The Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines hosted its annual Stipendium Hungaricum Orientation and Alumni Day on 30 July, welcoming new scholars, alumni and university representatives as interest in the Hungarian government scholarship program continues to grow among Filipinos.

More than 50 participants and representatives from 13 Philippine universities attended what the embassy described as its most successful edition to date.

For the first time, officials from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) joined the event, including Senior Education Program Specialist for International Affairs Mabel Gutierrez and Foreign Scholarships and Training Program focal person Nicolle Loterte, underscoring growing academic cooperation between Hungary and the Philippines.

Hungarian Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Dr. Gyula Mike opened the program by highlighting the strengthening educational partnership between the two countries and encouraging new scholars to maximize the opportunities available to them.

Consul Károly Domonkos briefed participants on scholarship benefits and visa procedures, while doctoral alumnus Joseph Yap shared his experiences studying in Hungary. Vea Valdez of the Association of Filipino Students in Hungary also discussed the support network available to incoming Filipino scholars.

Guests were also introduced to Hungarian culture through kürtőskalács, a traditional Hungarian pastry served during the event.

Launched by the Hungarian government in 2013, the Stipendium Hungaricum program provides fully funded scholarships covering tuition, monthly living allowance, accommodation support, medical insurance and student benefits.

The program now supports more than 11,000 international students from over 100 countries, offering around 900 degree programs across 30 Hungarian higher education institutions.

The embassy said interest from the Philippines has increased six- to sevenfold in recent years and has grown more than tenfold for the 2026–2027 academic year.

Currently, 55 Filipino students are studying in Hungary under the program, while 24 new scholarships have been awarded for the upcoming school year.

Hungary has more than 650 years of academic tradition, with its first university established in 1367, and offers more than 800 degree programs, most of which are taught in English for international students.