How to get a student visa for Hungary

Due to the low costs of studying in Hungary, many people may have the required financial means to get a Hungarian student visa therefore they want to study for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in this affordable country. It takes 1 to 2 years to complete a master’s degree in Hungary. Of course, there are some continues bachelor’s and master’s courses called “first class” in Hungary which last for 5 to 6 years. By getting a Hungarian student visa for a master’s degree you are allowed to apply for family reunification. In addition to that, you can work for 20 hours a week while studying in this country. The required language certificate to study for a master’s degree is IELTS 5.5 to 6.5 or TOEFL 70 to 90. To study for a master’s degree, you need to have a valid bachelor’s degree. Master’s degrees issued by Hungarian universities are accepted in most countries around the world. The low cost of studying and living in Hungary attracts many students to this country.

Applicants who want to get admitted to Hungarian universities must be fluent in English, for example they must provide an IELTS language certificate with a minimum score of 6.5. Applicants can improve their language during the visa processing time. The duration of PhD/doctoral programs in Hungary is between 3 to 5 years, students are allowed to work about 30 hours a week which it can be increased if the university agrees. PhD students can apply for family reunification. It should be noted that in order to study for a PhD degree in Hungary, similar to other countries, you must find a professor at the destination university as your supervisor or sponsor who will be responsible for your expenses during your studies. This supervisor/tutor must be convinced that you have the ability to work with him/her (you are qualified). In this regard you can submit your documents to the university and wait for a supervisor to accept your application.

In order to attract international students to study in Hungary and get a Hungarian student visa, the Hungarian government has provided a series of support programs for students since 2013. Scholarships are available for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs/courses. These scholarships cover tuition fees and living expenses including housing and daily expenses, and even student insurance expenses. These scholarships/grants are awarded in different amounts., for example, bachelor’s and master’s students will receive € 130 and PhD students get € 450 to € 600 as scholarships/grants. However, when it comes to getting a Hungarian student visa, you should keep in mind that if students do not have a language certificate, good grades, high GPA and scientific papers / journal articles, it will be difficult for them to get a scholarship from the beginning. Students must first have the sufficient financial means to apply for a Hungarian student visa, and once they have received the student visa, if they improve their academic CV they can apply for a scholarship after the second semester.

The following table introduces some of the scholarships in this country:

Before getting a Hungarian student visa, usually students want to know whether Hungarian universities have a good reputation or not and whether the degrees issued by them are acceptable in most countries or not. One of the positive aspects of studying in these universities is that while they are ranked high in international rankings, they have reasonable and appropriate costs, and the degrees issued by these universities have value and credibility in other countries.

Here is a list of about 6 of Hungary’s top universities, along with their national and international rankings:

The amount of tuition fees paid by students in Hungary depends on where they study at and what they study. On average, you should expect to pay between $ 5,500 (€ 4,900) to $ 18,000 (€ 13,200) ‌ per year, depending on your field of study and the university. The application fee is also approximately 440 to 500 euros. The cost of studying in Hungary is lower and more affordable than in other EU countries. Therefore, Hungary is considered as a bridge to reach other European countries so that by getting a student visa in this country you can start your migration process. Of course, tuition fees may vary depending on your field of study and the university in which you are studying at.

In the following table you can see the amount of tuition fees for different college degree levels in Hungary:

After getting admitted to Hungarian universities, you need to provide the required documents for getting a Hungarian student visa. The following documents are required for getting a student visa:

• Presenting a copy of the passport
• Providing documents related to diplomas and other degrees along with their translation
• Presenting 3 letters of recommendation/reference letter (if required by the university)
• Statement of purpose (motivation letter)
• Resume
• Academic CV
• Provide proof of language proficiency
• Submit acceptance letter from the university
• Proof of financial means and a bank statement
• Provide insurance
• Present a lease (Proof of address or housing in Hungary)
• Provide a health declaration

Note: The application deadline in Hungary is October and February of each year.

One of the most important points which has been mentioned above is the sufficient financial means for getting a Hungarian student visa to cover the costs of studying and living in this country. Therefore, living expenses is the most important issue for students who are going to study in Hungary. As mentioned, the cost of living in Hungary is cheaper and more reasonable than in other European countries. For this reason, Hungary can be among the first choices of students for the first step in their migration process. This country could act as a bridge for people who want to enter Europe and Schengen area countries.

One of the other important matters for people who want to study in a foreign country, including married people, in addition to the duration of a Hungarian student visa, is the matter of family reunification. As you know, according to the international legal system, companion refers to the spouse and children under 18 years of age. Normally students who are studying for a bachelor’s degree or in a lower educational stage cannot get a companion visa except in some special cases and in a limited number of countries. The same applies to Hungary and students who are studying for a master’s and PhD degree can apply for family reunification. Companions may join the main person in for a short period of 1 to 2 months.

In most cases people who enter Hungary on a Hungarian student visa definitely intend to obtain a residence permit and citizenship in this country or other European countries. If students can find a job and conclude an employment contract in Hungary after completing their studies in this country, they can achieve their goals. Then by paying for their taxes, after paying 5 years they will receive a permanent residence permit in Hungary, and in the eighth year they will obtain Hungarian citizenship. One of the benefits of studying in Hungary is that after graduation students are allowed to stay in this country to look for a job for 12 to 15 months. It should be noted that the unemployment rate in this country is below 4% and the chances of finding a job are very good. In addition, students can even apply for a job and receive a job offer in other European countries, including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and after that apply for a work permit and eventually a permanent residence permit in these countries.