On Thursday, 1 September, the new school year kicked off all over Hungary. Many had hoped for a calmer year as the outbreak of the coronavirus eased, but this school year started off with a number of challenges for students, parents and teachers. The energy crisis and teacher strikes are already making school life difficult, but there is more to come.
School has started, problems are coming
The 2022-2023 school year will not be a smooth one. People have to deal with increasing energy prices, teacher shortages, strikes and even the sixth wave of the coronavirus, index.hu reports.
Under a decree published in the Hungarian Gazette at the end of July, digital education can be ordered at any time. “If the operation of a school is not possible for an unavoidable reason outside the school’s control, the minister responsible for public education may, on the basis of a report from the school’s principal, order a digital extra-curricular work schedule for a limited period of time in the school, place of work, grade or class concerned,” the decree reads.
The most threatening problem of the school year will be the rising energy prices. The Ministry of Interior has asked school districts to assess whether it would be possible to switch from gas heating to wood-burning fireplaces.
The government warns citizens to save money. László Kisfaludy, deputy state secretary for education, said that above 20 degrees Celsius, there would be no need for heating.
However, the St Benedict’s Primary School in Győrszentiván chose a different approach. The school has scheduled classes for 7 Saturdays, which practice will result in a longer winter break during which the school building does not have to be heated.
According to the Ministry of Interior, public schools also have the option of imposing a six-day school week, telex.hu reports.
Strike and teacher shortages
The Teachers’ Trade Union and the Democratic Trade Union of Teachers are in continuous negotiations with the Hungarian government. The teachers’ aim is to get higher wages which would take some weight off their shoulders. There is a fundamental teacher shortage which is now exacerbated by the strike of the school faculty and the protracted negotiations.
Opposition LMP called for an immediate payrise to civil servants at an online press conference by party spokesman József Gál on Sunday.
Gál told the press conference streamed on Facebook that the government had been neglecting workers in the public sectors, including in education, in the past 12 years.
The cost of living has increased significantly and the economic and energy crisis hit especially hard on those that support themselves from public sector wages, he said. Career-starting teachers earn 207,000 forints (EUR 510) per month in Hungary, which is the second lowest sum in the European Union after Bulgaria, he added.
Teachers and special education teachers must be given an immediate payrise of 45 percent and then their wage adjusted to inflation twice a year, he said. Some 80 percent of schools suffer from a shortage of teaching staff as a result of low wages, with around 15,000 teachers “missing from the profession”, he added.
According to an analysis, the significant overrepresentation of women in higher education may cause demographic problems. As the time spent with getting a degree results in difficulties finding a partner, it can lead to the risk of decrease in fertility. Therefore, the Hungarian State Audit Office expressed worries about too many women having a degree.
More women are admitted to higher education than men
According to Népszava, the State Audit Office published their „Pink education” analysis this July. In the analysis, they write that every year between 2010 and 2021, more women were admitted to higher education than men. In the fall semester of the 2022 academic year, the proportion of women will already be 54.5 percent. In addition, male students are more likely to drop out. But this tendency is visible at secondary schools, which more girls attend than boys. This is a very important data as 70 percent of full-time students come from secondary schools.
The representative questionnaire research was conducted around the time of the parliamentary election with the participation of 700 parents and teachers, writes Telex.hu. They wanted to find out whether the Hungarian education system provides equal opportunities for boys and girls.
The Hungarian State Audit Office is worried about the overrepresentation of women in higher education. They believe that the probability of women getting married and thus the chance of having children decreases. This can even lead to demographic problems, they say. According to the analysts, an educational strategy is needed to prepare for a successful independent adult life, reports 444.hu. They would like to conduct deeper research into the consequences of the phenomenon and to define measures depending on the results.
According to the ÁSZ, the feminisation of the teaching profession may have contributed to the shift in gender ratios, as 82 percent of teachers are women. According to the majority of those interviewed, women posess qualities that are necessary for teaching. These are emotional, social maturity, diligence, listening to words, tolerance for monotony, good verbal and written expressiveness. Schools usually put a greater emphasis on these than on boys’ mathematical, technical abilites. The “punishment” of masculine qualities in schools causes mental problems for boys, who cannot develop their special abilities and affects their diligence, writes Népszava.
School is starting soon. So we have looked at where the most expensive public transport student passes are. Surprisingly, the Hungarian capital is not the most expensive university city in Hungary.
Budapest is not even on the podium
Eduline.hu has collected the most expensive student fees in Hungarian university towns and cities. The Hungarian capital Budapest is surprisingly not the most expensive. In Budapest, students have to pay HUF 3450 (EUR 8.5) for a monthly pass. And that means you can use all means of transport within the city limits, even the train.
