Hungary’s Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship open for application

By Rosmalis Anuar

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 -- The Hungarian government’s Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship for the academic year 2022/2023 is now open for application until Jan 15, 2022 for Malaysians keen to pursue their tertiary education in Hungary.

Hungary's ambassador to Malaysia Dr Petra Ponevács-Pana said 40 scholarships were allocated for Malaysians under the programme annually which covers tuition fees, accommodation, monthly stipend and medical insurance.

For bachelor’s and master’s programmes, the monthly stipend is HUF 43,700 (RM600), while allowance for doctoral programmes is HUF 140,000 (RM2,000) for the first four semesters and HUF 180,000 (RM2,500) for the second four semesters – for 12 months a year, until completion of studies.

“Some 29 Hungarian higher education institutions are offering academic programmes for the scholarship holders with more than 600 full degree and non-degree programmes concluded mostly in English,” she told Bernama in an interview at her office here, Tuesday.

Ponevács-Pana said that various courses are offered under the scholarship which includes agriculture, biotechnology, engineering, food safety and quality engineering, architectural and cultural heritage studies, natural science and environmental science and health science.

She said applications can be made via the Stipendium Hungaricum website at https://apply.stipendiumhungaricum.hu/.

She noted that some 80 countries from five continents have become partners in the programme through bilateral educational cooperation. There are 11,000 international students currently studying in Hungary.

However, Ponevács-Pana said the take-up rate among Malaysian students for the scholarship programme was still low, with only some 80 Malaysian students benefitting from the scholarship so far since it was introduced to Malaysians in 2018.

“So I'm really hoping that there will be a greater number of applicants so that we can prove to the Hungarian side, I can recommend to my government to increase this number of 40 (scholarships) if there is a need for more,” she said.

Apart from high quality education degrees recognised throughout Europe, she pointed out that international students would also enjoy affordable living costs, a safe and friendly living environment and a vibrant cultural life.

“Hungary is blessed with natural beauty, combined with over a 1,100 year old history. The earliest documented Hungarian state was established in 896. The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe,” she said adding that Hungary can also claim one of the world's highest per capita rates of Nobel laureates.

Established by the Hungarian government in 2013, the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship is supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and managed by the Tempus Public Foundation.

-- BERNAMA