2023-10-04
An important objective of the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship Programme is to give you the opportunity to learn the Hungarian language and deepen your Hungarian identity through learning about the common history and culture, while studying in Hungary. After graduation, you will return home with competitive knowledge and skills, and you will be able to actively support your diaspora community, strengthening the ties between Hungary and the diaspora.
The Tempus Public Foundation, which coordinates the scholarship programme, and the National Union of Students in Hungary (HÖOK), which brings together the student community at Hungarian universities, organise year-round community-building programmes where students can learn about the country’s important cultural traditions and natural wonders. This year, the scholarship holders were able to visit Visegrád, Tihany, the Academy of Music and one of the most famous Hungarian painters, Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka, on a guided tour of the Museum of Fine Arts.
HÖOK, as an organisation representing the students of Hungarian universities, established the Diaspora Mentor Programme to help students coming to Hungary to strengthen their Hungarian identity, gain a broader knowledge of Hungarian customs, history, literature and cultural treasures, and learn more about the country and the Carpathian Basin. Through the programme, scholarship holders can receive help from their fellow students with their studies, university administration or housing, and a range of exciting excursions and cultural programmes are organised.
You can also find the events of HÖOK on the Diaspora Higher Education Scholarships website under Scholarship holders. To apply for the programmes, you must register on the Diaspora Mentor Program website. It’s worth the registration because you can have the chance to take part in incredible experiences such as the busó festival in Mohács, a trip to Bratislava, preparing traditional Hungarian food together or a historical walk in the capital on 15 March.
Follow the HÖOK Diaspora Mentoring Programme on social media (Instagram, Facebook) and the Facebook page of the Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship to stay up to date with the latest programmes.
I participated in the welcoming event, the Diaspora weekend at Satoraljaujhely, and the open-air museum with the Christmas dinner afterwards and I loved all three of them. Great food at both dinners, the diaspora weekend was my second time and this time was much better as I already knew some of the people who came to the weekend so it was great getting to spend time with them and meet new scholarship participants on top of that. The open-air museum was also lovely and allowed me to get to know my Hungarian heritage better than before which is something I always look forward to. (Koral Aviv, Israel) Click here to read the full interview with Koral Aviv!
Events in the Autumn semester
During the autumn semester 2023/2024, you could participate in several exciting events as a scholarship holder:
- Visit to the Museum of Ethnography,
- Guided walks: in Budapest to commemorate the 1956 Revolution, in the Fiume cemetery on All Saints’ Day
- Weekend trip in Sopron
- Christmas market and ice skating
Check out the constantly updated events calendar for more information.
Photos: Tempus Public Foundation, HÖOK. Koral Aviv