In Győr, the student pass costs HUF 2200 (EUR 5.4) for a month and HUF 6500 (EUR 16) for a quarter. In Sopron, you can get a student pass for a very cheap HUF 630 (EUR 1.5). For a whole quarter, it costs only HUF 1900 (EUR 4.7). In Veszprém, a monthly student pass costs HUF 2350 (EUR 5.8), while a quarterly one costs 6700 (EUR 16.6). In Nyíregyháza you can buy a student pass for 2850 HUF (EUR 7), while in Eger it costs 2280 HUF (EUR 5.6).
In Pécs, the monthly pass is HUF 3900 (EUR 9.6), while in Debrecen it is HUF 4400 (EUR 10.9). In Szeged, the monthly pass for students is HUF 4000 (EUR 9.9) . In other words, Budapest is not even among the most expensive three.
It is important to note that you can only travel with a student pass if you have a valid student card.
Only a quarter of Hungarians studying abroad would come home
A survey was carried out on Hungarians studying abroad. According to the respondents, there are much better career opportunities with a foreign degree than with a Hungarian one. Research by the Blochamps Capital Youth Affluent Financial Survey reveals that young people often aim to settle in big cities in Western Europe. The survey interviewed hundreds of young people studying abroad.
Of those surveyed, 26 percent said they would like to find a job in Hungary in the next 5-10 years, while 12 percent have already decided which destination abroad they would like to go to. 14 percent would settle where they go to school. For three out of five young people, career prospects are the main factor in deciding which country to settle in.
Survey respondents think it is easier to find a job in Hungary with a foreign degree. However, they are not valued by Hungarian companies. Those who study abroad think that the salary, career prospects and working environment are better abroad, napi.hu reports.
If the temperature in classrooms and team rooms reaches 20 degrees Celsius in winter, no additional heating is needed, according to the Orbán government.
László Kisfaludy, Deputy State Secretary for Public Education, said that if the temperature in classrooms reaches 20 degrees Celsius in winter, there is no need for additional heating. He wrote it in a letter of reply to István Tényi. Tényi contacted the Ministry of the Interior, which is also responsible for public education, after it emerged that the Ministry had instructed the school districts to assess the possibility of switching from gas to wood-burning in schools, and to purchase stoves – as we also reported.
The letter by Tényi and the reply
In his public interest announcement, also sent to Népszava, Tényi wondered to what extent classrooms have to be heated above the minimum level – i.e. the 20 degrees Celsius required by law – due to the escalating energy prices.
According to the deputy state secretary for education, “no additional heating is required after the 20 degrees Celsius temperature is met”, as this is the minimum level set by the government decree on the operation of educational institutions.
This response is also noteworthy because another piece of legislation, the Ministerial Decree on the minimum level of occupational safety and health requirements in the workplace already sets the air temperature for mental work at 20-22 degrees Celsius in the cold season.
Is the minimum temperature really the optimal temperature?
According to Erzsébet Nagy, member of the Democratic Trade Union of Teachers (PDSZ), although the government decree on the operation of schools and kindergartens does indeed stipulate a minimum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius in winter, this does not mean that institutions can be heated to a maximum of this temperature.
It merely means that if the temperature falls below this and remains so for at least two days, an extraordinary break must be ordered. According to the campaigner, it is “cynical and malicious” of the Deputy Secretary of State to imagine the minimum as the optimum.
Erzsébet Nagy says it is almost certain that more educational institutions may switch to online education in the winter if the government wants to save on heating schools and kindergartens.
One of Buda’s religious high schools is asking parents for a hefty subsidy for their overheads. Without their help, the school would not be able to pay its utility bills due to the increased overheads.
Due to increased utility bills, the principal of the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor Bilingual Baptist High School in Óbuda sent a questionnaire to parents to find out who could contribute to the electricity and heating bills for the school year starting in a few weeks, Telex reports.
The school is asking parents for financial help
According to a letter obtained by Telex, the school is asking parents for a one-off, lump-sum grant of HUF 101,302 (EUR 248.5). The reason is that the head of the institution believes that the donations from parents would cover the increased overheads and allow them to maintain traditional classroom teaching. Zsolt Berczelédi, the school’s headmaster, confirmed to Telex that a letter had been sent to parents and said they would assess the options without obligation.
