If you want to study in Europe without paying tuition, Stipendium Hungaricum is one of the most accessible options for students from Africa. It is the Hungarian Government’s scholarship programme for international students. It covers tuition, supports your accommodation, and gives you access to more than 900 degree programmes at Hungarian universities. You can apply at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level, and you don’t need a university offer before you apply.
This guide explains what Stipendium Hungaricum covers, who can apply, how the two-step process works, and how to avoid the mistakes that cost strong candidates their place.
What Is Stipendium Hungaricum?
Stipendium Hungaricum (often shortened to SH) is a Hungarian Government scholarship programme designed to attract international students to Hungarian higher education. According to the official site, scholarship holders can study English-taught programmes in all fields and at all degree levels.
The programme is run with partner countries. It rests on bilateral education agreements between Hungary and sending countries. That has a big practical effect for you: your country’s agreement decides which programmes you can apply for.
Key Benefits: What Stipendium Hungaricum Covers
According to the official site and the announcement for the 2026/27 cycle:
- Tuition-free education: all your tuition fees are covered.
- A monthly stipend to help with living costs.
- An accommodation contribution: the official pages say accommodation costs are supported. A university page says this is either a free dormitory place or a monthly payment of about HUF 40,000 (around €100) for the whole scholarship period.
- Medical insurance.
- A student ID.
The official pages I read don’t give the stipend amount, so I can’t quote one. Ask your university’s SH coordinator, or read the call for applications and the operational regulations, before you plan your budget. A third-party page also notes that the housing contribution won’t cover full rent in larger cities, so plan for a gap.
Conditions to know about
- Full-time bachelor’s, master’s and one-tier master’s students must take two semesters of Hungarian as a foreign language. The course is free and provided by your host institution. The FAQ says failing to attend or pass can reduce your stipend.
- This language requirement does not apply to PhD or part-time students.
- The FAQ’s summary of Hungarian residence rules says you may work up to 30 hours a week during the teaching period.
Who Stipendium Hungaricum Is For
Undergraduate students
If you’re finishing secondary school and want a bachelor’s degree, SH has a dedicated call. Programmes are limited to those covered by your country’s agreement, so check your list early.
Master’s students
You can apply for a master’s or a one-tier master’s programme. There is a separate call for these, together with bachelor’s and non-degree programmes.
PhD and doctoral candidates
There is a separate call for doctoral programmes. Some doctoral schools ask for a supervisor’s statement, which you need to arrange early.
Not for everyone, everywhere
You can only apply if you’re a citizen of a partner country and your country’s sending authority nominates you.
Detailed Eligibility Criteria
From the official application page and partner information:
- Citizenship: you must be a citizen of an eligible partner country. African partners listed include Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. The list can change, so check the Partners page.
- Nomination: applications go through your sending partner, which nominates the best applicants. Only nominated applicants can continue.
- Programmes: only programmes in the agreement between Hungary and your country or region are available.
- Academic record: an excellent academic record and the specific criteria for your chosen degree.
- Admission timing: you do not need a university admission by the deadline. Admission exams take place from March to May.
- Age: a university page says you must turn 18 by the start of studies. It also says there’s no upper age limit, but you should check country-specific rules with your sending partner. The official page didn’t cover age rules, so confirm this in the call.
- Choices: you can choose up to two programmes from the participating institutions.
Sending partners in Africa
According to the Partners page:
- Nigeria: the Department of Scholarship Awards handles the programme. Doctoral studies are open to any field, and bachelor’s and master’s fields are specified.
- Ghana: the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat takes applications, and its deadline falls three days after the Stipendium Hungaricum portal closes.
- Kenya: the Ministry of Education sets its deadline shortly after the Tempus Public Foundation deadline, usually a day or two later.
- Egypt: the Cultural and Missions Sector in Cairo is the responsible authority.
- Ethiopia: the Ministry of Education is the responsible authority.
For other countries, check the Partners page, because each partner sets its own fields, scholarship types and steps.
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Find your programme. Use the Study Finder on the official site, and check that it’s in your country’s agreement.
- Contact your sending partner. Ask about its own deadline and requirements, because they can differ from the main portal.
- Read the call for applications. There are separate calls for bachelor’s, master’s, one-tier master’s and non-degree programmes, and for doctoral programmes.
- Register on the online application portal and upload your documents.
- Submit before the deadline. The FAQ says there is one deadline a year, and if you miss it you wait a year. After submitting, you can upload missing documents, but you can’t change your programme choices or their order.
- Wait for nomination. Sending partners announce nominations in the following weeks.
- Take the entrance exam or interview if your programme requires one. For the 2026/27 cycle, exams ran from mid-March to the end of May, and a minimum score of 56 out of 100 was needed to be considered for the final list.
- Receive the result. For the 2026/27 cycle, results came by the end of June or early July.
- Apply for your visa and travel in the summer, ready for a September start.
