State Scholarships in Hungary (Research)

Tempus Public Foundation offers scholarships for foreign higher education graduates, lecturers and researchers who would like to gain further knowledge in Hungarian higher education institutions, research or art institutes.

Applications by citizens of relations that have a valid educational work plan or a bilateral agreement signed by the Hungarian Government or the Ministry of Human Capacities and the relevant ministry of the given country or territory are entitled for the scholarship. Information regarding the application procedure, internal deadlines and the pre-assessment and shortlisting of applications is in the scope of duties of Tempus Public Foundation and the responsible department of the national/territorial ministry of education. Applications nominated by these offices take priority. Applications submitted directly to Tempus Public Foundation shall also be considered.

Thus, applications may be submitted in the following two ways:

• As a nominee of the sending country’s national scholarship organisation, based on the bilateral agreement of the two countries (independently from the applicant’s nationality): Bulgaria, Cambodia, Republic of China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Vietnam
• Independently from the sending country’s national scholarship organisation, the citizens of the following countries may apply: Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korean Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA, Vietnam.

SCHOLARSHIP TYPES AND ELIGIBILITY

For short-term research (3-29 days) applicants holding at least a master’s degree may apply.

For long-term research (1-10 months) applicants holding at least a master’s degree may apply. (Doctoral student applicants, who are not nominated on a bilateral agreement basis, may not apply for long-term research. They may apply for Partial studies.)

For both short-term and long-term research, applicants may choose either the postgraduate or the postdoctoral category.

CASES OF NON-ELIGIBILITY

• Foreign citizens with an immigration/ settlement permit or in the course of applying for such a permit in Hungary, or dual citizens
• Foreign citizens with permanent residence in Hungary
• Foreign citizens employed as defined by the Hungarian Labour Law
• Students in employment applying for part-time or correspondence study programmes

AGE LIMIT FOR APPLICANTS

There is no age limit.

FURTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Scholarships offered by Tempus Public Foundation allow for studies in any field of arts or sciences at an accredited Hungarian higher education institution, or for research at a relevant Hungarian organisation based on an acceptance letter.

During one application cycle within the bilateral state scholarship programme, further to an application for research, applicants may submit another application for partial/semester studies or for a summer course. Only two scholarships can be granted, in case they do not overlap in time and if the budget makes it possible.

In case of receiving any other simultaneous scholarships also granted by Tempus Public Foundation, applicants are not eligible for the bilateral state scholarship.

Scholarship-holders must stay in Hungary during the entire period of their research, excluding public holidays.

Utilization period

Scholarships have to be implemented during the academic year 2019/2020. The scholarship period can be started at the earliest on 1 September 2019 and must be finished by 31 July 2020 at the latest.

Postponement

The granted scholarship can only be used within the utilization period indicated in the call, so it cannot be postponed to the following academic year.

To modify the starting date within the utilization period can be arranged after receiving the consent of the host institution under the condition that the scholarship holder informs via e-mail Tempus Public Foundation through its bilateral state scholarships officer (see Tempus Public Foundation’s contact persons according to the countries of origin here: https://tka.hu/getDoc.php?doc=3839cd4b264282cc10ed70d8d315c59ad6f0067f).

Resignation

In case the applicant cannot or do not want to use the scholarship within the period approved by the decision of Tempus Public Foundation, a new application for the following academic year has to be submitted. The applicant is requested to inform his/her Tempus Public Foundation through its bilateral state scholarships officer by email, as well as the host and sending home institution, without delay (see Tempus Public Foundation’s contact persons according to the countries of origin here: https://tka.hu/getDoc.php?doc=3839cd4b264282cc10ed70d8d315c59ad6f0067f). In case of nomination, the national office responsible for scholarship grants needs to be informed as well.

Vis maior

The scholarship holder is entitled to interrupt/finish the scholarship due to a vis maior situation occurring during his/her scholarship period. In this case, the scholarship holder has to inform his/her Tempus Public Foundation bilateral state scholarships officer by email, as well as the host institution, without delay (see Tempus Public Foundation’s contact persons according to the countries of origin here: https://tka.hu/getDoc.php?doc=3839cd4b264282cc10ed70d8d315c59ad6f0067f).

After being informed about the vis maior situation, TPF will fix the extent of the time-proportional reimbursement of the grant and will inform the scholarship holder accordingly.

SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION

The mode of applying and the exact date of the opening of the application process will be communicated soon on the www.tka.hu website. Until then, applicants should prepare their application materials in order to be able to submit the application as soon as possible after the opening of the application process.

Deadline: 28 February 2019, Thursday, 11 pm

Please note that applications with formal errors and incomplete applications cannot be accepted, they will be automatically rejected.