“We have made a precise calculation: the school’s annual energy consumption is around 80,000 m3 of gas and 100,000 kWh of electricity. Last year we paid HUF 5.5 million (EUR 13,476) per year for gas and HUF 3.5 million (EUR 8,576) per year for electricity. For the next school year, gas is expected to cost around HUF 58 million (EUR 142,149) at the current tariff and electricity around HUF 6.8 million (EUR 16,665). This is a cost that neither the maintainer nor the institution can afford without external support,” the director explained. “Currently, the government is in talks with the churches to resolve the situation,” added Zsolt Berczelédi.
They want to avoid having to switch to online teaching
The school director also said that there is no problem if someone cannot pay the HUF 100,000 contribution. “We already have parents who can cover the cost for more than one child, so we have launched a survey to find out which families can support the initiative within their means”. Zsolt Berczelédi said they want to avoid having to switch to digital education, 24.hu reports. “Mentally, isolation is very bad for children, and the effectiveness of online education is far below that of classroom education,” he said.
The ELTE Faculty of Sciences is preparing for drastic overhead cuts, and is already considering the temporary closure of some departments. Due to rising energy prices, the university is considering the possibility of switching the Faculty of Sciences to online teaching for half a year, and temporarily closing some of its departments, Népszava reports.
The Faculty of Sciences will most likely close in October
Hungary’s largest university, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), may be forced to cut costs due to the energy crisis, rising overheads and a reduction in state subsidies. From November to March next year, the Faculty of Sciences (TTK), which has been operating with the highest overheads, may also be closed, while education may continue online, Népszava reports.
According to the information of Népszava, the management of the faculty has already asked the lecturers to examine how they could reallocate the year-round practical classes and lab work, which require presence, to the September-October period. Final decisions could be taken next week.
A member of the faculty, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the faculty’s management is protesting against the planned measures. However, the dean is “forced” to cut overheads. Although the faculty is not the university’s largest, it is where most of the lab-intensive research takes place, and the maintenance of its two buildings accounts for almost half of ELTE’s overheads – with the lack of modern heating technology playing a big part.
According to Népszava’s informant, ELTE has applied several times for state funding to modernise its heating system over the past ten years, but has never received any money. If ELTE is indeed closed for six months, the fate of research projects could become uncertain.
The communication department of ELTE will be able to give precise answers to Népszava’s questions on Monday at the earliest. The newspaper has also contacted the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, which is responsible for higher education, but so far they have not responded to their questions.
Zsolt Pálfia, vice-president of the Union of Higher Education Employees (FDSZ), could confirm that ELTE has been “playing with the idea for weeks” that it will have to save money somehow, but he does not know about any specific decisions yet.
Will other schools also close?
Ákos Hadházy, independent MEP, posted on his Facebook page on 13 August. He wrote that he has heard from many reliable sources – that are independent of each other – that the government is planning to close down schools again, citing the Coronavirus pandemic. According to Hadházy, these measures will not be enough to fight the virus, however, they will surely be enough to mask some other “corrupt” issues. For instance, the extreme shortage of teachers, and the schools then would not need to use wood-heating. “Shutting down specialist clinics and re-militarising hospitals would cover up the terrible shortage of doctors. Finally, the most important thing for them (the government – ed.) would be to ban protests,” the politician wrote in his post.
Swiss programs provide high quality education for students and schoolchildren — with this advantage, schools and colleges attract students from all over the world. In Switzerland, education is available in several languages at once: English, German, Italian, French, which also gives students the opportunity to learn several foreign languages at once.
The best teachers are invited to the colleges in Switzerland to maintain an excellent quality of study, and the campuses are equipped with the most modern equipment for comfortable and effective learning. During their studies, the foreign students broaden their horizons, gain a lot of new knowledge and make acquaintances with representatives of different countries.
Colleges in Switzerland – offered programs
Many foreign students prefer to start with international colleges in order to be guaranteed to enter a university in the future. For those whose admission to a higher education institution is not the main goal, you can continue studying at college and get a quality education in the same way. Colleges in Switzerland usually do not conduct entrance tests: for admission, you only need to collect the necessary documents and speak a foreign language in which you will conduct studying. If the level of knowledge of the language is not sufficient to understand the program, additional linguistic classes are available for foreign students.
Below the list of educational programs with main features in the best colleges in Switzerland is provided:
International Baccalaureate, IB – the program was developed in International School of Geneva. The program includes 4 stages:
Primary Years
Middle Years
Diploma
Career-related.
The IB program is designed for students aged 16-19 and lasts for two years. 6 disciplines are studied compulsory: language, literature, sciences, Mathematics, arts, societies. For student’s attention various courses are offered with emphasis on studying of discipline group. Additionally, international students can pass courses in philosophy, service program and write 4000-word essay.
