To-do’s before you arrive at ELTE until September

Here is a list of the most important things to do before arrival

Check the academic calendar

Check the academic calendar to see the semesters, breaks and examination period.

Contact your faculty’s international office (in case of any questions)

While you are here at ELTE and before you arrive to Hungary, you can turn with your questions and issues to the international office of your faculty. At every faculty you can also find a Stipendium Hungaricum coordinator who will help you during your time at our university.

Enrolment

If you are a new student, your student status will be established by enrolment, which is therefore a complusory procedure consisting of two parts, an electronic and a personal administration section. If the personal data given during the enrolment procedure are correct and you have received your "Neptun code" in advance, you can start the electronic part even before leaving your home country. If not, you can do it after arriving at ELTE. Check the list of documents you have to bring with you for the procedure (original hard copies are needed). If you have any questions, please contact the faculty coordinator.

Ask for a mentor (optional)

An English-speaking local student mentor can help you find your way at ELTE and in Budapest. Whenever you have a question concerning your stay here, you can contact him or her during your studies and also prior to your arrival.

Arrange the visa procedure

While preparing, arrange the visa procedure well in time before your travel to Hungary.

Citizens of EU/EEA member states: You may travel to Hungary without a long-term study visa.

Citizens of non-EU/EEA states: Apply for a visa to Hungary

If you are a student from a non-EEA (European Economic Area or Turkey) country, you need to obtain a residence permit for the purpose of study. If you need a visa to enter Hungary, you have to submit the residence permit application form at the Hungarian Consulate or at other locations authorised to issue redisence or nationality permits. You are strongly advised to apply for the redisence permit for the purpose of suty in your home country as soon as ypu receive the Letter of Acceptance, but at least one month before arriving in Hungary. With this procedure, you are also applying for the residence permit visa (D-visa) which allows you to enter Hungary only once and stay for 30 days before receiving your residence permit.

Arrange a travel and health insurance for the period until you enrol at ELTE

Arrange travel and health insurance for yourself for your travel and for the period until you can arrange and receive your insurance at ELTE in September.

If you are an EEA student, it is advisable to also apply for a European Health Insurance Card from your health insurance institution in your homeland before you leave from home.

If you are a non-EEA student (coming from outside of the European Economic Area), you should consider which option suits you and your circumstances best and what you are entitled to have. After your enrolment, you can choose to purchase a fee-for-service health insurance at the Quaestura Office of Student Services.

Note that SH (Stipendium Hungaricum) students and SCYP (Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People) students will be eligible for private and state funded health insurance, after they are enrolled and have all the necessary documents.

Arrange your travel to Hungary

Please arrange your journey to Hungary, so that you arrive before the academic year starts (or preferably, before the Orientation Week)

Arrange accommodation in Budapest

Although on the Letter of Acceptance one of our dormitories is indicated, please note that this address is only given to ease your visa application. It does not mean that you have a booked place in the dormitory. While the main application period has already ended, you can still apply to the dormitory waiting list or request housing assistance online here. Our Housing Office is prepared to help you find the accommodation which suits you the best – therefore don’t worry if didn’t get a place in a dormitory.

Read more on housing options at ELTE here.

Read all “Practical matters” on our homepage

Please read carefully the “Practical matters” section on the university website where you can find all useful information that you need to know before you arrive in Budapest

ELTE offers Hungarian language courses for international students in the summer and also during the semester. More information: https://btk.elte.hu/hungarian-language-courses

Read the academic regulations at ELTE

As a student enrolled at ELTE, you need to know your rights and obligations. Please read carefully the academic regulations of ELTE and get familiar with your rights and obligations and the main concepts.

We strongly advise you to attend the Orientation Week organised for international students at ELTE. Sign up for the programmes here: https://www.elte.hu/en/orientation

For self-funded degree students: Finalize your tasks at apply.elte.hu

Check all of your tasks at apply.elte.hu and get ready to travel to Hungary and start your studies at ELTE.

Follow the life of the University on social media.

We recommend that you follow us on our English-language social media channels.

For scholarship holders:

For Stipendium Hungaricum students: Read the operational regulations for the Stipendium Hungaricum Program

As a Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holder, you need to know the special regulations that apply for Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders. Be aware that the program’s rules might be stricter in some instances than the general university rules. Being a scholarship holder means additional obligations and special rules might apply, please read carefully all related documents and information:

https://www.elte.hu/en/current-students/stipendium-hungaricum/before

https://www.elte.hu/en/content/during-your-studies.t.1363?m=467

For students of the Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People: Read the operational regulations forof the Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People

As a SCYP scholarship holder, you need to know the special regulations that apply for the scholarship holders. Be aware that the program’s rules might be stricter in some instances than the general university rules. Being a scholarship holder means additional obligations and special rules might apply, please read carefully all related documents and information:

https://www.elte.hu/en/current-students/christian-young-people/before

https://www.elte.hu/en/current-students/christian-young-people/during?m=419