Chachopoulos: We organize the best preparatory programs for foreigners in Hungary – INTERVIEW

Several foreigners live in Hungary, who have contributed to the country’s development with their intellectual and financial capital. The “Study in Hungary” education service made an interview with Vasilis Chachopoulos, the Director of the Preparatory Institution for International Students (PIFIS).

How would you briefly define PIFIS in 3-4 sentences?

PIFIS is the institution that organizes the preparatory program of the two most prestigious business universities of Budapest: Corvinus University of Budapest and Budapest Business School – University of Applied Sciences (BBS). We have been organizing the preparatory program of Corvinus for more than 25 years and for BBS since 2016. The main goal of our program is to help students develop their English and Mathematics skills in order to be able to enter the desired universities. Both programs offer and English and Mathematics course although with different intensity. The preparatory program for Corvinus University has a less intensive English course and a harder and longer Math course, while the preparatory program for BBS has a more intensive English course and a shorter (also less hard) Math course. Both of them are taught in English, therefore the application procedure is also in English.

What are the competitive advantages of joining PIFIS?

We are the only preparatory program for the business bachelor programs of Corvinus and BBS,

moreover we promise direct admission for those who meet specific requirements at the end of the year. Furthermore we work together with specialized professional teachers and professors from the universities, who know and teach specifically what is needed and necessary in order to get accepted to the universities. We also pay attention and help students to improve their soft skills, get settled in Hungary and get used to the European culture.

What are the tuition fees, dormitory costs and other living expenses of your students?

Our fee in total is 5500€ per year which includes the registration fee, the evaluation fee, the application fee and the tuition fee itself.

For accommodation we offer different dormitories based on students need (e.g.: 1 or more person per room, facilities, services, etc.) starting from 150€/month. As for living expenses, generally Budapest is a cheap city to live in, compared to other European capitals. For example you can get a lunch meal for 3€, buy your monthly public transport pass for 30€ or rent a flat for 260€/month.

Which programs do your partner universities offer to foreign students and what are the languages of instruction?

Our partners offer different programs specified below.
1. Corvinus University of Budapest:
– BA in Business and Management
– BA in International Business
– BA in Applied Economics
2. Budapest Business School – University of Applied Economics
– BA in Commerce and Marketing
– BA in Tourism and Catering
– BA in International Business Economics
– BA in Finance and Accounting
If you already have a relevant bachelor’s degree (or study in the last year of your bachelor studies), upon finishing our program and meeting specific requirements, you can gain direct admission to the following master’s degree programs at Budapest Business School – University of Applied Sciences (BBS):
-MA in Tourism Management;
-MA in International Relations;
-MA in International Economics and Business.

What are the tuition fees, dormitory costs and other living expenses of your students when they start studying in Corvinus University and Budapest Business University?

The tuition fees vary from 2200€ per semester to 2900€ per semester depending on which bachelor program and which university a student attends. The living costs are mostly the same although as university students they will receive about 50% discount for public transportation and several other services.

Could you give us information about your campus and its facilities (library, dormitory, computer lab, etc.)?

Our campus is located in the heart of Budapest, only a couple hundred meters away from the river Danube. As one of our program’s main part is the online homework, we require students to bring their own laptop, and we provide them with free Wi-Fi on campus. Our students are also entitled to register to Corvinus University’s library and use it in their own time.

As mentioned before, we are in partnership with different dormitories to provide the opportunity for students to choose the accommodation that fits their needs the most.

The dormitories are all located near our campus and close to the city center with great public transport connections.

How would you describe the social life of your students besides their formal studies?

The social life of our students reflects life in Budapest really well: it is colorful and always buzzing. We put emphasis on building a community in our classes and in our institution. There is always something to do in Budapest and we encourage our students to take the opportunities and experience as much as possible, day and night. Students are motivated by specific class works (e.g.: make a presentation about a historic sight in Hungary) as well as by personal attention and shared experience from the staff of our institution.

What are the current and new target countries for your university to recruit new students?

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Russia.

Source: www.studyinhungary.eu