EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM Hungary 2016

Participation in education is mandatory between the ages of 3 and 16 kindergartens and schools are maintained by the state and local governments

Elementary School (usually 1st to 8th form) All pupils start elementary school at the age of 6 after the 4th grade they can decide: to stay to transfer to an eight-form grammar school.  This possibility is offered again after the 6th grade to transfer to a six-grade grammar school, and many talented and academically advanced children take this opportunity. 

After the elementary school they can enrol into: Vocational schools, Secondary vocational school Secondary grammar school

Vocational schools They are taught practical skills needed to perform a particular job, like carpentry, gardening, etc. These schools give a trade certificate but pupils are not prepared for the school-leaving exam that is required to enter higher education.

Secondary vocational school Is the best choice if someone would like to learn a trade and enrol into higher education afterwards These schools offer tuition in both practical and academic skills. The school-leaving exam are: Hungarian language and literature, Maths, History foreign language of choice professional subject

Secondary grammar schools Offered by grammar schools, where the focus is purely academic and the aim is to prepare pupils for continuing their studies at college or university. Students are required to take a school-leaving exam at the end of 12th grade in five subjects (intermediate or advanced level) : The compulsory subjects are Hungarian language and literature, Maths, History and a foreign language of choice. It’s allowed to pick one more subject based on their interest.

Higher Education At present, higher education in Hungary is based on the Bologna system, which is in force in most European countries, making studying abroad much easier. Students who complete their first 3 or 4 years of study earn a Bachelor’s degree and can continue their studies to earn a Master’s degree, which takes 1 or 2 more years. This division is not applicable in Hungary if you study to be a lawyer, doctor, vet, dentist, pharmacist, or an architect. The highest level is the doctoral degree, which means another 3-4 years of study. Students are supposed to pass at least one intermediate level foreign language exam as part of their studies in order to be awarded their degrees.

Thank you very much for your kind attention!