A-level, IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education)
IGCSE is a British program, which is equivalent to school grades 10 and 11. During course students study various disciplines, namely Mathematics, English, humanities and sciences. After passing IGCSE course, the foreign students can enrol on A-level program, aimed at in-depth studying of interested subjects. The certificate of A-level is accepted by ranking universities, located in Great Britain, North America and European countries.
High School Diploma and Advanced Placement
If a foreign student wants to receive an American certificate, it is better to pass high school diploma program. This course stipulates the intensive preparation for successful passing of College Board SAT exams.
How to choose international college in Switzerland?
The best colleges in Switzerland create all opportunities for harmonic development of all personal aspects of each student. The choice of the college in Switzerland depends on several factors:
Duration of studying
Age of student
Language of studying
Chosen educational program
Extracurricular program.
The foreign students study in multicultural environment, which contributes to significant improvement of language skills. Lessons are conducted in English, French, German or native language of the school. International students study in small classrooms, contributing to active academic progress. The form of studying is full boarding.
List of colleges in Switzerland – TOP-3
Modern College Du Leman in Geneva prepares students for enrolment in the university, gives secondary education, teaches in French, English. A-level is a preparation course for enrolment in the universities of Great Britain. Having the certificate of passing this course exempts the applicant from taking additional entrance exams. Swiss Federal Maturite provides high quality preparation of foreign students for studying in Swiss university. According to the French Baccalaureate program, students are preparing for admission to French higher education institutions.
College Beau Soleil in Villars is a leading bilingual school with available programs in international and French sections: GCSE, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, French Baccalaureate. In addition to compulsory academic classes, the international students are offered a wide choice of electives. The college is located at an altitude of 1300 meters in the Swiss Alps — it is visited annually by representatives of more than 40 nationalities.
Lemania College in Lausanne is a prestigious international college with available programs: French Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate, Schweizer Maturitat. Each of the programs further helps to enrol in the university of Switzerland, France, Europe, USA. Duration of the programs varies from 1 to 3 years.
Baltic Council for International Education is an education abroad agency, which started out 27 years ago as a family business and since then has developed to be one of the biggest, leading educational agencies in Europe with offices in 6 countries and more than 1000 partner institutions all over the world. Baltic Council covers all aspects of the education-abroad industry, including language camps and courses, secondary education, as well as college, undergraduate and post-graduate university degrees abroad. Besides helping students choose the right destination, language course or university program and leading the entire application process from the beginning until the end, Baltic Council is also the host of several webinars, seminars and educational fairs throughout the year.
Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
During the summer, Baltic Council organized free webinars for those interested in studying abroad. The webinar “Study in the Netherlands” happened in the beginning of July, and was lead by Darja Fokina, a senior study abroad manager of the Latvian Baltic Council office. Darja graduated from Tilburg and Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and was happy to share her first-hand knowledge and experiences with the ones who registered in advance. The webinar was not only about university programs and studies, but also about part-time jobs, student grants and loans, travelling and making friends in the Netherlands. At Baltic Council, all counsellors and managers have studied abroad, and are always glad to share their personal stories and experiences. Although Baltic Council has partner institutions all over the world, the Netherlands is one of the most popular destinations among students, which was the main reason why the webinar was focusing on this country. Online platforms for university applications in the Netherlands are opening soon, so anyone interested in studying there can now get in touch with the Baltic Council office and ask for the help of the experienced counsellors.
Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
Another webinar in July was about IELTS – the international language exam everyone needs in order to apply for a university program abroad. The host of the free webinar was the Hungarian Baltic Council office and Nicholas Stephen Lone, an experienced IELTS teacher from the UK, who has already held several successful exam preparation courses. Nicholas told students about the structure, different tasks, tips and tricks of the IELTS exam. Baltic Council is starting an online, intensive, 4-week IELTS preparation course this September lead by Nick Lone, who speaks about his job as follows:
“I am passionate about teaching English and enjoy teaching those who are equally passionate about learning it. I try to make my lessons interesting and fun as possible, whilst delivering as much technical information as possible – whether that means exam technique, exam requirements or simply complex grammar tenses or advanced relevant vocabulary […] I have a long list of students who I have helped to pass the exam, and this is by far the most rewarding and satisfying part of my job.”
Whoever needs to take the IELTS test soon is encouraged to take part in the intensive preparation course starting in September, for which students can now apply via email (hu*****@ba***********.org).
Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
With regard to other summer events, the Hungarian Baltic Council team has recently also participated in the Outland Festival, in Alsópetény, Nógrád County. This was the first time the festival had been organized by the Hungarian Youth Association. The Baltic Council team felt honored to be invited to the event in order to encourage young people to study abroad and broaden their horizons.