Note: Applicants applying under the work plan system should submit their applications and required documents to the organization responsible for scholarships in the sending relation, too. These scholarship offices or responsible ministries work with individual deadlines. Applicants are advised to contact the responsible organisation of their sending relation as soon as possible so that the given relation can officially review, rank and nominate the applications to TPF.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

The Hungarian party first examines the applicants’ eligibility then evaluates applications nominated and ranked by partner offices, as well as individually submitted applications.

After carrying out a formal assessment by Tempus Public Foundation, formally correct applications will be evaluated by external independent experts along the professional requirements listed in the Call for applications.

Preference is given to applicants nominated by their sending relation in the selection procedure.

Any kind of undue influence on the professional evaluation or the application procedure cause immediate exclusion from the selection procedure.

Scholarships are granted by the Board of Trustees of Tempus Public Foundation in the name of the minister responsible for education in Hungary.

All applicants (and in case of nomination the national/territorial partner offices, too) will be informed of the final result of the application (awarded scholarship/waiting list/rejection) electronically (in special circumstances, by post, too) by Tempus Public Foundation. At the same time successful applicants will be provided with information concerning the terms and conditions needed to organise their stay in Hungary in May/June 2019. Tempus Public Foundation informs the host institute, as well.

There is no appeal to the decision.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

The language of the documents can be Hungarian, English, French or German. If they are not written in either of these four languages, their official Hungarian or English translations must also be attached. Documents with the stamp and signature of the issuing institution on letterhead can be considered as official, there is no need to have it translated by a translator office.

For research one of the below two categories may be selected when submitting the application:

• postgraduate research: applicants with a master’s degree may apply,
• postdoctoral research: applicants with a PhD degree may apply.

• Application form of Tempus Public Foundation (it will be available later on).
• No more than a 3-month-old medical certificate issued by a GP of satisfactory health condition for studies (no contagious disease). No template available.
• Copy of the picture page of ID card or passport.
• Precise and detailed work plan – minimum 1- maximum 5-pages long (template: http://tka.hu/international-programmes/4133/information-for-applicants)
• Complete professional CV in Hungarian or English – attached as a file (e.g. https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/)
• Copy of highest degree/diploma at the time of application (when applying for postgraduate research, a master's degree, for postgraduate research a PhD degree, or if not yet received, the doctoral council's decision of the home higher education institution, is required )
• Proof of proficiency in the language that is required for the research programme (at least a B2-level language exam certificate, or a certificate (in Hungarian or English) issued by the sending workplace/institution, Lectorate, or an official certificate by the Hungarian host institution on the basis of previous cooperation). In case the working language is not Hungarian, the host institution should declare it in writing (in the Invitation Letter).
• Publication list
• Preliminary Acceptance Letter issued by the representative of a Hungarian institution, research or art institute. Document must be with original signature, date, and stamp and/or on institutional letterhead.
• Two Letters of Recommendation from two recognized experts in the relevant discipline with original signature, date, stamp and/or on institutional letterhead. The signers of the Letters of Recommendations cannot be the same as of the Letter of Invitation. Recommendations older than 6 months cannot be accepted.

ART SCHOLARSHIPS

Applicants for art scholarships must attach the following supplementary documents:

• Fine and applied arts: documentation of 5 works of art (indicating the date of creating) or the link of the webpage where the works are available.
• Performing arts: records of performing 3 pieces of different styles or link to the webpage where the records/performances are available.
• Fine, applied and performing artists may be required by the host university to submit a more detailed portfolio before being granted a scholarship.

Applicants to Liszt Academy of Music (LFZE), before preparing and submitting their application, should contact the International Department of the Academy for detailed information on specific opportunities and also ask for a Preliminary Acceptance Letter.
Contact e-mail: international.office@lisztakademia.hu, phone: +36 1 462 4616.

The Preliminary Acceptance Letter must be signed by the Head of the Department. Letters signed by department teachers are not accepted.

SCHOLARSHIP RATES

Scholarships are paid by Tempus Public Foundation to the scholarship holders

Postgraduate applicants:
Stipend: 80 000 HUF/month
Accommodation allowance: 70 000 HUF/month

Postdoctoral applicants:
Stipend: 120 000 HUF/month
Accommodation allowance: 80 000 HUF/month

In case of short term research, the full amount of allowances will be transferred after the conclusion of the agreement.

In case of long term research, the scholarship holder will receive 10% of the total allowances after the final report is accepted (see the Report section below). 90% of the allowances is paid during the scholarship period through monthly transfers.

In case of long term research, if the number of months/days indicated in the certificate issued on the completed scholarship period does not cover the applied period, Tempus Public Foundation may ask for the reimbursement of the allowance difference between the two periods.