Number of language exam takers on a ten-year low in Hungary

In 2017, out of 108 thousand participants trying to acquire a language exam, 70.7 thousand managed to earn the certificate, Vg.hu reports. From the start to the goal, 800 thousand HUF (2600 Euros) might be spent on language learning.

According to statistical data from the Educational Authority’s Language Examination Accreditation Centre, 108 people took language exams in Hungary last year. This is 26 thousand fewer than in 2016. The success index was 70.5 thousand, meaning this was the number of examinees who received a certificate for their language knowledge, while 37.5 thousand students failed the examination.

In the next 3 years from 2018 on, the government is allocating 3 billion HUF (9.7 million EUR) yearly for providing a successful first exam for young Hungarians.

As the government regulation states, in 2018, 2.788 billion HUF (12.290 million Euros), in 2019, 3.066 billion HUF (13.192 million Euros), in 2020, 3.372 billion HUF (14.184 million Euros) will be spent on this objective.

As per the decision, from the 1^st of January, 2018, language exam’s fee will be reimbursed for examinees under 35 years old, up until the ceiling of 25% of the minimum wage of the actual year (138 thousand HUF, 447.260 Euros, in 2018). This means 34,500 HUF (112 Euros) this year. This concerns the first successfully complied complex B2 level language exam or the equivalent advanced final exam, and the complex C1 level language exam. In ELTE Origó Nyelvi Centrum, today the complex B2 level language exam costs 28 thousand HUF (90 Euros), the C1 level costs 31 thousand (100 Euros), as displayed on their website.

The number of language exam takers in Hungary has been decreasing since 2008.

Ten years ago 174 thousand people went to one of the accredited language exam centres, but the number is lower and lower each year.

In 2015 and 2016, because of the programmes for saving the degree, a slight change was apparent, 10 thousand more people applied for the exams than in the previous years. (In Hungary, one can only acquire a higher level education degree if one is already in possession of a language certificate, and because of this, many people did not receive their degrees after finishing their university studies.) 3 billion HUF (9.7 million Euros) was budgeted for the “degree saving programme”, language courses were free for the participants, the language exam was to be paid by the participants, but the programme took it over for registered job-seekers.

In 2017, most of the successful language exams were taken in English and German.

Almost 52 thousand people took an English exam, and over 13 thousand a German one. 800-800 participants took exams in French, Spanish, Esperanto, and Lovári languages. While, for instance, in 2009, 44 thousand people applied for a German exam, last year only 21 thousand. The majority of language learners tried gaining the B2 level certificate, out of the 108 thousand examinees, 88 thousand tried the B2 level, 14 thousand the C1 level and 5600 the A2 level.

Most of the exam takers came from Eastern Hungary (48 thousand). 28 thousand were Budapest-born, and almost 29 thousand from Western Hungary. Over 3300 foreign citizens applied for language exams last year in Hungary. More than 43 thousand examinees were from the age group 14-19, 29 thousand from the age group 20-24, almost 4 thousand people over forty, and 124 people over sixty took the examination.

One and a half million from start to goal

According to language teachers, to gain knowledge of a language from zero to a B2 level, 500-600 classroom hours are needed. The price of an English language course per month is around 27 thousand HUF (87.6 Euros), private lessons cost on average 3-4 thousand HUF (9.7-13 Euros). By the time someone receives their certificate, they might have spent 7-800 thousand HUF (about 25 Euros) on studying, in case of private studying, the sum can be one and a half million HUF (4866 Euros).

Source: vg.hu