While international language camps are still running during the summer, Baltic Council is already looking ahead: free consultations about applications to higher education are starting soon; the online IELTS preparation course is beginning in September; and the organization of the biggest European education abroad fair – Days of International Education – on 29th October is also getting started.
Amid the energy crisis that is so rapidly approaching Europe and Hungary, the Interior Ministry has asked educational institutions to immediately assess the feasibility of switching from gas to wood-burning by purchasing stoves. Of course, this is a fundamental change that poses numerous challenges.
Switch to wood heating
As we have reported before, the Interior Ministry would save money on the heating of schools. Yes, as unbelievable as it sounds, it is intstructing educational institutions to start purchasing stoves as soon as possible. But would switching from gas heating to wood heating really be cheaper and more cost-efficient?
To make the switch, schools would need to assess where wood-burning boilers can be used.They would need a specialist to design the chimney and heating system. On top of these, there are still many other tasks schools have to consider. The Szeged municipality and the city newspaper looked at how much all this would cost, Szeged.hu reports.
According to the experts, it is difficult to imagine converting domestic educational and public institutions to wood heating. They believe that the government should have worked out a strategy to solve the gas supply problem earlier, szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu writes. Still, they have done the calculations. The results are not brightest.
The numbers
In Szeged, the smallest school that needs heating is 1,385 square metres, but there are also institutions with a floor area of 9,900 square metres. Classrooms vary in size, averaging 20-25 square metres, with ceilings of 3.6 metres and often poor insulation.
They would need eight months to obtain a mixed-fuel boiler. There is a problem with the supply of spare parts, which slows down production. The cost of conversion depends on the building and the price will rise as demand increases, so the final price is merely a guess.
According to the newspaper 10,000 tonnes of wood per month may be needed to provide minimum heating for Szeged’s educational institutions. Firewood is also a scarce commodity, but its price in Szeged is already HUF 8-9000 (EUR 20.13-22.65) per hundred kilograms. In a city of this size, firewood alone would cost at least HUF 480-500 million (EUR 1.21-1.26 million), but the amount could reach even HUF 800 million (EUR 2 million).
Conclusion
As can be seen, no matter how much the government thinks that switching from gas heating to wood heating would be a great idea – especially starting with schools and public institutions –, the costs would not at all be low. There are certainly many more things to consider before making this move.
The Hungarian higher-education system will significantly change in 2024 autumn. You may find the details in our article below.
János Csák, Hungary’s cultural and innovation minister, said they accepted some considerable changes. He said othat the new system will be easier and more flexible, as hirado.hu reported. Furthermore, it will reflect the needs of the universities and the students. He said that 3/4th of the students are enrolled in institutions run by foundations or churches. That is a more flexible and competitive system, he added.
The changes János Csák announced are the following:
To enlarge the autonomy of the universities, they will get an opportunity to select their students. Thus, universities will decide about 100 points out of the 500. 300 points will come from the school-leaving exams, and 100 for the marks students received in secondary education.
Students will be able to choose six programs in the application process.
The government abolishes the obligatory language exam for degrees. However, universities will have to provide their learners with the necessary language competencies, depending on what they study.
This year, 73,805 out of 99,192 applicants gained admission to higher-education institutions in Hungary, the deputy state secretary for higher education told public current affairs channel M1 on Friday.
Most freshers — some 17,000 people — applied for courses in business administration, followed by technical studies, medicine, pedagogy and law, Balázs Hankó said. Budapest’s Eötvös Loránd University attracted more students (11,000) than any other institution, he added.
Thanks to the higher-education reforms launched by the government, the number of students starting their studies in vocational fields has grown by 16 percent, to 8,300, since 2020. Fully 6,200, or 14 percent more freshers, are starting medical studies this year than in 2020, he said. The number of students starting courses in agriculture has grown to 3,100, he said.
Tertiary education has a 30 percent drop-out rate in Hungary, one that the government plans to reduce to 20 percent in the coming years by launching mentoring programmes,
he said. Hungarian graduates need only 1.2 months on average to find work in the European Union, and earn 1.5-2 times more than their peers with only secondary education, he said. Of 25,000 universities worldwide, 11 Hungarian institutions are among the best 1,400 in the world, Hankó said. The government aims for one to be included among the top 100 by 2030, and three among the best 100 European universities, he added.
Teachers’ trade union PDSZ has sent an open letter to Hungary’s prime minister demanding higher wages without delay and the withdrawal of decisions regarding the itemised tax for small businesses (kata) and utility fees.
