Call for applications – Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies 2024/2025

Call for scholarship application for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary for the credit-based Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies Programme in the academic year of 2024/2025

Note: This document has been prepared in English as complementary material to the official Hungarian language call-for-application. In case of doubt, please refer to the original version and/or contact us.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary (hereunder MFA) based on the 606/2023. (XII.22.) Government Decree and the 11/2022. (IX.6.) MFA Order on the Organizational and Operational Regulations of the MFA within the Balassi Scholarship Programme with Márton Áron Scholarship invites applications from non-Hungarian-speaking university students and young graduates not older than 35 years in the academic year of 2024/2025 for the

HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE AND HUNGARIAN STUDIES PROGRAMME.

1. THE GOAL OF THE APPLICATION

The application provides an opportunity to participate in Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies training as a scholarship holder.

The objective of the Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies scholarship is to increase knowledge (acquired at a university outside Hungary) of the Hungarian Language and “Hungarology” of foreign students and graduates interested in Hungary, Hungarian culture and Hungarology. The two-semester course takes place in Budapest with the cooperation of the University of Pécs and with KKM Magyar Diplomáciai Akadémia Kft. (hereunder KKM MDA Kft) under the 396/2023 (VIII.24) Government Decree.

2. THE OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION

The goal of Hungarian Language–Hungarian Studies training is to increase the Hungarian language competence and “Hungarology” knowledge acquired at universities outside Hungary. The programme provides a great opportunity for participants to actively explore Hungary, the living Hungarian language and Hungarian culture. The 10-month accredited university part-time training programme offers 26–55 ECTS credit points. The successful completion of the programme is confirmed by the issuance of a certificate by the University of Pécs.

There are three types of curricula (A, B, C) available according to the different language competence of students.

The 10-month (from September to June) long training consists of two semesters including a study period of 14 weeks and an exam period of 4 weeks. During their study period, students have to attend 28/30 classes, while in the exam period, they have to take 4-6 exams. During the training, there are cultural programmes as well, e.g. museum visits organized for the students, which will be implemented depending on the epidemic situation.

Improving the students’ language skills is a major goal of the training. Intensive language learning takes up 12–28 lessons a week in small study groups. Language training is completed with an international intermediate or advanced ECL language exam approved by the Hungarian State. Its credit value is 10/15 depending on the level (intermediate or advanced). (The level and type of the language exam and the amount of the examination fee depends on the decision of the language skills assessment committee.) The interdisciplinary courses in Hungarian Studies transfer complex and diverse knowledge of today’s Hungary and its cultural heredity. Besides compulsory lectures and seminars (subjects: history, literature, linguistics, ethnography, history of art and music, geography and today’s society, economy, culture and political system) students take part in optional seminars according to their field of interest. The credit value of “Hungarology” studies is 16/36/40 in total.

At the end of Training B and C (besides the completed language exam) scholarship holders also take a final exam on Hungarian Studies, which means defending a final thesis written on a chosen topic.

Class attendance is compulsory. Should a participant miss class without cause, or violate the Scholarship/Adult Education Agreement, he/she will immediately lose the right to continue the programme and the right to dormitory placement. Any individual who has been expelled from the programme will have to repay all stipend (monthly allowance) received up to that date as set out in the signed scholarship agreement.

3. THE LENGTH AND THE CONTENT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

The duration of the programme is 10 months (September 2024 – June 2025).

The scholarship includes:

• full tuition fee
• HUF 45,000/month allowance (to be paid monthly)
• free accommodation
• student card (offering discounts)
• basic health services

Maximum number of scholarships to be awarded: 60

4. CONDITIONS OF THE APPLICATION

The application is open to individuals of non-Hungarian citizenship who have reached the age of 18 at the start of the training, whose native language is other than Hungarian and are graduate- or undergraduate students of Hungarian studies and who want to deal with the Hungarian language and culture in the future as well. The age limit is 35 years.

