Ask around and you will find that very few Nigerian students have even heard of the Stipendium Hungaricum. That is a shame, because it is one of the most generous government scholarships you can go for. Hungary’s government funds it, and each year it brings thousands of international students over on a full ride. If studying in Europe without draining your family’s account sounds like your kind of plan, read on. I will break down how it works, who qualifies, and how the process runs.
What the scholarship covers
This is a fully funded one, and the package is no joke. Here is what you normally get:
- A full tuition waiver, so the programme itself costs you nothing.
- A monthly stipend to help you handle living expenses.
- Some support for accommodation, or a bed in a dormitory.
- Medical insurance that runs for as long as you study.
The big bills are sorted. No wonder so many people scramble for it every year.
What you can study
You get options across all the levels. There is the Bachelor’s degree, the Master’s, a one-tier Master’s for fields like medicine, and a full PhD. Some cycles even include preparatory and foundation courses. The good news for us is that plenty of Hungarian universities run these programmes fully in English. So no, you do not need to speak Hungarian to get in, though a little of it helps once you are living there.
Who can apply
Nigeria is a partner country for the programme, and that is what puts Nigerians in the running. After your nationality, the basics usually look like this:
- You meet the age and academic requirements for the level you want.
- You have the qualifications your programme needs, say a good SSCE for Bachelor’s, or a relevant first degree for Master’s.
- You can prove your English, often through a test or an accepted equivalent.
- You are medically fit to study abroad.
How the application works
People trip on this part, so take it slow. There are two tracks, and you run them at the same time. One is the official Tempus Public Foundation system that manages the scholarship. The other is the Nigerian sending partner that handles the nomination from our side. You choose your university programmes, upload your documents, sit whatever motivation or entrance checks the university sets, then wait for the verdict. Applying costs you nothing, from first click to last.
Documents you will usually need
Gather these early. Rushing them at the last minute is how strong candidates end up missing the deadline:
- Your academic certificates and transcripts.
- A valid international passport.
- A motivation letter saying why you picked the programme.
- Proof of English proficiency.
- A medical certificate, plus anything extra the programme asks for.
How to boost your chances
Apply early, not on the last day. Portals crawl near deadlines, and rushing is how silly mistakes creep in. Pick your programme with care and be honest about whether your background fits it. Write a real motivation letter, not some template you copied off the internet. And check every document twice before you upload, because one wrong or missing paper can sink a good application.
A word of caution
The scholarship is real and worth plenty, so of course scammers use its name. Let me be clear. No genuine process asks you to pay an agent to lock your slot or guarantee you a place. Apply only through the official Tempus system and the recognised Nigerian sending partner. Anybody demanding money to add your name, or promising automatic admission, is playing you.
Common questions people ask
When is the deadline? The call opens and closes on a fixed schedule each cycle, usually early in the year. Check the current dates on the official Tempus website rather than trusting some old post.
Do you need Hungarian? Not for the many English-taught programmes. You apply and study in English. That said, picking up a bit of Hungarian makes daily life there much easier.
Reviewed by Miles Obi, Careers and Scholarships Editor at Jobviza.
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- Turkiye Burslari Scholarship: How Nigerians Can Apply
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