PDSZ called for professional and social consultations on kata and utility fees.
In the letter addressed to Viktor Orbán PDSZ said “you have repeatedly stated that the wage demands of workers in public education were justified but we have been told at strike negotiations and through the press that wage increase, no matter how small, is only possible in the current budget situation if Brussels provides support”.
“However, it was recently revealed that wage increases can be afforded from the central budget for law enforcement staff and each minister will get 650,000 forints (EUR 1,600) more, not to mention that your wage will increase by an even greater rate,” the trade union said.
PDSZ considers it justified that extremely low wages for police and soldiers are increased but demands at least the same level of increase for public education workers with immediate effect, the letter said.
Baltic Council for International Education (BCIE) has been a leading education abroad company since its foundation 27 years ago in the Baltic States. BC started out in Latvia as a family business – founded by Evgeni and Olga Govor, and since then has developed to be one of the biggest study abroad agencies in Europe with more than 1000 partner institutions all over the world. Contrary to its name, it does not only operate in the Baltics – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia -, but also in Poland, Italy and since March 2022 in Budapest, Hungary.
But what exactly does being an education abroad agency mean? Programmes the Baltic Council offers cover all aspects of the education-abroad industry, including language camps and courses, secondary education, as well as college, undergraduate and post-graduate university degrees all around the world. When it comes to studying abroad, whatever your goal is, Baltic Council is there for you to help you walk through the entire process – from choosing the right destination and programme, until you are ready to pack your suitcase and leave.
Baltic Council fair. Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
Baltic Council fair. Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
If you are dreaming of studying abroad, you can first register for a free consultation, where the experienced study abroad advisors tell you all you need to know about studies in a foreign country. They will help you choose the right destination, university programme or language course; they will also provide support writing a motivational letter, a personal statement and a CV, following deadlines, uploading the documents on the right portals, and they will even give you advice on scholarships, student loans, health insurance, accommodation and all the practical aspects of going abroad to study.
The reason why BC is special is that their work is based on personal experience. All the managers have studied abroad, and hold university degrees from all around the world, thus having extensive first-hand knowledge and experience in applying and studying abroad. What is more, counsellors visit new and established partner institutions every year, as well as participate in agent conferences and fam-trips organized by schools and universities to have the personal experience they need to be able to recommend a school. At BC the top priority is the student; their dreams, aspirations and expectations, while only working together with the best, top-ranking institutions. Our goal is to find the best fit institution for our students.
Petra with the founder and co-founder of the Baltic Council. Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
Apart from the counselling services, twice a year, in March and October, BCIE organizes the biggest education abroad fairs in Eastern Europe – called Days of International Education. The first fair in Hungary was in March, 2022 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where more than 30 foreign schools and universities were represented coming from all around the word – including the USA and Canada – and giving the chance for students to get to know their opportunities. The event in March attracted around 3000 visitors. The next fair in Budapest is going to be organized at the same location on the 29th of October, and around 50 institutions are to be expected.
During the year, Baltic Council organizes several webinars, where experienced managers, counsellors, university graduates or teachers share their experiences. In the past few weeks there was a webinar about studying in the Netherlands, where a Tilburg and Maastricht University graduate talked about her studies and shared some practical advice. There has also been an IELTS (international language exam needed to study abroad) introduction webinar with an experienced, accredited IELTS teacher, as Baltic Council is starting an intensive, online, IELTS preparation course very soon.
Petra and Peggy Abbey during a visit to their London partner school. Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL
As a team of open-minded and professional individuals, Baltic Council believes that good quality education should not be out of reach, and that spending time abroad opens up the world and gives you endless opportunities. Their mission is to encourage young people to chase their dreams, collect experiences, build connections while gaining inspiring academic results for their future.
Opposition lawmakers have asked the Constitutional Court to annul a recently passed law they say has made it “impossible” for teachers to exercise their right to strike, the co-leader of the Socialist Party said on Saturday.
Ágnes Kunhalmi told MTI in a statement that the law, tabled by the government, “practically prohibits” teachers from striking by “voiding their right to strike”.
The Socialists have initiated a review of the law, which complies with neither the constitution nor international agreements, with representatives of other opposition parties, she added.
One of the most difficult aspects of Hungarian language learning is spelling and writing. Grammar aside, the multitude of Hungarian spelling rules makes learning especially hard. Below, you will find some tips to make your experience in mastering Hungarian writing a little easier!
