How to apply?
How to apply?
In general, the application for degree programs opens in October/November. For self-funded applicants, depending on the programme, the application deadlines are between the end of May and end of June. They should always check the exact deadlines under the description of the degree programmes. Applications for foundation courses have a different timeline, published under the course description on the application platform. The application period for the Hungarian governmental scholarship is shorter and earlier: between November and mid-January. The exact application deadlines for the scholarships are always published on the official scholarship websites.
Step-by-step guide to the application process
1. Have a look at the programmes offered
Browse through the degree programmes and foundation courses we offer in foreign languages to international students. Note that fees, deadlines, admission requirements, application procedures, and the procedure of the entrance examination are all specified separately for each programme as they might differ, depending on the academic level and field of study.
2. Select your study programme
Select the degree programme that you are interested in and would like to study.
3. Read the programme description and admission information
Read the description of the selected programme to learn more about the course details. Lists of modules (study units) are also available online:
Study the entry requirements, application procedures, and the procedure of the entrance examination carefully under the "Admissions" tab in the programme description for the selected programme. It is also advisable to note all deadlines and fees.
4. Start your application in the online application system
Register in the online application system. Select the programme(s) you want to apply for. Fill in the online application form and upload the required documents. Follow the instructions that you receive in the application system during the application process.
5. Submit your application online
When you have prepared your application, don’t forget to click on the “submit” button to submit your application.
6. Pay the application and exam fee
Self-funded applicants need to pay an application fee for all our programmes. Please check under “Admissions” whether it is required to pay an exam fee as well for your selected programme and check details about the payment transfer. Terms and conditions of fee payments are available online.
7. Take the entrance examination
For most programmes, there is an entrance examination in the form of an online interview. After you submit the application, you will receive information about the entrance exam.
8. Letter of Acceptance and tuition fee
If you do not meet the requirements, you will be notified about the rejection of your application.
If you meet the requirements and have had a successful exam, you will receive the document ‘Letter of Acceptance’ in the online application system.
You will also receive more information about how to pay the tuition fee and all to-do’s that you need to arrange before you arrive at ELTE in Budapest.
9. Accept the offer about your application
After you receive your ‘Letter of Acceptance’, please confirm your decision in the online application system so we know whether you want to enrol to the programme.
10. Prepare for your arrival
It’s time to prepare for your stay in Budapest, Hungary. Follow the checklist in the online application system and learn more about practical matters, such as housing, insurance, visas, and other important details.
Need further guidance?
If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions Coordinator of the Faculty of Humanities ► admission@btk.elte.hu
Application FAQs
- Does ELTE have any scholarships?
- Does ELTE provide accommodation?
- Does the fee include accommodation?
- Is there accommodation available on campus?
- How do I apply for a dormitory room?
- Can ELTE help me find private rental accommodation?
- Does the fee include health insurance?
- Does ELTE provide health insurance to international students?
- Can you waive the application fee?
- Can I pay by card or cash?
- Can somebody else transfer the fees on my behalf?
- Should I pay one semester’s tuition fees at the time of admission or the whole year’s?
- I don’t have an official language test certificate. Can I still apply?
- Do I need to pass an entrance exam?
- I want to study for an MA, but my first degree is in a different subject. Can I still apply?
- Can I join the foundation course for one term only?
- Can I automatically progress to an MA or BA programme from the English or Hungarian language foundation year?
- What documents do I need for the visa application?
- Can the university help me with the visa application?
- I will be late arriving for the in-person registration. What can I do?
- Can I get a refund of the tuition and application fees if I don’t get a visa?
- If I don’t get my visa in time to start my studies, can I automatically defer my admission to the next open intake?
- I had received my Letter of Acceptance but changed my passport since. Can I get an amended document?
- There is a mistake in the personal or other details in my admission documents (LoA/NoP/CoP). Can I get them re-issued?
- I am currently studying at university. Can I transfer to ELTE and continue my studies there?
- I did not pass the oral entrance exam. Can I have another chance/re-sit?
- I am in my final year of secondary school / undergraduate degree studies, and haven’t got my final certificate yet. Can I still apply for the September intake?
- I will receive my official language test results after the application deadline. Can I still apply?
- I have applied for a scholarship. Can I also apply as a self-paying student?
- Can I work part-time in Hungary while studying at ELTE?
1. Does ELTE have any scholarships?
ELTE participates in a number of governmental scholarship programmes, such as Stipendium Hungaricum. Please refer to the relevant web page. No additional funding is available to self-financed international students.
2. Does ELTE provide accommodation?
No, you need to make your own arrangements for accommodation. Help is available from the ELTE Housing Office or Dormitory Centre.
3. Does the fee include accommodation?
No, you need to budget separately for accommodation. To help you calculate your living costs in Budapest, visit this website.
4. Is there accommodation available on campus?
No, our dormitories are located off campus. More details
5. How do I apply for a dormitory room?
You need to apply online on the website of the ELTE Dormitory Centre. Applications for September usually open in May, and for the February intake, in November. Contact: info@dormitory.elte.hu. Dormitory places are limited and few are allocated to self-financed students.
6. Can ELTE help me find private rental accommodation?
Yes, you can contact the Housing Office for help in finding private rental accommodation with their partner real estate agents. Contact: housing@elte.hu.
7. Does the fee include health insurance?
No, you need to budget separately for health insurance during your studies. This can be private or state-provided depending on your choice, your fee status, and your nationality. More details
8. Does ELTE provide health insurance to international students?
We offer a private health insurance package with our partner provider, which you can purchase after arrival from the Quaestura student services office, or you can apply for Hungarian state healthcare.
