Hungary Student Visa: Getting Your Residence Permit for Studies
Where to apply, what to submit, how much it costs and how long it takes, for applicants from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Egypt.
A Hungary student visa is, in legal terms, a residence permit for the purpose of studies. If you are a citizen of Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh or Egypt, you apply for it at a Hungarian embassy or consulate before you travel, and you receive an entry visa once the permit is approved.
The permit is issued by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF) under Act XC of 2023. It covers the full length of your degree in blocks of 1 to 3 years, lets you work up to 30 hours a week during the semester, and can be followed by a 9-month permit to look for a job after graduation. The rules are the same for state and private universities.
How the Hungary student visa works
Hungary has three study-related statuses: a residence permit for studies (for a full degree), a residence permit for student mobility, and a mobility certificate for EU exchange programs. If you are enrolling in a full bachelor's, master's or medical degree, you need the first one.
Where you apply depends on where you are and how you entered:
- From abroad. You apply at the Hungarian embassy or consulate in your country of citizenship or legal residence. A Pakistani citizen living in the UAE, for example, can use the consulate there.
- From inside Hungary. Enter Hungary is the online portal for people already in Hungary legally, for example those who entered visa-free. Students also use it later for renewals and the post-study permit.
For nationals of visa-required countries, including Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Egypt, the practical rule is simple: apply through the Hungarian consulate in your country of citizenship or residence. Do not plan to switch status after arriving on a short-stay visa.
Once the permit is approved, the consulate generally issues a single-entry visa. After arrival, you complete the residence card formalities, usually within about 30 days.
Step-by-step application for a study residence permit
The permit is the last step of admission, not the first. You can only apply once a university has accepted you, so the timing of your admission decides the timing of your visa.
From admission letter to residence card
Get your admission letter — the university's confirmation of enrollment is the core document of the file.
Prepare academic documents — apostille or legalize your certificate and transcripts, and translate them into English or Hungarian if needed.
Arrange housing — a dormitory confirmation or rental agreement gives you the Hungarian address the form requires.
Arrange health insurance — through the university or a private policy.
Prepare proof of funds — bank statements, income documents or a scholarship letter covering the year.
Attend your consulate appointment — submit the form, passport, photos and documents, and pay the €110 fee.
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Visa requirements: documents and proof of funds
OIF lists the following documents for a study residence permit. Consulates may add their own formatting rules, so check the list of the consulate where you will apply.
Documents for the study residence permit
- Confirmation of admission or student status from a Hungarian university
- Language certificate (proof that you can study in the language of the program)
- Proof of funds for your stay: bank statements, income documents or a scholarship award
There is no fixed minimum bank balance. OIF does not publish a set amount for students, so figures you may see online are estimates, not requirements. The safe approach is to show funds for the whole academic year: your tuition plus living costs.
To size that amount, use real numbers. English-taught bachelor's programs outside medicine cost roughly €6,000–10,000 or $6,000–8,000 a year, depending on the university. Medicine at the four classic medical universities costs about €15,800–18,700 or $16,750–17,900 a year. For living costs, a student in Budapest needs about €800–1,300 a month; Debrecen and other regional cities start from about €650. Our cost of studying in Hungary guide breaks these numbers down.
Apostille or legalization: it depends on your country
Hungary has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since 1973, so countries in the convention simply apostille their documents. Countries outside it need consular legalization, which takes more steps and more time.
| Country | What your documents need | Note |
|---|---|---|
India | Apostille | In the convention since 2005 |
Pakistan | Apostille | In the convention since 9 March 2023 |
Bangladesh | Apostille | In the convention since 30 March 2025 |
Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain | Apostille | Saudi Arabia since December 2022 |
Nigeria, Egypt, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait | Consular legalization |
For admission, the university itself recognizes your school certificate, and English translations are accepted. Some universities take plain copies at the application stage but ask for certified originals at enrollment and for the permit. Apostilling or legalizing early saves a second round later.
Fees and processing times
The fee depends on where and how you apply. Consulate applications are charged in euros; applications inside Hungary are charged in forints.
| Application | Where | Fee |
|---|---|---|
First study permit | Hungarian consulate abroad | €110 |
First study permit | Online, Enter Hungary | 26,000 HUF |
First study permit | In person at OIF | 39,000 HUF |
Renewal | Online, Enter Hungary | 26,000 HUF |
Any of the above, Stipendium Hungaricum holders | — |
On timing, OIF has 15 days to prepare your case and makes a decision on the merits within 60 days. Put together, that is up to about 75 days, so a file submitted in late July can run close to the start of the semester. If your application is refused, you can appeal within 8 days.