The first thing when it comes to writing in a foreign language is patience. It is easy to forget just how comfortable we are in our native tongue. When it comes to learning a language, we become painfully aware that what we write as beginners is not perfect. We notice each and every small mistake in structure, vocabulary, and punctuation. This is why we must keep in mind that mastering all aspects of a foreign language will take a lot of time. Practice makes perfect, focus on gradually building your skills. Most importantly, zero in on what sort of benefits your newly acquired language will bring to you!
Now, continue below for some tips about the tricky spelling nuances of the Hungarian language!
The four principles of Hungarian spelling
To start off, we must examine the four fundamental principles of the Hungarian writing system. Knowing these rules will give you a foundational understanding of the inner workings of our writing system.
Pronunciation (phonetic) spelling
Hungarian reflects the sound of the words as closely as possible. The spelling of word elements (parts of speech, verbs) is written according to their colloquial pronunciation.
Word analysis (etymological) spelling
Hungarian mostly indicates the constituent elements of words in subordinate (adjectival, indicative) and compound words. The sounds of the conjunctions of words with prefixes, infinitives, compounds etc. and the sounds of the constituents of successive words interact and often change when the words are pronounced. Our spelling, however, does not take account of occasional sound changes but spells the word elements in their original form.
Simplifying spelling
In Hungarian adjectives and suffixes, the doubled form of multi-digit letters is shortened, meaning only the first digit of the letter is repeated (meggy – sour cherry, hosszú – long). We do not, however, simplify the letters of the same two-digit number which are members of compound words (jegygyűrű – wedding ring, kulcscsomó – keychain).
During suffixation, if there are three of the same consonants next to each other, they merge into only two (füttyel [=fütty+tyel] – with a whistle, hallak [=hall+lak] – I hear you).
The rule does not apply to Hungarian family names, foreign proper names and word compounds. In these cases, the long consonant letters are joined to the newer one by a hyphen (balett-táncos – ballet dancer, Széll-lel – with Széll).
Spelling by Hungarian tradition
There are cases in Hungarian where spelling adheres to historically established conventions. Three major categories exist here:
family names (Batthyány, Kossuth, Széchenyi, Thököly, etc.)
the letters “DZ” and “DZS” (menedzser – manager, bodza – elderflower, dodzsem – bumper cars)
and words that contain the letter “LY”
Hungarian verb conjugation
One of the most difficult aspects of the Hungarian language is its verb conjugation system. It is the process through which verbs are changed to match the other components of a given phrase. Each verb has three persons in both singular and plural. For the basic form of each verb, you must use the third person singular.
For further studying, this verb conjugation website by KaleidoVox is a great resource. It not only shows you each verb form, but it allows you to test your skill as well!
J or LY?
Lastly, let us look at one of the most irregular rules of Hungarian writing: the use of the letters “J” and “LY.” These two letters denote the same sound, /j/. From childhood to adulthood, many native Hungarian speakers are burdened by this rule of tradition. What makes it even more difficult, is that there is hardly any rule on when to use which.
Fear not, as there is some logic behind the madness. These pointers from Tantaki will help you understand. Keep in mind, that there are always exceptions!
There is only one word in the Hungarian dictionary that starts with the letter “LY.” (lyuk – hole). Any derivatives of the word “lyuk” will also start with “LY.”
One syllable words ending in a /j/ sound that are written with “LY” include hely, súly, moly (place, weight, moth).
Multi syllable words ending in a /j/ sound that are written with “LY” include kristály, pehely, bagoly (crystal, flake, owl). Exceptions include papagáj – parrot.
Words that end with -aj and -ej are often written with “J:” olaj, tolvaj, zörej (oil, thief, noise). Exceptions include tavaly – last year.
Words ending with -lya and -lye are often written with “LY:” gereblye, korcsolya, pocsolya (rake, ice skates, puddle). Exceptions include bója – buoy.
Students from all around the world choose to study in Budapest, Hungary. The capital is famous for its high-quality university offer, as well as for its low living cost, making Budapest an appealing place to spend one’s university years in.
ELTE. Photo: Facebook, Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem – ELTE
ELTE, one of the most popular Hungarian universities, is not only famous in its home country but also abroad. ELTE is a modern university with 380-year-old traditions. Good news for foreigners! – ELTE has an extensive international network of partner institutions, among which there are 400 Erasmus partners.
The faculties in ELTE are the following:
FACULTY OF ECONOMICS
FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
FACULTY OF INFORMATICS
FACULTY OF LAW
FACULTY OF PRIMARY AND PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
BÁRCZI GUSZTÁV FACULTY OF SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATIOn
Accommodation
The university also provides accommodation for students.
The Dormitory Centre, a central department, offers hundreds of high-quality and affordable places. More than half of the international students request a dormitory place.