9. Can you waive the application fee?
No, the application fee is a mandatory requirement for all self-financed applicants. We will only start to process applications when this fee has been paid.
10. Can I pay by card or cash?
Payment is currently only possible by bank transfer. Bank details are given on the online application pages: apply.elte.hu and on our finance website.
11. Can somebody else transfer the fees on my behalf?
Yes, anyone can make the fee payment on your behalf, as long as the applicant’s name is clearly indicated.
12. Should I pay one semester’s tuition fees at the time of admission or the whole year’s?
You need to pay only the first semester’s tuition fee upon admission.
13. I don’t have an official language test certificate. Can I still apply?
Accepted language tests and required levels are detailed for each programme. You need to check and meet the specific requirements for your chosen programme. Submitting a language certificate is not required for the English and Hungarian language foundation courses. Prior studies conducted in English (or the language of tuition of your chosen programme) are considered equivalent to CEFR C1 level proficiency.
14. Do I need to pass an entrance exam?
All eligible BA, MA and English Foundation Course applicants must pass an oral entrance exam. The format of the exam is an online interview.
15. I want to study for an MA, but my first degree is in a different subject. Can I still apply?
Each MA programme specifies their own requirements for prior studies. If your bachelor’s degree does not grant you direct access, you may still be able to apply (depending on the chosen major) by submitting a credit recognition request. Please check the specific course requirements.
16. Can I join the foundation course for one term only?
Admission to the foundation course is initially for one academic year. In exceptional cases, students may be offered to sit the final exam after one semester, and leave the course at that point.
17. Can I automatically progress to an MA or BA programme from the English or Hungarian language foundation year?
If you pass the CEFR B2-level language examination offered at the end of the academic year, you will be offered automatic entry to either BA English and American Studies or BA Hungarian at ELTE Faculty of Humanities. There is no automatic progression offered to any other programme.
18. What documents do I need for the visa application?
ELTE provides two supporting documents that are required for the visa application: the Letter of Acceptance and the Confirmation of Payment (receipt) of the first semester’s tuition fees. It is the student’s responsibility to make all other arrangements for the visa application. Here is a helpful guide to the process, with useful links. ELTE’s visa office can be contacted on: visa@elte.hu.
19. Can the university help me with the visa application?
See 19. above. Beyond providing the two supporting documents, ELTE cannot interfere in the visa decision nor contact the immigration authorities on behalf of students to speed up the process.
20. I will be late arriving for the in-person registration. What can I do?
Your second information letter always includes a link to an arrival questionnaire. If you fill it in, your coordinator will know about your expected arrival. If there is any further delay, you must email your coordinator. Note the last possible date for late arrivals, also given in your second information letter.
21. Can I get a refund of the tuition and application fees if I don’t get a visa?
Terms and conditions of tuition fee refunds are detailed on our website > Reimbursements (Refund of Tuition fees). Application and exam fees are non-refundable. Contact: international-finances@btk.elte.hu
22. If I don’t get my visa in time to start my studies, can I automatically defer my admission to the next open intake?
Your admission will not be automatically deferred. You need to start a new application for the next intake when the application portal opens. Generally, you will not be asked to sit the entrance exam again.
23. I had received my Letter of Acceptance but changed my passport since. Can I get an amended document?
You need to upload your new passport copy and change the details in the online application form. Send an email to the Admissions office and you will get a new Letter of Acceptance issued with the amended details.
24. There is a mistake in the personal or other details in my admission documents (LoA/NoP/CoP). Can I get them re-issued?
Documents are generated from the online application form with details submitted by the applicant. If you notice a mistake, you need to correct it in the application form and notify Admissions. You will get a new document issued with the amended details.
25. I am currently studying at university. Can I transfer to ELTE and continue my studies there?
Transfers are regulated by Section 34. of the Academic Regulations for Students. Contact the Registrar’s Office. Alternatively, students can apply for admission in the normal way into the first year, and once admitted, have their matching subject credits recognized by ELTE in a credit transfer procedure.
26. I did not pass the oral entrance exam. Can I have another chance/re-sit?
The result of the oral exam is the final admission decision and re-sits are not allowed. You may apply again for the next intake. A Letter of Rejection is sent out to those who failed the entrance exam, with details of the appeals procedure.
27. I am in my final year of secondary school / undergraduate degree studies, and haven’t got my final certificate yet. Can I still apply for the September intake?
Yes, we welcome applications from final year students. With your application you need to submit a document stating your expected date of graduation and a transcript of your studies so far. If admitted, your enrolment will be conditional on finishing your prior studies. The original graduation certificate/diploma has to be presented at enrolment.
28. I will receive my official language test results after the application deadline. Can I still apply?
Yes, you may start your application before the result of the language test is available. Your acceptance will be conditional on presenting the required language test certificate by a given deadline.
29. I have applied for a scholarship. Can I also apply as a self-paying student?
There is no need to apply as a self-paying student if you intend to go through the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship application process. Those who get accepted by ELTE but are not granted the scholarship will be automatically offered a place as self-paying students on the same course.
30. Can I work part-time in Hungary while studying at ELTE?
Yes, international students are permitted by law to take on part-time employment while studying in Hungary. Details are available on our website.
Tutorials
Check out this detailed tutorial that will help you navigate the online application system:
Watch this presentation with step-by-step guidance about the application process to ELTE Faculty of Humanities: