Call for scholarship application of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary for the credit-based Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies Programme
in the academic year of 2022/2023
Note: This document has been prepared in English as complementary material to the official Hungarian language call-for-application. In case of doubt, please refer to the original version and/or contact us.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary (hereunder (MFA) based on the 241/2016. (VIII.16.) Government Decree and the 4/2019 (III.13) MFA Order on the Organizational and Operational Regulations of the MFA within the Balassi Scholarship Programme with Márton Áron Scholarship invites applications from non-Hungarian-speaking university students and young graduates not older than 35 years in the academic year of 2022/2023 for the
HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE AND HUNGARIAN STUDIES PROGRAMME.
1. THE GOAL OF THE APPLICATION
The application provides an opportunity to participate in Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies training as a scholarship holder.The objective of the Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies scholarship is to increase knowledge (acquired at university outside Hungary) of Hungarian Language and “Hungarology” of foreign students and graduates interested in Hungary, Hungarian culture and Hungarology. The two-semester course takes place in the MFA in Budapest with the cooperation of the University of Pécs and with KKM Magyar Diplomáciai Akadémia Kft. (hereunder KKM MDA Kft).
2. THE OBJECT OF THE APPLICATION
The goal of Hungarian Language–Hungarian Studies training is to increase the Hungarian language competence and “Hungarology” knowledge acquired at universities outside Hungary. The programme provides a great opportunity for participants to actively explore Hungary, the living Hungarian language and Hungarian culture. The 10-month accredited university part-time training programme offers 26–55 ECTS credit points. The successful completion of the programme is confirmed by the issuance of a certificate by the University of Pécs. There are three types of curricula (A, B, C) available according to the different language competence of students. The 10-month long training consists of two semesters including a study period of 14 weeks and an exam period of 4 weeks. During their study period, students have to attend 28/30 classes, while in the exam period they have to take 4-6 exams. During the training, there are cultural programmes as well, e.g. museum visits organized for the students, which will be implemented depending on the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic. Improving the students' language skills is a major goal of the training. Intensive language learning takes up 12–28 lessons a week in small study groups. Language training is completed with an international intermediate or advanced ECL language exam approved by the Hungarian State. Its credit value is 10/15 depending on the level (intermediate or advanced). (The level and type of the language exam and the amount of the examination fee depends on the decision of the language skills assessment committee.) The interdisciplinary courses in Hungarian Studies transfer complex and diverse knowledge of present Hungary and its cultural heredity. Besides compulsory lectures and seminars students take part in optional seminars according to their field of interest (subjects: history, literature, linguistics, ethnography, history of art and music, geography and economy, today's society, culture and political system). The credit value of “Hungarology” studies is all in all 16/36/40. At the end of Training-B and -C (besides the completed language exam) they also write a final paper and take a final exam on one of the topics of their Hungarian studies. Class attendance is compulsory. Should a participant miss class without cause, or violate the Study and Exam rules or Disciplinary Guidelines, he/she will lose the right to continue the programme and the right to dormitory placement. Any individual who has been expelled from the programme will have to repay all stipend (monthly allowance) received up to that date.
3. THE LENGTH AND THE CONTENT OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
The duration of the programme is 10 months (September 2022 – June 2023).
The scholarship includes:
- full tuition fee (location of the training: 1107 Budapest, Zágrábi utca 1.) HUF 45,000/month allowance (to be paid monthly)
- free accommodation (Hotel Berlin, 1117 Budapest, Hunyadi János út 4.)
- student card (offering discounts)
- basic health services
Maximum number of scholarships to be awarded: 60
4. CONDITIONS OF THE APPLICATION
Individuals between the age of 18 and 35 years of non-Hungarian citizenship, whose native language is other than Hungarian, and are graduate- or undergraduate students of Hungarian studies and they want to deal with the Hungarian language and culture in the future as well, are invited to apply.