The Housing Office, on the other hand, helps you find accommodation according to your individual needs on the private market including apartment houses, flats, and hostels. In fact, you can apply to both services at once.
Degree programs
Whether one intends to obtain a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, ELTE offers a wide range of opportunities. Diplomas issued at ELTE are acknowledged worldwide and course credits are transferable in all countries of the European Union.
Types of degree programs:
joint degree program: students complete their studies at ELTE in Budapest (at least one semester) and another member university in the consortium (at least one semester)
pre-university programs: consist of special preparatory courses in the preparatory year
exchange student: courses are offered in foreign languages
Tuition fees
To illustrate the general cost of the courses, take a look at the photo below, which summarises the costs for English and American studies BA.
ELTE tuition fee. Photo: elte.hu
Scholarships
ELTE offers degree programmes to international students with a wide variety of funding options. Study-abroad organisations make international students’ lives easier.
Within the AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships one can receive, for example, the FEA Recipient Grant which provides $500 grant for students who receive a Fund for Education Abroad scholarship.
Semmelweis University. Photo: Facebook, Semmelweis Egyetem
Semmelweis University is a widely acknowledged institution, not just in Hungary. Programmes are offered in three languages (Hungarian, English and German), and international students account for nearly a third of the around 11,000 students studying at the University’s six faculties.
The six faculties are the following:
FACULTY OF DENTISTRY
FACULTY OF HEALTH AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
FACULTY OF MEDICINE
FACULTY OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
SCHOOLS OF PH.D. STUDIES
Accommodation
As for accommodation, Dean’s College Hotel is a perfect place for international students who want to study here. The cosy apartments come with single, twin or queen beds, in-room bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens.
Degree programmes
Bachelor’s programmes
Master’s programmes
Single long-cycle programmes
Ph.D. programmes
Tuition fees
Concerning the tuition fee, it is determined by the year of enrollment in the Program. Students who complete their studies continually (without failing a year) pay the same tuition fee every year.
Semmelweis tuition fee. Photo: semmelweis.hu
Scholarships
Although Semmelweis University does not provide scholarships in the English Language Programs of General Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Hungarian State provides Stipendium Hungaricum and Hungarian Diaspora scholarships to international students.
According to international rankings, Budapest University of Technology and Economics is a great place to study.
Here are the faculties:
Faculty of Civil Engineering (ÉMK)
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (GPK)
Faculty of Architecture (ÉPK)
Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (VBK)
Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (VIK)
Faculty of Transportation Engineering and Vehicle Engineering (KJK)
Faculty of Natural Sciences (TTK)
Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences (GTK)
Tuition fee
Tuition fees for international students range between 3200-4000 EUR/Semester. Here are the tuition fees of the most popular faculties:
Budapest University of Technology and Economics tuition fee. Photo: bme.hu
Scholarships
International students should not worry about high tuition fees as there are also student funding opportunities.
The Stipendium Hungaricum offers BA/BSc, MA/MSc and one-tier master level programmes and HUF 43,700/month (EUR 135) contribution to the living expenses in Hungary during the 12 months of the year, until the completion of studies.
The driver was transporting preschoolers by bus, in which a little girl from Tiszaderzs was accidentally locked up. Later, she lost her life in the hospital. The driver is now in need of psychiatric treatment.
3-day-fight for life
The little girl was locked in the bus for nearly 8 hours. More specifically, from half past eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. Inez was already unconscious when they found her. An ambulance helicopter arrived immediately and they fought for at least an hour to stabilize her condition – blikk.hu reported.
Doctors fought for the little girl’s life for three days, but unfortunately, they couldn’t save her.
The whole country is shaken by the terrible tragedy.
The doctors couldn’t save the 4-year-old. Photo: PrtSrc/rtl.hu
The bus driver was made responsible
Naturally, the driver of the minibus was blamed beacuse of what happened. According to the man, he was unaware that the girl was left in the vehicle. The driver repeatedly threatened to end his life with his own hands after learning: Inez was transported to Debrecen by a rescue helicopter in a serious condition.
As rtl.hu reports, the 56-year-old man is being treated at a hospital in Szolnok. Locals say he got a nervous breakdown.
Locals also revealed that they know the bus driver as an ordinary, hard-working man who has long had this profession. They do not understand how this tragedy could happen.
How to prevent tragedies like this?
“We think that for such a task, when there is no escort in the vehicle, it is the joint task and responsibility of the kindergarten teacher or the driver to check on arrival if there is anything left, not just someone, but something, a bag of medicine, anything else in the vehicle,”
– said Imre Kulcsár from the Hungarian Road Transport Association (MKFE).
