You are moving to Hungary for work or just to explore the beauties of foreign lands when you stop and wonder: what is the school system like in Hungary? A question easier asked than answered, as it turns out. However, Flatio is here to show you the ropes of the Hungarian educational system so that you can make an informed decision.
Primary education in Hungary
The Hungarian educational system is not very centralized so there are many different ages at which various levels of education begin and end. However, the beginning of primary education is fairly set and tends to begin in the year of the child’s 6th birthday (or 7th if their birthday falls on days after May 31st). But from here on out it all depends on the individual schools.
Whilst most primary schools tend to last for 8 years, some (especially those founded in the 1990s) take only 6 and others only 4 years to complete. If that’s the case, your child has to either attend a different primary school afterwards or can go to secondary school which begins very early. Alternatively, certain schools have become to be known as Middle schools as they fill in the gap between a primary school that only takes 4 years and a secondary school. Overall, it is best to read up on the individual institutions you want your child to attend and make sure that their path to a good education is well planned in advance.
Secondary education in Hungary
The secondary education has three general types, each for different kinds of students, aptitude, and interests. There is the “Gimnázium” which is non-vocational, prepares its students for higher education, and usually teaches at least two foreign languages (English, German, and French are among the most popular). The second type is the “Szakközépiskola” which is a vocational school which, however, also prepares its students for higher education. Lastly, there is the “Szakmunkásképzo Szakiskola” which is a classic vocational school.
All secondary education ends with a final exam known as Matura (or “érettségi bizonyitvány” as Hungarians call it). It consists of five subjects: mathematics, literature and grammar, a foreign language, history, and a written or oral exam chosen by the student. Universities and colleges use Matura, together with other types of examinations such as interviews or letters of recommendation, to pick their future students so it is vital for your child to do well on this exam.
When does school start in Hungary?
Despite the confusion above in terms of which school should be studied when, the school year itself tends to be pretty straight forward and keeps a strict school system calendar. It begins on the first workday in September, and in terms of how many school days there are in Hungary, it’s about 40 weeks or just about 180 days per school year. The year is divided into a spring and autumn semester with a school report at the end of each.
The holidays are also the same across schools. The Autumn Holiday is either at the end of October and or the beginning of November and takes about a week, the Winter Holiday is at the end of December and takes two weeks including Christmas, and the Spring holiday is around Easter and takes about a week. This makes the school year nicely dotted with a few holidays, making it both bearable and giving the opportunity to catch up with the curriculum if need be.
When does school end in Hungary?
The school ends at some point in mid-June, usually depending on when the school year began. This means that the final Summer Holiday is a bit longer than in other countries in Europe, lasting for about eleven to twelve weeks. However, if you are a university or college student, the Summer Holidays will be probably slightly shorter, about two months, depending on when exactly the semester started and when the exam period finished. Either way, there’s plenty of time during the Summer to enjoy Hungary and its many beauties or to venture out to different lands.
Foreign students in Hungary
So far, we have been focusing on its nitty-gritty but it is time to really show the Hungarian education system advantages. There are plenty of choices for international students, though mostly in Budapest, on all levels of education from preschool all the way to universities and colleges. Private international schools tend to cater to international students in both the language used in classrooms as well as the curriculum models (which tend to be borrowed mostly from the US, UK, and Germany) though the variety reaches to more experimental curricula as well. There are too many to list here but the International School of Budapest, BME Gimnazium, and SEK Budapest International School should help you in your initial search.
In any case, there’s a large variety of international schools in Hungary so there’s no need to worry that you wouldn’t find the right one for you. In any case, there is a lot to research when you want to provide the best opportunities for your kids or yourself, but this quick overview should make it easier. Luckily, there are plenty of options provided and so there should be no problem finding the right fit. And when you’re done, you can rest easy, knowing that Flatio has your back in finding a home in the new land.
And a little tip from us at the end of this article - if you are going to study in beautiful Budapest, you will probably need a student accommodation for a few months (so-called mid-term rental) as well as some friends with same interests - then you can use an article with tips where to find the right people in Budapest.