Tip: The programme is free to apply for, and the FAQ says not to pay agencies or external services. Anyone asking you for money to “guarantee” an SH place is a red flag.
Required Documents Checklist
The official page doesn’t list the documents, and it refers applicants to the “Documents for all applicants” file, the application guide and the call. Use these as your starting checklist, then confirm against the official files:
- A valid passport. If you don’t have one yet, the official page says you can upload a national ID card and a signed declaration that you will upload a passport before 1 August.
- Academic certificates and transcripts for your previous studies
- Language certificates if your programme requires them (late submission may be allowed in some cases, according to the FAQ)
- A medical certificate on the mandatory template, signed by a physician, required for all awardees
- A supervisor’s statement, for doctoral applicants if your doctoral school requires it
- The Statement for Application (an annex to the call)
- Any extra items that your sending partner or programme asks for
Art applicants have a separate document set. I couldn’t read the full lists, so don’t treat this as final.
Important Deadlines and Timeline
For the 2026/27 cycle, the official pages show:
- Application deadline: 15 January 2026, 2 pm CET (this cycle has closed).
- Sending partner nominations: February.
- Doctoral supervisor statements: 15 March, if required.
- Entrance exams: mid-March to the end of May.
- Results: end of June or early July.
- Study start: September.
What this means for the next cycle
A university page says the application platform usually opens in mid-November, and the typical deadline is around 15 January. Your national sending authority may close earlier or later. Expect a similar pattern next time, but don’t rely on it. Check the official site for the exact dates.
A realistic plan
- Now: pick your programmes, confirm your country is a partner and note your sending authority.
- November: read the call and the application guide when they appear.
- December: gather your certificates, passport and medical certificate.
- Early January: submit, ideally days before the deadline.
- February to May: watch for nomination news and prepare for the entrance step.
Common Mistakes to Avoid and Insider Tips
Mistakes
- Ignoring the sending partner. Only nominated applicants go forward, and partners can have their own earlier deadlines.
- Choosing a programme outside your country’s agreement. Only agreement programmes are available.
- Leaving the medical certificate to the end. It must be on the official template and signed by a physician.
- Applying late. There is one deadline a year.
- Choosing programmes carelessly. After submitting, you can’t change your choices or their order.
- Paying an agency. The programme is free to apply for.
- Ignoring the Hungarian course. For full-time bachelor’s and master’s students, it’s a condition that can affect your stipend.
Insider tips
- Contact your sending authority early. Ask which fields are open for your country and how it wants applications delivered.
- Make your two choices count. Pick programmes that fit your background, and rank them with care.
- Use the Study Finder to check programme details, language of instruction and entry requirements.
- Prepare for the entrance step. Admission exams and interviews follow nomination, and a minimum score applies.
- Keep digital copies of everything. Upload quality scans that are clearly readable.
- Apply to more than one scheme. Competition is strong, so compare options such as the Chinese Government Scholarship, the Global Korea Scholarship, the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship or the Chevening Scholarships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stipendium Hungaricum free to apply for?
Yes. The FAQ says applying is free, and you shouldn’t pay agencies or external services.
What does it cover?
Tuition, a monthly stipend, an accommodation contribution, medical insurance and a student ID, according to the official announcement. The amounts aren’t given on the pages I read.
Can Nigerians, Ghanaians and Kenyans apply?
Yes. Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya are listed as partner countries. Each applies through its own sending authority and has its own steps and deadline.
Do I need a university admission first?
No. The official page says you don’t need an admission by the deadline. Admission exams take place from March to May.
How many programmes can I choose?
Up to two, from the participating institutions.
Can I change my choices after submitting?
No. You can upload missing documents, but you can’t change your programme choices or their order.
Do I need to learn Hungarian?
Full-time bachelor’s, master’s and one-tier master’s students take two semesters of Hungarian as a foreign language. It doesn’t apply to PhD or part-time students. If you want to study in Hungarian, you need at least B2 level or a preparatory year.
Can I work while studying?
The FAQ’s summary of Hungarian residence rules says up to 30 hours a week during the teaching period.
What if I miss the deadline?
There is one deadline per year, so you wait for the next cycle.
Conclusion: Your Next Steps
Stipendium Hungaricum can give you a tuition-free degree in the heart of Europe, but only if you follow your own country’s route. The key is early preparation. Start here:
- Check that your country is a partner and find your sending authority.
- Browse the Study Finder and pick two programmes.
- Gather your certificates, passport and medical certificate.
- Watch for the next call, usually in mid-November.
- Submit early, and watch your national deadline too.
Plan well, ignore anyone asking for money and keep going.
Apply HERE: Stipendium Hungaricum
Author’s note: Deadlines, benefits and eligibility rules can change each cycle. Please confirm everything on the official Stipendium Hungaricum website and with your country’s sending authority before you apply.