Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship: full study abroad in Hungary

🔄 Last updated: October 8, 2026

Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship is a Hungarian Government scholarship program for international students, implemented in Vietnam under an Agreement with the Ministry of Education and Training. This is one of the few European scholarships with a large number of scholarships for Vietnam (according to recent announcements, up to about 200 scholarships/year), applicable from undergraduate to doctoral levels. This article summarizes benefits, conditions and application process.

What is the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship?

Stipendium Hungaricum is funded by the Hungarian Government, managed by the Tempus Public Foundation, in cooperation with “sending partners” in each country. In Vietnam, the sending partner is the Ministry of Education and Training (Department of International Cooperation). Scholarships are open for many levels: undergraduate (3–4 years), master's (1.5–2 years), joint master's (5–6 years), doctoral (4 years) and some short-term courses. The program is taught in English or Hungarian, with many priority fields such as engineering, IT, data science, economics, health, agriculture, and education.

Hungary has long-standing schools such as Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest University of Engineering and Economics (BME), Szeged University, Debrecen University, Semmelweis University. The degree is recognized within the European Union.

Scholarship benefits

According to information published by partner schools for recent school years, benefits from the Hungarian side include:

In addition, according to the admission announcement of the Ministry of Education and Training, a part of the number of seats is supported by the Vietnamese side with round-trip air tickets, passport fees, visas and living expenses according to the current regime if the conditions are met. These levels are subject to adjustment each year, please check for the latest announcement. Learn more about Vietnamese Government scholarships for international students.

Application conditions for Vietnamese citizens

• University level: 12th grade student or freshman, average score in high school years is 7.0 or higher (according to recent years' announcements), of legal age.
• Master: graduated from university with good grades or higher.
• Doctor: have a master's degree, satisfactory academic results and thesis scores; Usually no more than 40 years old.
• Foreign language: meet English (IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent) or Hungarian language requirements according to the registration program; Many schools have their own entrance exams.
• Healthy enough, not currently receiving another state scholarship at the same time.

The application requires a letter of motivation, a letter of recommendation and a foreign language certificate. See more How to write a scholarship essay and Which English certificate to choose?.

Two-step application process

1. Register with the Vietnamese side: submit documents according to the notice of the Ministry of Education and Training (register online on the Ministry's admission system and submit paper documents if required). Deadline is usually around mid-January.
2. Register with the Hungarian side: create a profile on the Stipendium Hungaricum application system, choose up to 2 study programs in order of priority, download documents in English.
3. The Ministry of Education and Training selects and nominates a list of candidates to Hungary.
4. Hungarian evaluate schools: written exam, online interview (around February–April).
5. Results are usually announced around June; Students apply for visas and enroll in September.

Missing either step, the application will be invalid. Specific schedule according to each year's announcement. If you are interested in other European programs, see Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

Expenses need additional planning and life in Hungary

The allowance for undergraduate and master's degrees is quite modest, mainly enough for basic expenses if staying in a dormitory. Families should make extra plans for food, travel, books, the first months of settling in, and airfare if not supported by Vietnam. International students in Hungary are allowed to work part-time within the limits set by Hungarian regulations. See more Are full scholarships truly free?.

There is currently no direct flight between Vietnam and Budapest, so the journey often transits in Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Frankfurt or other European cities. VeDuHoc checks transit visa requirements, optimizes checked baggage (many airlines allow 40–46kg for international student tickets) and has more than 30 Bookers hunting for multi-carrier tickets; If a better price is found after you have paid, HVSC will refund the difference. See Transit when flying to study abroad and air tickets to study abroad.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship require IELTS?

For programs taught in English, most schools require an English certificate or entrance test. The level required depends on the program.

Can I choose more than one school?

On the Hungarian system, candidates usually choose a maximum of 2 programs in order of preference.

Does the scholarship include airfare?

The Hungarian side does not pay for air tickets. Part of the candidates are supported by the Vietnamese side according to the admission announcement of the Ministry of Education and Training.

After finishing my studies, do I have to return home?

Applicants receiving support from the Vietnamese budget often must make commitments according to regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training. Please read the notice and commitment document carefully before receiving the scholarship.

The Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship is a door to Europe with low costs and widely recognized qualifications. Follow the announcements of the Ministry of Education and Training from the end of the year, prepare your foreign language early, and contact VeDuHoc via hotline/Zalo 090.1800.918 when you need advice on your flight itinerary to Budapest.

📚 Articles on the same topic

Study abroad scholarshipErasmus Mundus Scholarship: study master's degree in many European countriesJune 3, 2023 · 6 min readStudy abroad scholarshipScholarships to study in Italy: Italian government and regional scholarships (DSU)March 23, 2022 · 6 min readStudy abroad scholarshipVietnamese Government Scholarship (Program) for international students: conditions and commitmentsApril 1, 2020 · 7 minutes readStudy abroad scholarshipTypes of study abroad scholarships: full, partial, school, government and business scholarshipsJuly 23, 2018 · 7 minutes readStudy abroad handbookExperience in choosing airlines to fly to Australia, America, Canada, and Europe for international studentsMay 7, 2018 · 7 minutes readStudy abroad scholarshipAre full scholarships really “free”? You still have to take care of the costs yourselfJune 7, 2017 · 7 minutes read