5. DEADLINE OF APPLICATIONS

Deadline for applications: 11 April 2024, 24.00 (UTC+1)

6. INFORMATION ON THE SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION OF THE APPLICATION

Steps of application:

1. Application website

Applications are to be submitted via the application website https://spjelentkezes.mdakft.hu

Please visit the site, prepare and submit your application according to the information provided there.

2. Required documents

Required documentation and references for the application:

• signed statement of the applicant (format: .pdf; .jpg) [mandatory document]
• a professional plan of max. two pages describing the applicant’s field of interest/research (format: .pdf) [mandatory document]
• copy of transcripts and diplomas (format: .pdf; .jpg) [mandatory document]
• copy of passport (format: .pdf; .jpg) [mandatory document]
• reference letter from an acknowledged expert in the field of Hungarian Studies or in the applicant’s field of interest (format: .pdf) [recommended document]

Evaluation of the Application

The applications are evaluated by taking into account the applicant’s curriculum vitae, professional plan, studies and qualifications, as well as the optional reference letter. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (responsible for operating the scholarship) makes decisions on the applications based on the proposal of the Evaluation Committee set up by MFA. The decision is binding on all applicants. MFA will not consider applications submitted after the deadline and/or incorrectly and/or incompletely and/or illegibly. Missing application documents cannot be replaced.

Publication of the results

Applications will be evaluated by 25 April 2024 and applicants will be notified about the results within 3 workdays afterwards via e-mail by MFA.

Successful applicants must confirm the acceptance of the scholarship via e-mail at the latest by 3 May 2024.

The scholarship does not cover the following expenses:

• travel to and from Hungary
• language exam fee (approx. HUF 45,000)
• spending money
• the fee of visa, if necessary

7. CONDITIONS OF WINNING AND OBTAINING THE SCHOLARSHIP

• Signing Scholarship Agreement and Adult Education Agreement with the KKM MDA Kft.
• Any applicant providing unreal, false information on the datasheet, and/or making such a statement when applying, and/or withholding any fact or data concerning the assessment of the application may be excluded from the application procedure.
• By submitting their application, applicants consent to the processing of their personal data on the application form by the MFA, by the decision-shaping bodies and decision-makers defined above for the time necessary for the decision – but not later than 20 September 2024.
• The list of scholarship winners is public. By participating in the application, the applicant agrees that his/her name and nationality will be published on the website of the MFA if s/he is awarded a scholarship by the MFA.
• The applicant acknowledges that, because of the epidemiological or other emergency situation, or with regard to changes in the legislation regarding the training and their participants, the MFA may postpone the pre-planned start date of the Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies Programme (2 September 2024) and/or apply online learning methods in the training, or in a serious situation may refuse to start the training or to the admission of certain participants, may decide to suspend the training and continue it after the suspension has been lifted, and may decide to apply a training period shorter than it is determined in this call for application. The applicant acknowledges that the implementation of professional programmes depends on the evolution of epidemiological or other emergency situations and related rules. The applicant undertakes that in the event of the occurrence of any of the above circumstances, s/he does not file a claim for damages against the MFA or KKM MDA Kft. regarding this circumstance.
• The scholarship holder undertakes – if it is obligatory according to current Hungarian legislation and the regulations concerning the scholarship programme – to take part in the health screening test organised by the MFA and/or KKM MDA Kft. after enrolling in the training. The scholarship agreement is terminated, if, as a result of this screening test prescribed by the doctor, the applicant receives a „not recommended agreement for training from a medical point of view” result, or the applicant refuses to carry out the screening test.

8. FINANCIAL SOURCE OF THE PROGRAMME

Act LV of 2023 on the Central Budget of Hungary for 2024, Annex 1, Chapter XVIII, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Chapter 7, Appropriations 1, Article 33, Scholarships and other training programmes for foreigners

Amount: HUF 137.596.320

Central Budget of Hungary for 2025, chapter of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Amount: HUF 206.394.480

9. CONTACT

Further information:

Ms Tünde Sasvári

E-mail: 

Phone: +36 70 777 8552