The permit is issued for 1 to 3 years, depending on the length of your program, and never for longer than your passport is valid. Renew your passport before applying if it expires during your studies.
For Stipendium Hungaricum holders, the scholarship does not guarantee a visa. Start the process right after the positive decision and allow up to 30 days. In the last cycle, visas were processed in July–August. The next call is not yet published; the deadline is expected around mid-January.
Hungary study permit: key time limits
Official OIF deadlines, from application to post-study permit
15 days
Case preparation
OIF has 15 days to prepare your case after you apply.
Within 60 days
Decision on the merits
Together that is up to about 75 days; a refusal can be appealed within 8 days.
About 30 days after arrival
Residence card in Hungary
After entering on the single-entry visa, you complete the residence card formalities.
90 to 30 days before expiry
Online renewal
Renew through Enter Hungary; you must have lived in Hungary 90 days in any 180-day period.
No later than 15 days before expiry
Post-study permit
A permit to seek a job or start a business, valid for up to 9 months and not extendable.
A file submitted in late July can run close to the start of the semester.
Health insurance for international students
Health insurance is mandatory for the permit: you must show a policy or equal financial means to cover treatment. OIF does not set a minimum coverage amount for private policies, so follow the consulate's instructions on what it accepts.
Many universities include basic insurance in tuition. Debrecen does this for its English-taught non-medical programs, and Szeged includes basic insurance in medical tuition. Ask your university for a written confirmation you can attach to the file.
Full-time international students can also sign a healthcare contract with NEAK, the national health fund. The contribution is currently about 96,840 HUF a month, so university or private insurance is usually more practical.
Working while you study and staying after graduation
A study residence permit lets you work up to 30 hours a week during the academic term. Outside term time you can work full time, but for no more than 90 days a year. Your proof of funds must cover the year without this income.
After graduation, you can apply for a residence permit for seeking a job or starting a business. Key points:
- It is valid for up to 9 months and cannot be extended.
- You apply online through Enter Hungary, no later than 15 days before your study permit expires.
- You must show you can support yourself, and the job you look for must match your level of education.
Renewing your study permit
Renewal is done online through Enter Hungary. Submit it no earlier than 90 days and no later than 30 days before your current permit expires. One condition catches students who travel a lot: you must have lived in Hungary for at least 90 days in any 180-day period. Long trips home during a semester can put renewal at risk, so plan summer travel with this rule in mind.
What to know before you apply
Stipendium Hungaricum is competitive and runs through your government. You apply only via your country of citizenship, and your application is valid only if your Sending Partner nominates you (for example, HEC in Pakistan or UGC in India). The Tempus Public Foundation recommends applying directly, without agencies, and applying is free: AcademGo helps you choose programs and prepare documents, but you submit the application yourself. Among Gulf states, the UAE, Oman and Bahrain are in the program; Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait are not.
The scholarship does not cover everything. The foundation itself calls it partial support: the housing allowance of 40,000 HUF a month does not cover rent in large cities, especially Budapest. Scholarship holders must also attend a Hungarian language course in the first year; those who skip it lose the stipend.
English-taught medicine starts with entrance exams. Semmelweis tests medical biology, chemistry and English online, then interviews candidates. Debrecen sets a written biology test plus chemistry or physics, followed by an oral exam. The program is long and demanding, so be sure of your preparation before paying deposits. Hungary's accreditation agency is recognized by WFME until 2032, which matters for licensing at home; see our medicine in Hungary guide.
University governance is changing. Since 2021, Semmelweis, Debrecen, Szeged, Pécs and other universities have been run by public-interest foundations rather than directly by the state. According to Hungarian media, this model is being dismantled, with the foundations planned to close on 1 August 2027. They remain state universities, and the change does not affect your degree, which is issued by the same accredited university.
Budget for real living costs. About €800–1,300 a month in Budapest is realistic, not the $500–800 some websites quote.
Documents and legalisation: a checklist for nine destinations
Where an apostille is enough, where consular legalisation is required, and what separate recognition step each destination asks for — with the order of steps and timings.
- The basic document pack needed everywhere
- Apostille or consular legalisation — a table by destination
- Denklik, homologación, CIMEA, NCEQE: what they are and how long they take
- Three mistakes that cost applicants a year
Not sure your visa file is complete, or which intake gives you enough time? Book a free consultation with AcademGo. We will review your admission timeline, check your documents against the consulate's list and plan the steps from admission letter to residence card. Write to us via the form, WhatsApp or Telegram on our contacts page. For the full picture of universities and programs, start with studying in Hungary.