5. DEADLINE OF APPLICATIONS
Deadline of applications: 8 March 2022, 24.00 (UTC+1)
6. INFORMATION ON THE SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION OF THE APPLICATION
Steps of application:
The call for application is published in Hungarian at https://balassischolarship.kormany.hu
in English at https://balassischolarship.kormany.hu/call-for-application-hungarian-studies
1. Application website
Applications are to be submitted via the application website https://spjelentkezes.mdakft.hu Please visit the site and prepare and submit your application according to the information provided there.
2. Required documents
Required documentation and references for the application:
- signed, printed statement of the applicant (format: .pdf) [mandatory document]
- a professional plan of max. two pages describing the applicant’s field of interest/research (format: .doc, docx) [mandatory document]
- copy of transcripts and diplomas (format: .pdf) [mandatory document]
- copy of passport (format: .pdf) [mandatory document]
- reference letter from an acknowledged expert in the field of Hungarian Studies or the applicant's field of interest (format: .pdf) [recommended document]
Evaluation of the Application
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (responsible for operating the scholarship) makes decisions on the applications based on the proposal of the Evaluation Committee set up by MFA. All decisions are binding. MFA will not consider applications submitted after the deadline and/or incorrectly and/or incompletely and/or illegibly.
Publication of the results
Applications will be evaluated by 25 March 2022 and applicants will be notified about the results within 3 workdays afterwards via e-mail by MFA. Successful applicants must confirm the acceptance of the scholarship via e-mail by 30 March 2022.
The scholarship does not cover the following expenses:
- travel to and from Hungary
- language exam fee (ECL exam of level B2 or C1: approx. HUF 35,000)
- food
- public transport season ticket
- personal expenses
- the fee of type "Purpose of Study” visa, if necessary
7. CONDITIONS OF WINNING AND OBTAINING THE SCHOLARSHIP
Signing Scholarship Agreement with the KKM MDA Kft.
Any applicant providing unreal, false information on the datasheet, and/or making such a statement when applying, and/or withholding any fact or data concerning the assessment of the application may be excluded from the application procedure.
By submitting their application, applicants consent to the processing of their personal data in the application form by the MFA, by the decision-shaping bodies and decision-makers defined above for the time necessary for the decision - but not later than 16 September 2022.
The list of scholarship winners is public. By participating in the application, the applicant agrees that his/her name will be published on the website of the MFA if s/he is awarded a scholarship by the MFA.
The applicant acknowledges that the conditions of starting the training and moving to the accommodation will be determined by MFA and KKM MDA Kft. – according to the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic, current Hungarian legislation and regulations related to the scholarship programme; will be specified no later than four weeks before the start of the academic year and will be communicated by e-mail to the successful applicants.
The applicant acknowledges that, because of the epidemiological situation, the MFA may postpone the pre-planned start date of the Hungarian Language and Hungarian Studies Programme (7 September 2022) and/or apply distance learning methods in the training, or a serious situation may refuse to start the training, may decide to suspend the training and continue it after the suspension has been lifted, and may decide to apply a training period shorter than it is determined in this call for application. The applicant acknowledges that the implementation of professional programmes depends on the evolution of the COVID 19 epidemic and related rules. The applicant undertakes that in the event of the occurrence of any of the above circumstances s/he does not file a claim for damages against the MFA or KKM MDA Kft. regarding this circumstance.
The scholarship holder undertakes - if it is obligatory according to current Hungarian legislation and the regulations concerning the scholarship programme - to take part in the health screening test organised by the MFA and/or KKM MDA Kft. after enrolling in the training. The scholarship agreement is terminated, if, as a result of this screening test prescribed by the doctor performing the screening test, the applicant receives a „medically unfit” result, or the applicant refuses to carry out the screening test.
8. CONTACT
Further information: Tünde Sasvári E-mail: hungarologia@mdakft.hu
Phone: +36 70 777 8552
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The official call-for-application and the application form can be found at the Balassi Scholarship Programme webpage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
(in Hungarian: https://balassischolarship.kormany.hu,
in English: https://balassischolarship.kormany.hu/call-for-application-hungarian-studies.