step:
During the on-site appearance at the doctor identify yourself with your residence permit or passport (student ID is not acceptable). You don’t have to pay for the medical examination. The insurance company UNIQA Insurance Co. and the service provider Advance Medical Hungary Ltd will settle the bill, except for the following services:

All the above cases, the student pre-finances the costs. You can reclaim these expenses with the original bill, a copy of the medical documents, and your bank account number posted to:

Limits of coverage: Please see the documents outlining the financial limitations of the insurance and the Terms & Conditions by clicking here or by visiting the Document section.

Applying for the TAJ card

TAJ card is the Hungarian State Health Insurance, issued by the OEP/NEAK office. The SH Office assists students with the application process and hands out the cards. The application process can take up to 6 months, with the TAJ number (can be used to apply for jobs / internships) being ready first and soon after the card following it.

Please remember, that applying for the TAJ card is your responsibility, and we would advise you to do it as soon as you received your Residence Permit and Address Card.

You will need the following documents to apply for the TAJ card:

Please note, we can only accept complete application packages where all the documents are present.

You will need to collect and fill out all the documents, place them in an envelope with your name, TAJ and Neptun code on it and place it in the mailbox outside of office E161.

After you submitted the application paperwork please book an appointment with the SH Office to sign the last document, called Authorization Form, as we cannot proceed with your application without it. You can book an appointment here after selecting the Stipendium Hungaricum option.

After a successful and complete application your TAJ number will be registered in Neptun (My data > Personal information > Social security number) and as soon as your TAJ cardis ready to be picked up from the SH Office, you will be contacted by the SH Office via e-mail..

Unfortunately, we are unable to answer individual progress update requests.

TAJ card renewal

If you lost your TAJ card or it is expired, it is your own responsibility to arrange getting the new card.

You will need the following documents submitted directly to the OEP / NEAK office to complete your application:

You can submit your application in the following ways:

We prepared a document outlining the differences between the TAJ card and UNIQA private insurance. You can see it by clicking here or by visiting the Documents section and looking for the TAJ vs UNIQA document.

After you receive your TAJ card, it is strongly recommended to register with a local district doctor called “háziorvos” in Hungarian. We prepared a document  to guide through you this process and a list with addresses to help you find the nearest doctor to your address in Budapest.

According to Tempus Public Foundation’s (TPF) Stipendium Hungaricum (SH) Operational Regulations:

The host institution, the majors within the institution and the language of studies can be changed only once after submitting a special student request. The deadline of submitting the requests to Tempus Public Foundation is 1. December (for the spring semester) and 15. May (for the fall semester) in every school year.

The scholarship holder may change all of them at the same time (in any kind of combination) but only once during his/her scholarship period. Institutions, majors and languages can be changed only at the end of the semester, so that the scholarship holder could start the next semester in the new institution. Institutions, majors and languages can be changed only within one year after beginning the studies leading to a university degree.

The request – if it is relevant – must also include the extension of the studies with the scholarship. The allocation decision regarding the student at his/her entry to the programme and after the preparatory programme cannot be altered by the student’s request to change institutions, majors or languages except point III.3.14.

Changing host institution, major or language is allowed only on the same programme level. Changing major, institution or language is not possible during partial studies. The language of the study programme may be changed primarily from a foreign language to Hungarian. The teaching language can be changed only in exceptional cases from Hungarian to a foreign language, as fairness on individual basis with the approval of Tempus Public Foundation.

Students attending the preparatory course in Hungarian cannot change the language of education, they can only do so in the case of a programme (after a preparatory programme) in Hungarian language, in justified cases.

Documents to be submitted to TPF for changing institutions, majors or/and languages:

The student must send the request for changing institutions, majors or/and languages with the compulsory annexes to the SH Unit online to stipendiumhungaricum@tpf.hu

Students cannot appeal after the decision is made on the request for changing institutions, majors or/and languages.

Host institution, major or language may be changed from the end of the preceding term until 15. September for the autumn semester and until 15. February for the spring semester (i.e. students must actually arrive and enroll to the new study programme/host institution by these dates at the latest).

Students must also notify the Stipendium Office via email and write a short explanation detailing the reasons for changing institutions, majors and/or languages.

According to Stipendium Hungaricum Operational Regulation (III.4.1) the scholarship holder may extend the scholarship period by a total of two semesters in  Hungarian bachelor’s, master’s and one-tier master’s programmes, requesting the semesters one-by-one, always at the end of the last scholarship-financed semester by the deadlines below:

Steps of applying for an extension:

Documents required to be submitted by the student:

The extension request form filled out, signed, and scanned by the student (Please download it from here)

Please note, that the SH Office will only be able to process all applications and notify you of the decision of institutional support around the 15th of December for the fall semester and 15th of May for the spring semester.

The application is only considered successful and accepted after the final approval from Tempus Public Foundation. TPF will contact the students directly and unfortunately the SH Office won’t be able to answer any questions regarding the decision prior to TPF contacting the student with the decision. Students who started their studies in September 2020 or later are not eligible for the stipend and private medical insurance during their extended period.

The SH Office may not notify students directly when they reached the end of their original scholarship status. Students are responsible to request an extension without any prior warning from the SH Office and to keep the deadlines mentioned above.